Colon produces strong rehab outing
Bartolo Colon pitched four shutout innings Thursday for Class A Rancho Cucamonga of the California League in his first rehab start, and figures to make one more outing in the minor leagues before returning to the Los Angeles Angels.
Colon, 33, last year’s American League Cy Young Award winner, hasn’t pitched for the Angels since April 16 because of inflammation in his pitching shoulder. The right-hander was placed on the disabled list three days later.
Throwing mostly fastballs, he allowed two hits while walking one and striking out three in a win over Lancaster. Colon threw 47 pitches, and retired eight straight batters at one stage.
“The arm’s not bothering me at all, so I just want to take it easy, and hopefully the injury won’t come back,” Colon said through a translator. “I just have to go out and throw my pitches.
“In the rehab program, I haven’t been throwing a lot of breaking stuff in the bullpen. Coming out here, I wanted to follow the same routine. In my next start, I’m going to throw a lot more breaking stuff.”
Colon is scheduled to start for Triple-A Salt Lake of the Pacific Coast League on Tuesday.
Sauerbeck enters not guilty plea
Cleveland pitcher Scott Sauerbeck pleaded not guilty to charges he and a woman fled the pitcher’s car after police said the vehicle had been weaving.
The 34-year-old pleaded not guilty to obstructing official business and permitting someone intoxicated to drive his car. He will have a pretrial hearing June 22, with trial set for July 11.
Sauerbeck has not appeared in a game since the arrest. He apologized to his family and teammates Tuesday.
Indians general manager Mark Shapiro said the team doesn’t plan to discipline him.
The player did not appear in Avon Lake Municipal Court, and his lawyer faxed a plea. Prosecutor D. Chris Cook said such a procedure in misdemeanor cases is normal.
Sauerbeck and Lily Miller were arrested after fleeing from the player’s car and were found hiding behind bushes early Tuesday, police said.
Clearing the bases
The Yankees placed outfielder Gary Sheffield on the 15-day disabled list and All-Star closer Mariano Rivera became the latest ailing player for New York. “(Rivera) had one shoe on, and when he went to put the left shoe on, something spasmed,” Yankees manager Joe Torre said. … Detroit left-hander Mike Maroth is scheduled to undergo arthroscopic surgery today to remove bone chips from his left elbow. … Minnesota sent struggling right-hander Scott Baker to Triple-A Rochester. … Oakland placed second baseman Mark Ellis on the 15-day disabled list with a broken right thumb. … Cincinnati sent left-hander Ben Kozlowski to the Los Angeles Dodgers, completing an earlier trade for outfielder Cody Ross. … Texas brought up right-hander John Wasdin and sent left-hander C.J. Wilson to Triple-A Oklahoma. … Dodgers infielder Jeff Kent went on the 15-day disabled list because of a sprained left wrist. … Atlanta outfielder Kelly Johnson underwent season-ending elbow surgery. … Two-time A.L. MVP Juan Gonzalez, limited to one at-bat in the majors last season because of a hamstring injury, reached a deal to play for the Long Island (N.Y.) Ducks of the independent Atlantic League.