Colon’s Return Slowed by ‘a Little Dead Arm’

Bartolo Colon is experiencing what pitching coach Bud Black described as “a little dead arm,” a condition that has slowed the return of the Angels ace, who has been on the disabled list since April 16.

The Angels were hoping Colon, sidelined by an inflamed shoulder, would throw a simulated game Thursday and perhaps begin a minor league rehabilitation assignment this weekend, but that timetable has been pushed back. Colon, who last threw Tuesday, will try to throw in the bullpen again today.

“I wouldn’t call it a setback; I would say there wasn’t forward progress with his last bullpen,” Black said. “He wasn’t feeling any better, and to move forward, there has to be a progression. We’ve pushed him pretty hard the last two weeks. He was moving steady. He just stalled.”

The Angels have been patching Colon’s spot with Kevin Gregg and Hector Carrasco, who have been shaky, but if they determine Colon will be out for several more weeks, they could recall Jered Weaver, who is 3-1 with a 2.25 earned-run average, 58 strikeouts and eight walks in 48 innings at triple-A Salt Lake.

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Teams received a memo Thursday from Jimmie Lee Solomon, executive vice president of baseball operations, that umpires would be “sharpening their focus” on the high strike, which, according to baseball rules, is the midpoint between the top of a batter’s shoulders and the top of his uniform pants.

Black thinks the high strike would benefit pitchers such as Colon, Jarrod Washburn and Barry Zito, “guys with a four-seam fastball who ride the ball up,” but not most Angel pitchers.

“We mostly pitch down and in,” Black said. “I like the high strike because if they miss and the batter takes, you might get a strike. But I wouldn’t want our guys to pitch there.”

Kelvim Escobar concurred. “I don’t like pitching up in the strike zone,” he said, “so it doesn’t matter to me.”

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Garret Anderson, who missed his third straight game because of a sore left hamstring, was able to take batting practice and run in the outfield Thursday afternoon, but with the Angels traveling this weekend to Dodger Stadium, where there will be no designated hitter, Anderson could be relegated to a pinch-hit role.

Manager Mike Scioscia also said Tim Salmon probably wouldn’t play the outfield against the Dodgers because his surgically repaired left knee is a little sore.

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The Angels voted to make up the May 11 rainout at Chicago on Aug. 7, the day before they begin a nine-game trip to Cleveland, New York and Texas. But the White Sox voted Thursday to play the game on July 27, which is an off day between Tampa Bay and Boston for the Angels. The matter will go to the players’ union, which could make a recommendation in the next week or so.

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Leadoff batter Chone Figgins, who is in a six-for-44 slump and made five errors in the previous six games, did not start Thursday for the first time in 41 games this season. Adam Kennedy, who moved from the ninth to the third spot Wednesday, led off Thursday night.