ANGELS NOTEBOOK: ESCOBAR LOSES TO RAIN.

Byline: DOUG PADILLA Staff Writer

CHICAGO -- Calling it one of the most anticipated starts of his career, Kelvim Escobar was left cursing the rain that caused a postponement of Thursday's Angels-Chicago White Sox game.

``I wanted to beat them so bad (because of) all the things that happened and all the controversy,'' Escobar said. ``I know they want to beat me and I wanted to go out there and beat them too. I was excited. I was ready to go. I wanted the opportunity.''

Escobar hit the Chicago White Sox's A.J. Pierzynski with a pitch in an April 29 game at Anaheim and the aftermath and hard feelings ensued. The White Sox said Escobar was taking a cheap shot at their player because he was embarrassed in last season's playoffs.

Escobar said he carried no ill will and the fastball to Pierzynski's right calf merely slipped. Escobar had already developed a blood blister when he hit the White Sox' catcher and that is what manager Mike Scioscia blamed for the errant pitch.

The fallout from that incident is that while Escobar and White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen were once acquaintances, the native Venezuelans are on the outs now. Escobar is certain that Guillen was not joking when he called the Angels pitcher a ``dumb (expletive).''

Escobar said he was as pumped up for Thursday's start as he was the first time he faced his former team, the Toronto Blue Jays, and his first career playoff start in 2004.

Makeup date not set yet: No makeup date was announced for Thursday's game but the teams do have a few mutual off days. Neither team plays on May 25, July 13 or Aug. 7.

Team doctors take a look at Kotchman: Casey Kotchman will be examined by team doctors today to conform an original diagnosis of mononucleosis or to see if he might be suffering from another ailment.

Early check out: The rain out did little to speed up the Angels' travel plans and actually made things a bit inconvenient. The team had to check out of its Chicago hotel in the afternoon because the San Diego Padres were scheduled to check in for a series against the Chicago Cubs.

That gave players, coaches and staff five hours to kill before taking a 9 p.m. bus to the airport.

Also: The Angels announced a time change on their Sunday, June 4 game at Cleveland. That game will now start at 5 p.m. and be televised on ESPN.

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- Doug Padilla