Speier is working way back

Justin Speier said Tuesday that the illness that sent him to the disabled list in early May was an intestinal infection, but the reliever appears well on his way to recovery -- he will begin a rehabilitation assignment at Class-A Rancho Cucamonga on Thursday and could join the Angels within a week or two.

“I lost 12 pounds, I felt nauseous, I was throwing up, it was affecting my sleep,” said Speier, who had a 1.69 earned-run average in 15 games despite falling ill in mid-April. “I was pitching good, but it was one of those things where I needed to take a step back and get on some medication....

“Over a long season, if you’re not getting your sleep, if you’re losing weight, it’s going to affect your pitching. I talked to [Manager Mike] Scioscia, and we felt the right thing to do was take a step back, get some rest, then get back to baseball activities.”

Speier, who threw in three extended spring-training games in Arizona last week, has regained six pounds, his appetite is coming back, and his sleep patterns are returning to normal.

“Things are headed in the right direction, but I’m not out of the woods yet,” said Speier, who is on antibiotics. “That’s why there’s no timetable. I don’t want to come back too soon and take a step back.”

Speier isn’t sure if he has completely rid himself of the infection.

“It’s still touch and go,” he said. “Sometimes physical activity, after I eat, causes a little bit of nausea, so I have to regulate my eating patterns around my workout schedule. I’m trying to get to the point where I eat, and an hour later I can go run or throw or lift....I’ve never had anything like this before.”

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Bartolo Colon appears headed to the disabled list after admitting the triceps tightness that slowed him in early May bothered him throughout Monday’s 12-5 loss to the Seattle Mariners, in which he gave up nine runs -- seven earned -- and 11 hits in 6 1/3 innings.

Scioscia said Colon, who sat out most of 2006 because of a rotator-cuff tear, is dealing with “a little dead arm,” which is more of a short-term than long-term concern. If Colon alters his mechanics to compensate for his triceps tightness, he could risk re-injuring his shoulder.

“You’re always concerned with that,” Scioscia said. “If he doesn’t make progress over the next couple of days, we’ll consider different things. Extra rest could be the answer.”

If Colon goes on the disabled list, the Angels probably would recall left-hander Joe Saunders from triple-A Salt Lake or move reliever Dustin Moseley back into the rotation.

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Scioscia usually tells his regulars when he’s giving them a day off, but struggling third baseman Chone Figgins, who is batting .133 and has five errors in 25 games, was given no such notification Tuesday night. Could that mean Figgins is no longer considered a regular?

“It better be just a day off,” Figgins said. “I hope it’s just one day.”

Said Scioscia: “Today is a good day for him to watch a game, clear his head. He’s been grinding a bit.”

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Garret Anderson, out since April 28 because of a torn hip tendon, will begin a rehab assignment at Rancho Cucamonga tonight and remain there at least through the weekend.

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mike.digiovanna@latimes.com