Angels outfielder Josh Hamilton appears more questionable for playoffs

Josh Hamilton said Wednesday that he had “no doubt” he would be ready for the American League division series, even though he has missed all but one game since Sept. 5 because of right shoulder, chest and rib-cage injuries.

Manager Mike Scioscia, however, has some serious doubt.

Asked Saturday if he was as confident as Hamilton that the left fielder would be ready for the playoff opener on Thursday, Scioscia said, rather bluntly, “No.” Scioscia met with Hamilton before Saturday night’s game against the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field.

“We talked with Josh, and he knows what he needs to do and what we need to see for him to be ready,” Scioscia said. “We’re hopeful, but he has to show us some things, particularly from a health aspect, because if you jump the gun on this he could be setting himself back a bit, especially if we get past the first round.”

Hamilton completed another running workout and took dry swings on Saturday, but he did not hit soft toss or take batting practice.

“It’s a start,” Scioscia said. “but we’re not able to read him yet.”

The team’s evalutations of Hamilton probably will run all the way to Thursday morning, when they have to submit their division series roster. Hamilton is expected to hit against live pitching, either in Anaheim or in instructional league games in Arizona.

“He needs to be able to run pain-free, to throw pain-free, and to do it proficiently,” Scioscia said. “I think we’re seeing that. We want to see the nice free swing that is not restricted, and you want to see how he rebounds from it. There are some things I think we can find out in some workouts, and we’ll make an assessment and see where he is.”

If Hamilton, who is batting .263 with 10 homers and 44 runs batted in but has been limited by injury to 89 games this season, is not ready for the division series, Collin Cowgill likely would start in left field, and C.J. Cron and either Efren Navarro or Brennan Boesch would platoon at designated hitter.