Relievers Don’t Feel Snubbed

Francisco Rodriguez thought Scot Shields should have made the American League All-Star team. Shields thought Rodriguez should have made it. Neither did, which left both Angel relievers from one of the league’s strongest bullpens surprised but not terribly disappointed.

“I would think with the emphasis on winning, I’d want [Rodriguez] on my team,” Shields said of the Angel closer, who had a 2.43 earned-run average and 15 saves in 26 games before Sunday but sat out 15 days in May because of a forearm strain. “In my opinion, he’s one of the most dominant relievers in the game.”

Shields had a chance to become the third Angel setup man to reach the All-Star game in three years, following Brendan Donnelly in 2003 and Rodriguez in 2004. The right-hander was 6-5 with a 2.61 ERA in 39 games before Sunday.

“I thought Scot had more of a chance because of the way he pitched the first two months,” Rodriguez said. “I didn’t have the numbers or the innings, and I was on the disabled list. I’m not surprised or frustrated. It’s not something I was hoping for.”

Shields looked like a strong All-Star candidate in late May, when he had a 4-1 record, 0.93 ERA and six saves in 23 games, but a seven-day stretch in which he gave up eight earned runs in five innings of five games hurt his candidacy.

“It would have been nice, but I knew I didn’t have a chance,” Shields said. “I had that bad week where my losses and ERA shot up. But making the All-Star team is an extra. It’s not something I’m going to dwell on.”

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Asked if they felt any teammates were snubbed in the All-Star selection process, Bartolo Colon and Vladimir Guerrero named first baseman Darin Erstad, who was batting .289 with 20 doubles, 35 runs batted in and a team-leading 56 runs before Sunday.

“I thought he’d get more consideration because of what he’s done with the bat lately and what he’s done with the glove all year,” Guerrero said through an interpreter. Colon said he considered Erstad was a strong candidate “for everything he does on the field and inside the clubhouse, which reflects a lot about who he is.”

Erstad, who has three home runs, thought he had “no chance” of making the team. “You’ve got to hit more home runs as a first baseman to have a chance,” he said.

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Colon would be the natural choice to start the Angels’ first game after the All-Star break, against Minnesota on July 14, but Manager Mike Scioscia said that if the Angel ace throws one or two innings in the All-Star game, Colon’s first start after the break would be pushed to July 15 or 16....Center fielder Steve Finley, on the disabled list because of a strained right shoulder, began taking soft toss and should progress to batting practice over the next few days. There’s a slim chance he could return before the All-Star break.

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ON DECK

Opponent -- Minnesota Twins, three games.

Site -- Angel Stadium.

TV -- FSN West all three games.

Radio -- 710, 1020.

Records -- Angels 50-31, Twins 45-34.

Record vs. Twins -- 1-2.

Tonight, 6 -- John Lackey (6-2, 3.84) vs. Carlos Silva (6-3, 3.55).

Tuesday, 7 p.m. -- Ervin Santana (2-3, 6.06) vs. Scott Baker (0-0, 0.00).

Wednesday, 1 p.m. -- Paul Byrd (8-5, 3.55) vs. Johan Santana (7-4, 3.78)