WEAVER HOLDS ON TO DREAM ROOKIE IMPROVES TO 4-0 BUT MIGHT BE SENT DOWN ANGELS 4, KANSAS CITY 1.

Byline: DOUG PADILLA Staff Writer

ANAHEIM -- The Angels' best starter this season just might be plying his craft in Salt Lake City this weekend.

Jered Weaver had an another impressive outing in the Angels' 4-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals. The only problem is that it seems the rookie's train has run out of track.

Manager Mike Scioscia confirmed before Tuesday's game that it was highly unlikely Bartolo Colon would be making any more rehabilitation starts as he recovers from a sore shoulder. That would mean that somebody will have to vacate the rotation this upcoming weekend and Weaver is in line to start Sunday.

It's a tough call to make especially since Weaver became just the second Angels pitcher to win his first four career starts. Bo Belinsky won his first five starts in 1962.

Even before taking on the Royals on Tuesday, Weaver was resigned to returning to Triple-A where he had been dominating. When Weaver's contract was purchased by the Angels on May 26, he had delivered 27 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings for Salt Lake.

It's been more of the same at the major-league level as he started his major-league career with 13 scoreless innings.

It might have been Weaver's second scoreless outing for the Angels on Wednesday had he only been able to come up with a slow roller to the right side of the mound.

With the Angels holding a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning and Doug Mientkiewicz at second base, Mark Teahen sent a two-out slow roller in the direction second baseman Adam Kennedy. Weaver sprinted off the mound but the ball just tipped the tip glove and as it rolled past.

Weaver had the awareness to head toward the first-base bag and when first baseman Kendry Morals cut off the ball it seemed as the Angels would get the out anyway. But Weaver as Weaver reached first base he seemed to quit on the play as Morales flipped the ball in his direction.

The ball rolled toward the Royals dugout, allowing Mientkiewicz to score the tying run.

After the play, Weaver remained stationary in disbelief near the first-base bag. When he retired Shane Costa to end the half inning, Weaver put his glove to his face and let out a yell. He did it again as he approached the Angels dugout.

After giving up back-to-back singles in the fifth inning, Weaver turned downright nasty. He retired the final eight batters he faced before giving way to Scot Shields.

When Weaver threw his final pitch, the Angels were still clinging to a 2-1 lead. A Vladimir Guerrero double in the first inning gave the Angels their first run and Darin Erstad made it 2-1 in the fourth with a run-scoring grounder.

The Angels added two insurance runs in the seventh. Chone Figgins delivered a single up the middle just past the head of reliever Andrew Sisco, who dived to the ground to avoid getting hit. Figgins then turned on his speed for the Angels' final run as he stole second and third base before scoring on an Orlando Cabrera ground out.

Asked if Weaver was in lame-duck status before the game, manager Mike Scioscia avoided the question.

``We're looking at some stuff and as of right now, we're not committed to some of the things that might be out there but we'll have a determination here shortly and we'll see what happens,'' Scioscia said.

As for Colon, Scioscia wasn't worried that the right-hander gave up six runs on nine hits, including three home runs, in seven innings in his final rehab start Monday.

``There are a lot of different ways to evaluate performances,'' Scioscia said. ``With a rehab start it's not always with the runs you're giving up or what the line score says. His velocity was good. His late velocity was good; he maintained his stuff.

``I think that his command was terrific. He keeps moving forward and although he gave up some runs, if you evaluate what's happening internally and how his stuff was and command and movement, we had very good reports on that.''

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CAPTION(S):

3 photos, box

Photo:

(1) Angels rookie Jered Weaver allowed five hits and one unearned run in seven innings against Kansas City.

(2) The Angels' Dallas McPherson, left, slides safely into home past Royals catcher Paul Bako. McPherson scored on a single by Chone Figgins.

Francis Specker/Associated Press

(3) ESCOBAR

Box:

ANGELS vs. KANSAS CITY

- Doug Padilla