ANAHEIM -- Angels left-hander C.J. Wilson made the latest step in his recovery from left shoulder tendinitis Friday, throwing a 49-pitch simulated game at Angel Stadium that he equated to about five innings of work.
Wilson felt good about the way he threw to Jett Bandy, Cliff Pennington and Brendan Ryan, showing good command and feel for multiple pitches. He plans to make his first Minor League rehab start on Wednesday, and is still on track to reach his personal goal of rejoining the Angels when he's eligible to come off the 60-day disabled list on June 2.
"Going forward, I feel like I'll be able to ramp up pretty fast because of my conditioning and stuff," Wilson said. "Being able to throw 50 pitches effectively on three days' rest, twice, is good. Stuff-wise, we're good."
Wilson is itching at a return to the big leagues, where he hasn't pitched since July 28 of last season. He said he hopes that he'll need two rehab starts before he's ready to join the team. Angels manager Mike Scioscia said Wilson's return date is still "written in pencil," but added that he was encouraged by his performance in the simulated game.
"His sim game today was definitely a notch above what he did the other day, which you would expect," Scioscia said. "You would expect to, every time he's on the mound, see a little increase. All his stuff was crisper, and it's pointing towards what you'd like to see from C.J. pitching in a game."
Scioscia said he still hasn't decided where Wilson will make his Minor League rehab start, but said it will likely be with either Class A Advanced Inland Empire or the organization's Rookie ball affiliate in Arizona to keep him close with the big league club. While the simulated games have been promising, Scioscia said he's eager to see how Wilson responds to throwing in a live game situation.
"There's some merit for being in a controlled environment and there's some merit to just going out there and getting after it," Scioscia said.
Worth noting
• Angels closer Huston Street threw another bullpen session on Friday in the latest step in his return from a left oblique strain. He said he will take two days off, then face live hitters on Monday when the team is in Texas. He'll then throw another bullpen Tuesday, with a simulated game slated for Thursday. From that point on, he said, they'd decide whether he needs another simulated game or will go straight to a Minor League rehab assignment. Street added that he will need at least one rehab appearance before he is activated from the 15-day disabled list.
• The Angels signed two-time National League Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum to a one-year Major League contract on Friday. As a result, the team designated Minor League reliever Danny Reynolds for assignment to open up a spot on the 40-man roster. Lincecum must be on the team's 25-man roster Friday, as his tenure forces him to go through optional waivers, so the team optioned third baseman Jefry Marte to Triple-A Salt Lake and the team played with 24 players on Friday Marte went 2-for-6 in six plate appearances for the Angels this season.