Bump in road for Street
Angels’ closer has a bad inning against Oakland, but he’s glad to get it out of the way now.
TEMPE, Ariz. — Huston Street found a potential silver lining in Tuesday’s rocky inning against Oakland, when the Angels closer gave up four runs and three hits, including Luke Carlin’s home run and Mark Canha’s three-run home run.
“It means the law of averages will even out, and I shouldn’t be giving up that much more to come,” Street said, when asked the significance of a shaky outing this close to opening day. “Those two swings of the bat, I should have made better pitches on.
“You want to hit the season in stride, and today was not a good day. But overall, I feel like I’ve had a good spring. The ball is coming out of my hand the way I want it to. I just left a couple pitches up today and got beat on them.”
Street gave up two earned runs and five hits in 5 2 ⁄3 innings of his first six outings. He’s scheduled for one more spring appearance, against the Dodgers on Friday night, in advance of Monday’s season opener in Seattle.
Street, who is acting as his agent, has also been trying to negotiate a contract extension with General Manager Jerry Dipoto this spring, but denied those talks have been a distraction.
“No … no,” he said. “At the end of the day, you want results, but it’s still spring training, you’re working on things, and trying to find the absolute right pitch. Arizona is a tough place to pitch.”
Raise the curtain
Jered Weaver’s final spring tuneup Tuesday came in a triple-A game against the San Francisco Giants, the right-hander giving up two earned runs and four hits, striking out five and walking two in 6 1 ⁄3 innings. He threw 89 pitches.
Next up for Weaver, 32, will be Monday’s season opener in Seattle, his sixth consecutive openingday start and seventh overall, the most in franchise history.
“It’s definitely a fun experience, that first game of the year,” said Weaver, who has a 131-69 record and 3.28 earned-run average in nine seasons. “The adrenaline is running, the national anthem and the flyovers and stuff. It’s a cool experience. Who knows how many more I’ll have, so I want to take it in.”
Bound for Salt Lake
Right-hander Nick Tropeano , who began camp competing with left-hander Andrew Heaney for the fifth rotation spot, was optioned to triple-A Salt Lake. With the Angels likely opening the season with four starters, Heaney is also expected to start at Salt Lake.
Tropeano, acquired in November from Houston for backup catcher Hank Conger , gave up four earned runs in 10 1 ⁄3 innings of four big league exhibition games and eight runs in a B game.
“You can’t worry about things you can’t control,” Tropeano said. “You just have to keep coming in every day and do your work and hopefully everything works out.”
Slow going
Left fielder Josh Hamilton , who is awaiting possible discipline for a violation of baseball’s drug policy, is progressing slowly in his recovery from Feb. 4 surgery on the AC joint in his right shoulder.
Hamilton has been hitting off a tee since last week but has not advanced to “the kind of baseball activities you would need to be able to see where he is,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “I think he’s progressing along the lines of his original prognosis.”