Lackey has look of a Young man in spring

John Lackey need not declare himself in the running for the Cy Young Award, but the numbers announce his candidacy for him.

He appeared on zero ballots last year, despite ranking in the top six among American League pitchers in earned-run average, strikeouts, shutouts, complete games, innings pitched and opponents’ batting average.

And, after he pitched six shutout innings in the Angels’ 4-0 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Sunday, with what Cubs Manager Lou Piniella called “the best stuff I’ve seen in the Cactus League so far,” his spring statistics reflect dominance. Lackey has an ERA of 0.73 in 12 innings, with one walk and 15 strikeouts.

“I’ve come to the point where my expectations are a little bit different these days,” he said. “I may have a little more important role this year.”

He’s the unquestioned ace of a talented staff, replacing 2005 Cy Young winner Bartolo Colon as the opening-day starter. Of the five starters who received AL Cy Young votes last year -- Minnesota’s Johan Santana, New York’s Chien-Ming Wang, Toronto’s Roy Halladay and Detroit’s Kenny Rogers and Justin Verlander -- all but one pitched for a playoff team.

Lackey was 13-11, and the Angels did not make the playoffs. If he can pitch the Angels into October and win a few more games, he should appear on a few ballots, maybe at the top.

“It would be nice, definitely,” he said. “But we’re more concerned about playoff stuff. If we make the playoffs, I’ll probably have a pretty decent year.”

Colon taking it slower

The Angels’ workout schedule Sunday listed Colon throwing batting practice at 10:55 a.m. But he already had finished by then, foiling the efforts of reporters interested in watching him throw to hitters for the first time in nine months.

Manager Mike Scioscia said Colon threw 30 pitches, none of them breaking pitches, another step toward returning from a rotator cuff injury, perhaps by late April. He rehabilitated the shoulder with therapy, not surgery.

“I hope to God I can come back with the same fastball I had before,” he said through interpreter Jose Mota.

Still, Colon realizes the days of his 95-mph fastball are almost certainly over. He understands he cannot win without reinventing himself as a finesse pitcher.

“The whole time in my rehab, I’ve been thinking about that,” he said. “Command and location of my fastball will be more important than anything else, including velocity.”

Around the horn

Chone Figgins had a bases-loaded triple against Cubs ace Carlos Zambrano, and Lackey, Francisco Rodriguez and Darren Oliver teamed on a two-hit shutout. In Phoenix, the Angels’ split squad lost to the Oakland Athletics, 6-5.... The Angels sent perhaps their two brightest prospects, infielder Brandon Wood and pitcher Nick Adenhart, to minor league camp. The rest of Sunday’s cuts: pitchers Phil Seibel and Marc Gwyn, infielder Matt Brown, catcher Bobby Wilson and outfielder Nathan Haynes.... Today is the Angels’ only off day of the spring, but Kelvim Escobar will throw in a minor league exhibition game so he can pitch on regular rest and Jered Weaver will pitch batting practice in the hope of getting into a game by week’s end.

bill.shaikin@latimes.com