Guerrero Sees Quick Recovery

Right fielder Vladimir Guerrero, remembering his return from a similar injury in 2001, said he is confident he will be “fully recovered” from a partial dislocation of his left shoulder by the time he is eligible to come off the disabled list in two weeks.

“They’re already setting up an exercise program that worked the last time, and back then, I only missed three or four games,” Guerrero said Sunday through an interpreter. “This is the same type of injury.”

Guerrero hurt his shoulder Friday night on an awkward, head-first slide into home, a play the 2004 American League most valuable player said he would try again, although Manager Mike Scioscia expressed reservations about the 6-foot-3, 225-pound Guerrero going head-first into the plate.

“If the situation comes up again, I will do it the same way,” said Guerrero, whose 2001 injury came on a dive back to first base. “I can’t control [injuries]. I can’t play the game careful. I’ll play the game the same way.”

He will swing the same way too. Injuries to the front shoulder can affect a power hitter’s swing, but Guerrero won’t change his approach.

“I can’t tell you what my left shoulder does during a swing,” Guerrero said. “All I can tell you is, I’m going to keep swinging hard. The last time, I wasn’t restricted at all. My follow-through was fine.”

Considering his quick recovery in 2001, were the Angels premature in putting Guerrero on the disabled list on Saturday?

“No,” said Guerrero, who will undergo an MRI test Tuesday to determine whether there is any structural damage in the shoulder. “It was the right decision because they’re trying to protect me for the long run.”

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Closer Francisco Rodriguez’s return from a forearm injury was pushed back by at least one more day when the Angels decided to have the right-hander throw once more in the bullpen Sunday, this time at full speed, before declaring him game-ready. Scioscia was satisfied with the workout and said Rodriguez, sidelined for eight days, could be available tonight.

“His last bullpen [Friday], he got to the point where he’d warm up in the game, but he didn’t air it out,” Scioscia said. “He needed to turn it loose and test it.”

Starter Kelvim Escobar, on the DL because of a bone spur in his elbow, also threw in the bullpen at “about 80% effort” and was on course to return to the rotation Saturday.

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The Angels’ patience with long reliever Kevin Gregg is wearing thin. The right-hander gave up two runs on three hits, including a Jason Phillips home run, in one-third of an inning Sunday and now has a 7.77 earned-run average in 22 innings, a performance that could result in a demotion to triple-A Salt Lake for Gregg, who went 3-0 with a 3.42 ERA in 32 first-half games in 2004.

“We have a lot of confidence in Kevin, but we’re going to look at some things to get him going,” Scioscia said. “He was a big part of our bullpen last year, and he’s not off by much, but we’re trying to do some things to jump-start him.”

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Catcher Bengie Molina, experiencing tightness in his right thigh, sat out his second straight game but was available to pinch hit and catch if necessary. Molina spent almost four weeks on the DL in April and early May because of a strained right thigh.... Steve Finley’s left groin, which has bothered him for about a week, felt sore, and the center fielder was held out of the lineup. Finley struck out in a seventh-inning, pinch-hit appearance.... Garret Anderson returned to the lineup after missing three games because of a tight right hamstring. The left fielder had a single in four at-bats and was pulled in the bottom of the eighth when his leg became fatigued.

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ON DECK

Opponent -- Chicago White Sox, four games.

Site -- Angel Stadium.

TV -- FSN West all four games.

Radio -- 710, 1020.

Records -- Angels 25-18, White Sox 31-13.

2004 record vs. White Sox -- 5-4.

Tonight, 7 -- Ervin Santana (0-1, 13.50) vs. Jon Garland (8-0, 2.41).

Tuesday, 7 p.m. -- Bartolo Colon (5-3, 2.67) vs. Mark Buehrle (7-1, 3.33).

Wednesday, 7 p.m. -- Jarrod Washburn (3-2, 3.54) vs. Freddy Garcia (4-3, 3.56).

Thursday, 7 p.m. -- John Lackey (4-2, 4.05) vs. Jose Contreras (2-1, 3.23).