ANGELS NOTEBOOK: SHIELDS PROVIDING LITTLE RELIEF.Byline: Gabe Lacques Staff Writer ANAHEIM - Scot Shields Scot Shields (b. July 22, 1975, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida) is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, with whom he has spent his entire career, serving as their setup man since 2005. harbored no illusions that he might be the one tabbed to replace the struggling Ramon Ortiz in the Angels rotation. Shields had a solid 13-start audition last summer, but he's resigned to being a reliever, likely for life. ``That's where I belong,'' Shields said Tuesday. ``I'd like to do the other thing, but I can go three innings, come back and pitch the next day. That's where I'm valuable.'' Right now, Shields isn't particularly effective as a reliever, either. Lauded for his uncanny command a year ago, Shields has all of a sudden struggled to find the strike zone. He has walked 11 batters in 19 2/3 innings after walking just 38 in 148 1/3 innings last season. His outing Monday was particularly disconcerting dis·con·cert tr.v. dis·con·cert·ed, dis·con·cert·ing, dis·con·certs 1. To upset the self-possession of; ruffle. See Synonyms at embarrass. 2. . Nine of Shields' first 12 pitches were balls, and he walked the first two batters he faced. He finished the eighth inning without incident but gave up three hits and two runs in the ninth, prompting closer Troy Percival Troy Eugene Percival (born August 9, 1969 in Fontana, California) is a Major League Baseball reliever on the St. Louis Cardinals. Percival came out of retirement on June 8, 2007 when he signed a minor league deal with the Cardinals[1]. to finish the Angels' 11-9 victory over Detroit. ``I didn't want to have him get back up again,'' said Shields, referring to Percival. ``I wanted to finish the game.'' One year after posting a 1.68 ERA as a reliever, he has a 5.49 ERA, and two of his past three outings have been discouraging. Six days before Monday's bump in the road, he gave up a grand slam grand slam n. 1. The winning of all the tricks during the play of one hand in bridge and other whist-derived card games. 2. Sports The winning of all the major or specified events, especially on a professional circuit. to Detroit's Brandon Inge Charles Brandon Inge [INJ] (born May 19, 1977, in Lynchburg, Virginia) is a third baseman (converted from catcher) playing for the Detroit Tigers. He bats and throws right handed. Though he is an average hitter, Inge is best known for his excellent defense and strong arm. , nearly blowing John Lackey's 6 2/3 innings of handiwork. Concerned? ``I have no doubt I'll go back to where I was,'' Shields said. Shields and pitching coach Bud Black
``It's a very fine line for me,'' Shields said. ``An easy fix,'' added Black. Shields likely will assume a longer role when Brendan Donnelly Brendan Kevin Donnelly (b. July 4, 1971 in Washington, D.C.) is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher with the Boston Red Sox. Donnelly had bounced around the minor leagues for 10 seasons after he was drafted in 1992 by the Chicago White Sox before he finally made his returns from his broken nose next week, but he claims he hasn't been pressing in an attempt to fill the All-Star setup man's void. Black agrees and is confident the Shields the Angels are familiar with will soon return. ``The beauty of Shields is he looks comfortable in any situation,'' Black said. ``What will continue to make him a successful major-league pitcher is it doesn't matter what role he's in or how important the game is, he's the same cat all the time. He's loose.'' --Troy story: Troy Glaus Troy Edward Glaus (born August 3, 1976 in Tarzana, California) is a Major League Baseball player who plays third base for the Toronto Blue Jays. Previously, Glaus played with the Anaheim Angels (1998-2004) and the Arizona Diamondbacks (2005). started at designated hitter Wednesday - his fourth consecutive game in the role. It was believed the tumble Glaus took Friday on the Metrodome turf only banged up his left shoulder, but manager Mike Scioscia acknowledged Glaus' right shoulder, in which he partially tore the rotator cuff rotator cuff n. A set of muscles and tendons that secures the arm to the shoulder joint and permits rotation of the arm. Also called musculotendinous cuff. last August, also got dinged. Glaus is expected to return to third base by the weekend. --Donnelly update: Donnelly will pitch two innings in his next rehabilitation appearance for Single-A Rancho Cucamonga on Thursday at Lancaster. He worked a scoreless, 12-pitch inning Tuesday, and Scioscia acknowledged it was likely Donnelly will return during next week's trip to New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of and Baltimore. His final rehab appearance could come Sunday. ... Kelvim Escobar, who pitches tonight for the first time since splitting the nail on his right middle finger April 24, says it has fully healed and does not require glue. He says he probably could have made his last start when the Angels skipped him. CAPTION(S): box Box: ANGELS vs. DETROIT - Gabe Lacques |
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