Ortiz Has Sore Arm

MESA, Ariz. —  Right-hander Ramon Ortiz experienced stiffness in his right biceps while warming up for Monday’s exhibition game and did not make his scheduled start against the Chicago Cubs.

Ortiz, the team’s best prospect, was examined by local physician Fred Dicke and will be reexamined today by team physician Lewis Yocum.

The preliminary diagnosis was mild tendinitis and Ortiz is tentatively scheduled to throw in the bullpen by the weekend. He said he had experienced similar symptoms late last season, and in a short time was strong enough to pitch again.

“I’ll rest it for two or three days, then I’ll be fine,” Ortiz said. “I’m happy because there’s no [serious] problem in my arm. The doctor looked at my arm and said there was no problem.”

Ortiz said he did not fear for the start of the regular season, just three weeks away.

Starting pitchers Tim Belcher and Jarrod Washburn may be unavailable until early May, Belcher because of off-season surgery and Washburn because of a muscle strain. The club could ill afford to lose Ortiz and his hard, lively fastball.

After about 30 warm-up pitches, Ortiz complained of the tightness, and Angel coaches gave the start to knuckleballer Tom Candiotti.

“We thought we better hold him back today,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “I’m not really concerned right now. It didn’t look like it was very serious. [But] any time you have a pitcher of that caliber who has such a bright future, better safe than sorry.”

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The Ortiz scare may nudge the Angels closer to a deal for pitching, still using center fielder Jim Edmonds as bait. The New York Yankees and Oakland Athletics’ continue to be the most interested, though recent developments in those camps might have weakened the Angels’ negotiating position.

Ed Yarnall isn’t pitching well for the Yankees, making Ramiro Mendoza more valuable.

And Terrence Long is having a big spring for the cost-conscious A’s and could win the center-field job, washing out a deal for Edmonds.

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In his second spring appearance since shoulder surgery, closer Troy Percival pitched one inning in a 9-8 loss to the Cubs and allowed one run, on a long homer by Sammy Sosa on a high fastball.

Sosa hit two, the other on a knuckleball by Candiotti. There might have been a 35-mph difference between the pitches, though they were hit with equal ferocity.

Several of Percival’s pitches were clocked at 95 mph. He also threw a curveball and two changeups.

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Darin Erstad, whose sore shoulder has not allowed him to play the outfield, could play defensively as early as Wednesday. . . . In split-squad games today against the San Francisco Giants, Ken Hill is scheduled to start in Scottsdale, Brian Cooper in Tempe.