Escobar Won’t Speak to Guillen

Two of Venezuela’s most famous countrymen, Angel pitcher Kelvim Escobar and White Sox Manager Ozzie Guillen, are at odds, their dispute from an April 29 incident in Anaheim escalating into a war of words Wednesday.

Escobar considered speaking to Guillen after the April 29 game, when Guillen accused him of purposely hitting Chicago catcher A.J. Pierzynski with a pitch in retaliation for Pierzynski’s role in two controversial plays during October’s American League championship series against the Angels.

Escobar also was involved in both plays -- he threw the strike-three pitch that umpire Doug Eddings ruled Josh Paul didn’t catch in Game 2 and tagged Pierzynski with the glove while holding the ball in his bare hand in Game 5.

But after reading Guillen’s comments in the April 30 papers -- “If Escobar is going to hit somebody, he should hit himself,” Guillen said. “A.J. has nothing to do with the dumb ... play they made.” -- Escobar changed his mind.

“After what he said, I’m not talking to anyone,” said Escobar, who will start against Chicago tonight. “I didn’t do it on purpose. Ozzie didn’t believe me. He called me stupid. He has no respect for me, so I don’t respect him as a man.”

Guillen’s response: “I’m not going to lose any sleep over it. I don’t have anything against Kelvim. He doesn’t want to talk to me? Fine. I still have a lot of friends who talk to me.... Did I think he hit him on purpose? Yes. I didn’t think that was right. What if A.J. had gotten hurt? He didn’t do anything wrong.”

Countered Escobar: “If I’m going to hit somebody I won’t wait until the third pitch, believe me. And I’m not going to hit you in the leg. After what happened last year, the last guy I wanted to hit was A.J.”

What infuriated Guillen and Angel Manager Mike Scioscia was that umpire Paul Nauert issued warnings to both teams after the pitch, telling Scioscia he had “well-documented” information about “the problems with Pierzynski and your team.”

Both managers vehemently denied there was any animosity between the teams, and if crew chief Tim Welke issues warnings before tonight’s game, Guillen said, “There’s a great chance of me getting thrown out before the first pitch.”

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Bartolo Colon is scheduled to throw off a mound Friday for the first time since going on the disabled list April 19, and the Angel ace, who could begin a minor league rehabilitation assignment late next week, said the inflammation in the back of his shoulder has disappeared.

“It’s really a relief,” Colon said through an interpreter. “Once I get on the mound, that’s the biggest test, but overall, I feel I can throw freely. I had a little fear in spring training. I’m more confident now.”

When Colon went on the DL, he thought he would miss only two starts, “but when I rolled over in my sleep and it hurt, I knew it would be more than two starts,” he said.

In addition to shoulder-strengthening exercises, Colon has been getting treatment on his lower back, which has bothered him periodically.

“The trainers indicated to me that compensating for my back may have impacted my shoulder,” said Colon, who was knocked out of the playoffs by a slight shoulder tear. “But it feels good now.”