Angels News: The latest on Jered Weaver and C.J. Wilson

We’re officially two weeks away from Opening Day.

As of now, We know that C.J. Wilson will likely start the opening series on the DL. We also, know Jered Weaver has stated that he’ll be ready for the opening series. Currently, the Angels projected rotation is likely to consist of Garrett Richards, Weaver, Hector Santiago, Matt Shoemaker, and Andrew Heaney rounding out the final spot. Thus, leaving Nick Tropeano and Tyler Skaggs (once healthy) in the bullpen. The rotation and the pitching staff has been the focus for the Angels most of this spring training. As we draw closer to the regular season, speculation continues to haunt the pitching staff on whether or not they can perform at a high enough level for the Angels to challenge in the stacked AL West.

Of all the questionable players within the rotation, the player most highlighted the spring has been Weaver. Who during media day was confident and injury free heading into Cactus league play. Then, everyone gasped at the mediocre speed of Weaver’s pitches. Throwing at a very low 81 mph, Weaver looked exceptionally ordinary in his limited time at the mound for two games. Weaver pitched just over four innings, giving up a total of five runs off eight hits. Weaver’s ERA is 9.64 as of right now which doesn’t provide hope of him being a reliable force this season. Following the second game versus the Dodgers, Weaver saw a spine specialist and the result was degenerative changes in the vertebrae of his neck. Following his visit with the specialist, he decided that he didn’t need a doctor and that “Dr. Weaver” would take it from here.

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Yesterday Weaver went to the minor leagues to throw a couple innings to see where his pain tolerance was at. Weaver threw around 67 pitches on Sunday against some Class-A Colorado hitters giving up eight hits, three of which were home runs. However, despite the hits and the speed of this pitches, Weaver was surprisingly optimistic following Sundays outing. Weaver spoke with the LA Times saying “There were definitely some positives to take out of it; and, to be honest, I haven’t had some positives come out of a start in a while.”

Weaver is trying to throw in a way that causing his neck less strain, he threw at an arm angle which he is known for throwing in the past. Still the overall outcome is the preparation for the upcoming season and Weaver appears to be heading in the right direction.

C.J. Wilson, is working with the strength and conditioning coach T.J. Harrington on his throwing motion, re-creating his entire pitching style to keep the shoulder tendinitis from impacting his season. Wilson has been shut down from throwing in spring training and will likely start the season on the DL. However, if he is to master the new form of throwing, it could prevent him from missing extensive time. If not, it could mean that Wilson is heading for an early retirement, making him the 3rd Angel to retire this season. The 35-year-old lefty met with the media on Saturday saying “I’ve re-created a new, different delivery with a different arm slot. I throw completely different than I did last year. I won’t even look like the same pitcher.” Wilson is entering his fifth and final season under his current deal, if he is to continue pitching this new pitching style has to work and more importantly it has to keep him off the DL.