Langston’s Return May Be Delayed

Mark Langston’s recovery from elbow surgery hit a snag this week after his second rehabilitation start for Class-A Lake Elsinore Wednesday. Langston said the stiffness he felt in his left elbow during his five-inning stint lingered Thursday.

Langston was scheduled to throw on the sideline today, but that workout his been pushed back one day. He still is scheduled to make another start for Lake Elsinore Monday.

“It just never loosened up [Wednesday],” Langston said. “The elbow feels like it does in spring training. Maybe part of it was the weather. It was pretty windy.”

Manager Terry Collins did not say when the Langston would return to the Angel rotation. Langston had been expected back Aug. 9. But the elbow stiffness, plus the acquisition of pitcher Ken Hill, may alter those plans.

“For me, nothing has changed,” said Langston, regarding the Tuesday’s trade for Hill. “I’m going to work as hard as I can to get back as fast as I can. But the club may approach it differently. They may slow me down some.”

Said Collins: “We haven’t been rushing Mark, but now we can make sure he’s ready to go. Ken Hill gives us the opportunity to do that.”

Collins said he would return to a five-man rotation even before Langston returns.

*

Jim Edmonds, barely in one piece at the all-star break, has played in 19 of the 21 games since--all in the outfield.

“Part of that is he hasn’t had to bang his knee into very many walls lately,” Collins said.

Of course, that doesn’t mean all is well.

“Nothing has changed,” said Edmonds, who has torn cartilage in his knee. “But we’re trying to keep that a secret.”

*

Second baseman Luis Alicea said he would be ready to return to the lineup today, but Collins was less sure.

Alicea has not played in the field since July 23 because of a tender hamstring. He appeared as a pinch-hitter Wednesday and grounded out.

“He still looked tight running to first base,” Collins said. “When he shows me he’s 100%, then he’ll be ready.”

*

Pitcher Rich DeLucia returned to Anaheim Stadium Thursday for the first time since his July 21 surgery to remove an aneurysm in his right arm. Dr. Lewis Yocum was to examine DeLucia to determine if he could begin cardiovascular exercises.

DeLucia said he could begin playing catch again in two weeks.

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TONIGHT’S GAME

ANGELS’ ALLEN WATSON (8-6, 4.85) vs. WHITE SOX’S SCOTT EYRE (0-0, 0.00)

Anaheim Stadium, 7 p.m.

TV--Fox Sports West. Radio--KTZN (710).

* Update--Watson didn’t pitch poorly but wasn’t as sharp in two starts on the last road trip as he had been in his previous four outings. He was 3-1 with a 2.25 earned-run average in four starts before the trip, but gave up seven runs in 12 1/3 innings in two starts on the trip. Expect to see more of Jack Howell because of the Jim Leyritz trade. Howell’s recent tear on the trip (four home runs in three games), plus the fact he is left-handed, could keep him in the lineup as the designated hitter. The Angels should catch a break tonight. Instead of facing Wilson Alvarez, who was traded to the San Francisco Giants on Thursday, they go against Eyre, who was traded to the White Sox in 1994 for Esteban Beltre. This is Eyre’s major league debut. He was 13-5 at double-A Birmingham this season.