Justin Speier not on Angels postseason roster

"It's definitely disappointing," Speier said. "I felt like I've pitched well lately, so I know that they probably had a tough decision. [But] the bottom line is I didn't have the kind of year that I wanted to have."

Speier, who appeared in 62 games, threw well the first month of the season, then did not give up a run in his final four outings in September. In between, however, he was hit hard, finishing the season 2-8 with a 5.03 earned-run average, yielding 15 homers in 68 innings.

His season isn't necessarily over, though. If the Angels advance in the playoffs they can change their roster between series, so Speier -- along with infielder Sean Rodriguez and catcher Bobby Wilson -- will continue to travel and work out with the team to stay ready.

"When I signed over here I definitely wanted to be a part of something special. We have a special team here, and I feel like I'm a part of it," said Speier, who signed with the Angels as a free agent after the 2006 season. "I'm going to work out and stay ready and be a positive influence on the guys here.

"I'm just looking ahead now."

Sunday's announcement was also a surprise for Jepsen, who was pitching for the U.S. Olympic team five weeks ago and for the double-A Arkansas Travelers two months before that. But for him, the surprise was a pleasant one.

"I'm ecstatic," said Jepsen, who didn't consider a playoff spot a possibility even after he was promoted to the Angels' top farm club in Salt Lake City in June.

"This is definitely amazing," he said. "It wasn't even a thought in my head."

The hard-throwing right-hander joined the Angels three weeks ago, then had scoreless outings in six of his nine appearances, striking out seven in 8 1/3 innings. It's a trajectory similar to the one Francisco Rodriguez followed in 2002, when he started the season in double A before coming to the majors in mid-September.

Rodriguez wound up playing a key role in the Angels' run to their only World Series title that year. And though Manager Mike Scioscia said it wasn't fair to compare anyone to Rodriguez, who saved a record 62 games this season, his scouting report on Jepsen sounds a lot like the one Rodriguez had six years ago.