Colon Is Still Getting Up to Speed

The radar gun readings confirm that Bartolo Colon isn’t quite all the way back from the slight shoulder tear that knocked the Angel ace out of last October’s American League championship series.

Colon’s fastball, which normally hits 95-96 mph, topped out at 92 mph Friday when the right-hander, in his first Angel appearance since returning from the World Baseball Classic, gave up two runs and six hits, including two solo home runs, struck out five and walked none in six innings of a triple-A game against San Francisco.

“In the back of my mind, yeah, I’m thinking about my shoulder,” Colon said through an interpreter. “I want to be cautious, not because there’s any pain, but because I don’t want to hurt it. I don’t want to air it out too early. I’m a little tentative. I don’t want to do more than I should.”

Colon threw 87 pitches Friday and showed excellent command of his cut-fastball and curve, just as he did in the WBC, when he gave up one earned run and walked two in 14 innings. He did not feel any ill effects from the blister on the middle finger of his pitching hand, which knocked him out of his last WBC start for the Dominican Republic.

Though he rarely topped 92 mph during the WBC, Colon is confident his fastball will return in full force by opening day.

“To me, I focus more on location in spring training,” he said. “I don’t know what the [gun] readings are, but I know I have more in the tank.”

Colon is not ready to tap into those reserves yet, and he probably won’t Wednesday, when he makes his final exhibition start against the Chicago Cubs before his April 3 opening-day start in Seattle.

“Once the games start, I will be airing out the fastball,” Colon said. “But don’t expect it here.”

New Angel reliever Hector Carrasco isn’t even sure Colon needs his best fastball.

“When I was with Minnesota [from 1998 to 2001] he’d throw against us and be like 99-100 mph,” Carrasco said. “Now he’s a better pitcher with more control. He’s learning how to pitch.”

If Colon has good movement on a 92-mph sinking fastball, “That’s plenty,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “Bart usually works into his velocity. It will come. The most important thing is he’s healthy.”

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Carrasco, who signed a two-year, $6.1-million contract over the winter, continued to struggle, giving up five runs and seven hits in 3 2/3 innings of Friday’s 5-1 exhibition loss to Kansas City. Mechanical problems made it difficult for Carrasco to get his fastball down in the strike zone, and he admits he’s pressing a bit.

“Sometimes I’m too excited to show everyone what I can do,” said Carrasco, who has an 8.74 spring earned run average. “I’m not that way. I’m going to be OK.”

Second baseman Adam Kennedy returned after being scratched Thursday because of a knee infection and had two hits, and Jose Molina, Darin Erstad and Orlando Cabrera each added two hits for the Angels.

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Among the possible targets in the Angels’ search for a left-handed hitting bench player are Baltimore utility player David Newhan, who is batting .429 in 16 games this spring, Minnesota outfielder Ruben Sierra, a veteran switch-hitter with power who is batting .389 in nine games, and Florida veteran infielder Lenny Harris, who is hitting .200 in 15 games.

Newhan can play all three outfield spots, second base and third. The Orioles appear to be a good trade match because they need relief help, and the Angels are willing to deal right-hander Esteban Yan or Kevin Gregg.