ANGELS NOTEBOOK: WEAVER INSPIRES SAUNDERS.Byline: DOUG PADILLA Douglas ("Doug") Padilla (born October 4, 1956 in Oakland, California) is a former middle and long distance runner from the United States, who won the overall Grand Prix 1985 and the World Cup 5000m race in 1985. Staff Writer ANAHEIM -- It would have been perfect symmetry if Joe Saunders Joseph Francis "Joe" Saunders (born June 16, 1981 in Falls Church, Virginia) is a Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Saunders played college baseball at Virginia Tech, where he compiled a 27-7 career record. was actually taking the mound tonight in place of his Salt Lake roommate, Jered Weaver Jered David Weaver (born October 4, 1982 in Northridge, California), is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Jered attended college at Long Beach State University where he was the 2004 College Baseball's Golden Spikes Award winner. . Saunders instead will take the place of Kelvim Escobar Kelvim Jose Escobar Bolivar [ess-coe-BAR] (born April 11, 1976 in La Guaira, Venezuela) is a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who currently plays for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (2004-present). He bats and throws right handed. and use Weaver for inspiration. The left-hander, who started two games for the Angels last season, will make his 2006 debut tonight. ``We had a little friendly competition (at Salt Lake),'' Saunders said. ``Whatever he did, I tried to match. Whatever I did, he tried to match. I think that was good for me.'' Saunders was 10-3 with a 2.51 ERA in 19 starts at Salt Lake. Weaver was 6-1 in his 11 starts there with a 1.99 ERA. With Weaver and Escobar both having to skip starts because of tendinitis tendinitis or tendonitis Inflammation of a tendon sheath, due to irritation of this thin, filmy tissue by overuse of the tendons, which slide within them, or to bacterial infection. , Saunders got his opening. Weaver, who is expected to return to the mound this weekend at Kansas City Kansas City, two adjacent cities of the same name, one (1990 pop. 149,767), seat of Wyandotte co., NE Kansas (inc. 1859), the other (1990 pop. 435,146), Clay, Jackson, and Platte counties, NW Mo. (inc. 1850). , will be watching intently. ``He is a great pitcher and it was just a matter of time before he was going to get his opportunity to get up here,'' Weaver said. ``The chips kind of fell into place. He showed he could do it last year when he came up. But he's got good stuff, a great changeup change·up n. Baseball A pitch intended to look like a fastball, which actually approaches the plate at a slow speed, thereby causing the batter to swing prematurely. [Alteration of change-of-pace.] , good fastball command and I think he should be fine.'' More Weaver: Weaver does not expect to miss more than one start because of his biceps tendinitis and likely will take the mound Saturday at Kansas City. He played long toss Sunday from 90 feet and extended that to 120 feet Monday. He will have another long-toss session today. ``There was still (soreness) lingering but it's definitely gotten better,'' Weaver said. He expects to advance to a seven- to eight-minute bullpen session Wednesday or Thursday. Escobar recovering, too: Escobar also continues to feel lingering soreness in connection with his right elbow tendinitis but said he would have had no problem pitching tonight if he wasn't on the disabled list. Escobar wants to have two bullpen sessions before returning to the mound, likely Sunday at Kansas City. Escobar had surgery last June 29 to remove a bone chip and shave down a bone spur Bone spur Also called an osteophyte, it is an outgrowth or ridge that forms on a bone. Mentioned in: Cervical Disk Disease, Cervical Spondylosis bone spur and was told his current soreness was to be expected with the amount of innings he has pitched in a little over a year. ``I haven't stopped playing catch, and I pitched a lot last year when I came back,'' he said. ``I pitched in Venezuela a little bit and spring training and the world classic. Now I already have 100 innings. I'm going to feel it a little bit but eventually it should go away.'' |
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