Angels lay out pitching plans for final week of spring training

Jered Weaver remains on track to start the Angels' season opener.

By Mike DiGiovanna

March 25, 2013 12 AM PT

TEMPE, Ariz.—Tommy Hanson, whose last start was cut short after three innings and 45 pitches because of triceps tightness, will pitch in an intrasquad game at 6 p.m. Monday with a target of six innings and 80 to 90 pitches.

The right-hander was originally scheduled to start Tuesday’s exhibition game against the Chicago White Sox at Camelback Ranch, but the Angels wanted to control the number of pitches Hanson throws each inning to ensure he gets enough work to be ready to open the season next week.

“It’s important to get him into some more length and innings,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “If he’s not in a controlled environment, and we make two errors and he has a 37-pitch second inning, that could set him way back considering he went only three innings in his last game.”

Jered Weaver remains on track to start Tuesday night’s game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, but the Angels will use Wednesday’s Cactus League finale against the Texas Rangers to give most of their front-line relievers — Ernesto Frieri, Kevin Jepsen and Sean Burnett, among others — work.

No. 2 starter C.J. Wilson will remain in Arizona to throw in a minor league game Thursday. Joe Blanton, Jason Vargas and Hanson are scheduled to start the Freeway Series games against the Dodgers on Thursday, Friday and Saturday night.

Most of the Angels regulars will return to Southern California after Tuesday morning’s workout, and they will not be playing in Tuesday night’s or Wednesday’s exhibition games. However, center fielder Peter Bourjos will remain in Arizona to play.

In other news, reliever Ryan Madson said he felt good Monday after increasing the intensity of a 30-pitch bullpen session Sunday. Madson, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery, will open the season on the disabled list but hopes to be ready for a rehabilitation assignment by mid-April.

“I’m sore, but it’s a good kind of soreness,” Madson said Monday morning. “I feel like I actually broke up some scar tissue. It’s a good kind of pain, not the shut-down kind of pain. I feel like I could throw today with no reservations.”

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