Lackey’s Jam Puts Light on Relievers

Only in spring training can a manager find a bright side to a horrendous start by a pitcher, this one a two-inning debacle in which Angel right-hander John Lackey gave up seven runs on seven hits, threw to the wrong infielder covering second base on a potential double-play grounder and failed to back up home plate properly on a run-scoring hit to the outfield.

“The one silver lining is that with Lackey’s short outing, we got a chance to see some length from [relievers] Esteban Yan and Jake Woods,” Angel Manager Mike Scioscia said after Monday’s 14-8 exhibition victory over the Milwaukee Brewers. “Yan got out of a jam and made some good pitches with his fastball and split-fingered fastball. And Woods looked very strong.”

Both relief outings were significant. Yan’s 6.97 earned-run average was the worst of any front-line Angel reliever, but after giving up a single and double to open the third, the right-hander retired Dave Krynzel on a grounder to the mound, struck out Trent Durrington and got Junior Spivey to pop to first. Yan then added a scoreless fourth and fifth to lower his spring ERA to 5.40 in 13 1/3 innings.

Woods threw two innings, giving up one hit, a home run to Carlos Lee, and striking out three. The left-hander has a spring ERA of 1.46 in 12 1/3 innings and appears to have a slight edge over right-hander Chris Bootcheck for the sixth and final bullpen spot.

“His command is like night and day from the beginning of camp,” Scioscia said. “He’s made some terrific pitches his last few outings. He’s not just getting outs, but he’s getting the ball in good zones.”

An Angel offense that has sputtered much of the spring had 21 hits, with Vladimir Guerrero (four hits, including a two-run homer), Jeff DaVanon (three hits), Maicer Izturis (three-run triple, double) and Steve Finley (two-run homer) leading the way.

But all that, as well as the odd sight of a beekeeper in a protective suit removing a swarm of bees from the Angel dugout in the middle of the second inning, couldn’t obscure Lackey’s performance, the worst by an Angel starter this spring.

“I wasn’t locating anything,” Lackey said. “This is the first time I’ve felt bad all spring, but I’m not going to over-analyze it too much.... I’m just glad it didn’t count.”

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Spivey, the Brewer second baseman, left Monday’s game in the eighth inning after suffering a gash on his upper lip in a scary collision with David Matranga.

With a runner on third and the infield in, the Angel infielder rolled a grounder to the right of first baseman Lyle Overbay. Spivey rushed to cover first, and just as he caught Overbay’s flip in front of the bag, Matranga crashed into him, the bill of his helmet hitting Spivey in the face and both players crumbling to the ground. Matranga got up and was OK, but Spivey was taken to a doctor for stitches.

“I thought I could get to the bag,” Matranga said. “Then, it was like I ran into a brick wall.”

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Dallas McPherson, out since March 3 because of a herniated disk in his lower back, had three hits in eight at-bats in a minor league game Monday and played four innings in the field, where no balls were hit to him. “I don’t think I’m too far off,” McPherson said. “I feel like I’m pretty close.” Relievers Kevin Gregg (three innings) and Scot Shields (two innings) also pitched in the minor league game, and Josh Paul hit a home run. ... The Angels placed outfielder Tim Salmon (knee surgery, shoulder surgery), second baseman Adam Kennedy (knee surgery) and reliever Matt Hensley (shoulder tear) on the 15-day disabled list. Kennedy is expected to begin a minor league rehabilitation assignment in mid-April, his return to the Angels targeted for early May.