The Angels disabled list is filling up rather quickly this spring. It seems like everyday they're having to place another player on it. So far, it's been an affliction that's only affecting their pitching staff as the Angels have four pitchers on the disabled list in John Lackey, Kelvim Escobar, Scot Shields, and Chris Bootcheck. Luckily for the Angels, if there's an area of the team where they have enough depth to shoulder such losses, it's the pitching staff.The other area where the Angels are extremely deep is in the outfield where they currently have six players they can plug in. Actually, make that five at the moment, because Gary Matthews Jr. may soon be joining all those pitchers on the shelf.
Outfielder Gary Matthews Jr. left Monday's game against the San Diego Padres in the first inning after rolling his right ankle while running the bases. Matthews was helped to the clubhouse by Angels trainer Ned Bergert and then taken for X-rays. The X-rays were negative and the preliminary diagnosis is a sprained right ankle.You never want to have injuries in the spring, but if you're going to have them, you don't want them to be during the final week before the season starts. As I already said, though, with Torii Hunter, Vlad Guerrero, Garrett Anderson, Juan Rivera, and Reggie Willits, there are plenty of Angels in the outfield to keep the team afloat if Matthews has to miss any times.
His status will be re-evaluated today but even before the injury he was not scheduled to play again until Thursday's one-game Freeway Series in Anaheim.
