SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Manager Mike Scioscia has not named an opening-day starter, but Jered Weaver has done enough this spring to warrant strong consideration.
The right-hander threw five shutout innings Sunday, giving up two hits, striking out two and walking one, to lead the Angels to a 5-2 split-squad exhibition win over the San Francisco Giants at Scottsdale Stadium.
In four spring starts, all wins, Weaver has given up two runs and five hits in 14 innings, struck out eight and walked two for a 1.29 earned-run average.
More important than the numbers, Weaver's fastball seems to have a little extra zip, he's shown good command of his changeup and breaking pitch, and his mechanics, outside of a little blip in his last start, have been sound.
Not coincidentally, Weaver is on course, if he remains on regular rest, to start the March 31 opener at Minnesota, an assignment that was John Lackey's until the ace suffered an elbow injury.
"We're going to see where we are at the end of camp," Scioscia said, "but Weaver is certainly a guy we're going to look at closely."
Weaver missed all of last spring because of biceps tendinitis, opened 2007 on the disabled list and did not regain the velocity of his fastball, normally in the 90-92 mph range, until late in the season.
Thanks to a more rigorous winter workout program, Weaver began camp in excellent shape, which has been reflected in the life on his fastball.
"There's nothing holding me back," he said. "I don't have to compensate for having a sore shoulder, so I'm throwing a little freer and easier than last year.
"I had to change my mechanics, change my arm slot, a bit to throw through the tendinitis. I haven't heard my velocity this spring, but I can feel the ball coming out of my hand better."
Weaver has also been more efficient. He needed only 72 pitches to get through five innings Sunday.
"I'm starting to figure things out," he said. "In college, I was used to getting a strikeout when I needed it. My pitch counts were a little higher last year than I wanted -- you're bummed out when you look up in the fifth inning and you're at 80 pitches -- so I'm trying to hit my spots earlier."
Blue Shields
Closer Francisco Rodriguez threw a clean inning Sunday, retiring the side in order in the sixth.
However, setup man Scot Shields had another shaky outing, giving up two runs and two hits in the seventh, walking one and throwing a wild pitch in his second spring outing after being slowed by a sore shoulder. He did retire the last two batters he faced on ground outs.
