Tropeano called up as Angels shuffle rotation
ANAHEIM -- Angels No. 5 prospect Nick Tropeano was called up from Triple-A Salt Lake and will start Thursday's series finale against the A's at Angel Stadium, with C.J. Wilson getting pushed back to Saturday against the Rangers. Wilson came out of his last start with stiffness in his left elbow, but Angels manager Mike Scioscia said it's nothing serious and the southpaw could've taken his normal turn if needed.
Pushing Wilson back also buys extra time for Matt Shoemaker, who was placed on the bereavement list Wednesday following the death of his grandfather. Shoemaker was slated to start Saturday, but is now tentatively scheduled to return for next Wednesday's game in Oakland, putting him on extended rest for a second straight time.
Shoemaker pitched on six days' rest Monday, giving up five runs in three innings, and would be on eight days' rest next Wednesday. Fellow starting pitchers Garrett Richards (Friday), Hector Santiago (Sunday) and Jered Weaver (Tuesday, after a Monday off-day) will take their normal turns.
Tropeano, who entered Spring Training in competition for a rotation spot, gave up five runs on 10 hits and two walks in 11 innings in two starts for Salt Lake, striking out 12.
"I think I just need to keep working hard and showing consistency," Tropeano said. "Going down to Triple-A, getting those innings in and getting that work in kind of matured me and sent me into this spot now."
Some additional notes from Wednesday …
• Scioscia said the date of Josh Hamilton's arrival in Arizona for extended spring training is "really fluid."
"It could happen this weekend; it could happen next week," he added. "But the process is there. He's going to be evaluated. The process is starting."
• C.J. Cron was out of the lineup against A's righty Sonny Gray, after only his second multihit game on Tuesday, because Scioscia wanted better outfield defense for Weaver, a fly-ball pitcher. Scioscia started Collin Cowgill in left field, with Matt Joyce -- a left-handed hitter who always starts against righties -- serving as the designated hitter.
• Cam Bedrosian has been used as a multi-inning reliever since getting sent to Minor League camp midway through Spring Training, compiling eight innings in four appearances at Salt Lake and pitching two scoreless innings of mop-up duty for the Angels in Tuesday's 14-1 win. Scioscia said Bedrosian has "the potential to be in the back end of the bullpen, but right now he needs a little bit of length to do the kind of things he did last night."
"Hopefully one day," Bedrosian said of transitioning into a late-inning role in the big leagues. "I try to do the same thing. I've always believed in 'hard as you can for as long as you can,' so I try to do the same thing. As long as I can keep warm between innings, I'm good to go."