Watson Wins, Waits to Discover His Fate

Allen Watson made his first start in two weeks Friday, getting the victory over the Toronto Blue Jays. Will it be his last start?

Jack McDowell is ready to come off the disabled list and Watson is the logical candidate, either to be sent to the bullpen or sent packing.

The Angels have tried to trade Watson, but have yet to find a taker. They have also shown the willingness to shed a player who is not in their plans, Cecil Fielder.

With that on his mind, Watson (5-7) was solid through five innings. He gave up four runs on six hits.

“The ball is in their court,” Watson said. “If they want me to go to the bullpen, I’ll go. I want to win and I want to help this team win. If I get traded, I’ll try to help that team win.”

Collins would not commit on whether he would start Watson again.

Watson will earn $2.9 million this season and will be a free agent in the fall. But all he wants to do right now is pitch.

“We have a lot of starters and they are all pitching well,” Watson said. “I guess it’s going to be a competition. I don’t know if we need that in a pennant race.”

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Pitcher Ken Hill will make only one more rehabilitation start before returning to the Angels.

At least that is what team officials are hoping.

Hill probably will start Tuesday for Class A Lake Elsinore at Stockton. He has made two rehab starts, including a 4 1/3-inning performance for Cedar Rapids on Thursday.

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More triage: Darin Erstad jogged in the outfield and hit against soft toss Friday. He said it was the best he felt since suffering a slight strained hamstring on Aug. 3.

“The key will be how I feel tomorrow,” Erstad said. “I jogged in Chicago [last weekend] and was sore the next day. But I couldn’t hit in Chicago, so it’s getting better.”

While Erstad gets better, infielder Craig Shipley may be worse. He suffered a slight hamstring strain in Friday’s game.

Dave Hollins returned to the Angels Thursday and will rehabilitate his injured right shoulder for the next 10 days. At that time, a decision will be made as to whether he will have surgery immediately or after the season.

The damage is extensive, including a partial tear of Hollins’ rotator cuff, but the Angels want to see if it can be strengthened enough to allow him to play. Surgery will require four to six months of rehabilitation.

“It was not the news I was hoping to hear,” Hollins said. “I knew something was wrong. There was no point in playing through the pain if I wasn’t helping the team.”

Whether he will able to come back will be known within the next two weeks.

Today

ANGELS’ OMAR OLIVARES (6-8, 4.22 ERA) vs. BLUE JAYS’ ROGER CLEMENS (14-6, 3.09 ERA)

SkyDome, 1 p.m.

Radio--KRLA (1110), XPRS (1090).

* Update--Olivares has pitched well recently, including a seven-inning performance against Detroit on Monday. Clemens is 25-7 with a 2.37 ERA against the Angels. “[With Toronto], you look up and all you see is good arms coming at you all the time,” Collins said.