Escobar Might Miss a Start

The Angels plan to use Hector Carrasco as a spot starter next week in place of Kelvim Escobar, who said Saturday he does not expect his split fingernail to heal in time.

“I don’t think it’s going to get better in five days,” Escobar said.

Carrasco, 36, has started six times in 563 major league appearances. In five starts for the Washington Nationals last season, he went 1-1 with a 2.03 earned-run average.

The Angels haven’t scratched Escobar from his scheduled Wednesday start yet, in case the nail heals in the next couple of days, but Escobar said he had to skip one start the last time he had this injury.

He pitched six innings in Friday’s 4-1 victory over the New York Yankees, all the more impressive since he noticed in the third inning that the nail had broken on the middle finger of his pitching hand.

“I didn’t feel anything,” he said, “but I saw my finger was bleeding.”

*

In January, during the trial between the Angels and the city of Anaheim, city attorneys displayed pictures of the “Welcome to Angel Stadium” sign that stretched between the dugout roofs last season. Angel owner Arte Moreno testified he “made a mistake” by not following “Angel Stadium” with “of Anaheim,” as required by the stadium lease, and he pledged to redo the sign.

For the new season, the Angels unveiled a replacement that omits the stadium name entirely: “Home of the 2004 & 2005 West Division Champions.”

The change is not a slap at the city, club spokesman Tim Mead said.

“It’s an expansion of our branding and a display of pride at what we’ve accomplished,” Mead said.

An Orange County Superior Court jury ruled in February that the Angels did not violate their lease by adding Los Angeles to their name. The city has not decided whether to appeal.

*

The Angels supplemented their lineup with right-handed batters against Randy Johnson, with Tim Salmon at designated hitter, Juan Rivera starting in center field in place of Darin Erstad and Robb Quinlan at first base for Casey Kotchman.

*

Jered Weaver won his triple-A debut Saturday, giving up one run and two hits over seven innings of Salt Lake’s 4-3 victory over Tucson. Weaver struck out eight and walked none.... Second baseman Howie Kendrick, who batted .368, .367 and .367 in his first three full minor league seasons, has seven hits in his first 13 triple-A at-bats.... Shortstop Brandon Wood, who led the minor leagues with 43 home runs at Class-A Rancho Cucamonga, homered on opening day for double-A Arkansas.... Reminder: Sunday games now start at 12:30 p.m.