He Wants Fast Start and More Finishes

Bartolo Colon capitalized on his second chance to make a first impression, throwing two quality innings Sunday at the same spring training site where he needed 41 pitches to record two outs in his Angel debut a year ago.

Colon would also like to improve on his horrendous start to the 2004 regular season. The right-hander went 6-8 with a 6.38 earned-run average before the All-Star break on his way to posting career-worst numbers for ERA (5.01), runs (122) and home runs given up (38).

“I want to have a good, strong first half and combine it with the second half, which has always been my strong suit,” Colon said through an interpreter after giving up one run and two hits during the Angels’ 17-4 romp over the Oakland Athletics at Phoenix Municipal Stadium.

Colon declined to pin his early-season struggles on a balky ankle that Manager Mike Scioscia said caused him to develop bad habits with his mechanics, insisting that he merely failed to perform up to his potential.

Reestablishing himself as one of the game’s top pitchers is a priority, Colon said. So is pitching deeper into ballgames. After compiling a league-leading nine complete games in 2003, Colon had none last season.

“I threw too many pitches sometimes,” Colon said. “We also have one of the best bullpens here, so it was an easy decision for Mike [to go with a reliever].”

Colon said he felt strong physically even though he pitched only seven innings of winter ball, considerably fewer than he would have liked.

“I feel like whenever I pitch in winter ball,” he said, “I get off to a better start.”

Colon declined to comment when asked whether General Manager Bill Stoneman had asked him to curtail his winter workload. Stoneman said he had advised Colon’s agent that his client could pitch “a little bit” as long as he didn’t overextend himself.

“We’re not going to say you shouldn’t, but it will be at your own risk,” Stoneman said, recalling what he told Colon’s agent.

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Scioscia said he was impressed with Adam Kennedy’s patience in his recovery from off-season knee surgery. Even though the second baseman is expected to start turning double plays and take live batting practice in about 10 days, well ahead of schedule, he is not setting a timetable for his return.

“Let it heal how it’s going to heal,” said Kennedy, who is expected back in May.

Scioscia said that’s a mature approach for a player who “wanted to be on the field yesterday doing every drill and playing.”

“He understands what’s at risk to his career and our team,” Scioscia said. “We have to just give it a little time here at the beginning of the season to have him strong for this year, next year and beyond.”

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Reliever Esteban Yan appeared to escape serious injury after taking a sharply hit ball off his left forearm. “He had some nice seam marks on his arm,” Scioscia said of the right-hander, “but hopefully he’s going to be all right.” Yan stayed in the game and gave up two hits and two runs in one inning. ... Michael Napoli hit a three-run homer, and Casey Kotchman doubled and drove in five runs against the A’s. Kotchman also hit a batting-practice line drive that struck pitching coach Bud Black’s daughter Jessie on the side of her neck while she was sitting down the right-field line. She was OK. ... The Angels sold 82,052 tickets Saturday, 23,224 more than they sold last year on the first day of individual-game ticket sales.