Loux impressive in Angels debut
Journeyman right-hander tosses two scoreless innings
By Rhett Bollinger / MLB.com

ANAHEIM -- Shane Loux was out of baseball just one year ago, so when he made his first Major League appearance since 2003 on Tuesday night, it was pretty special for the right-handed reliever.

Loux didn't disappoint in his first appearance with the Angels, pitching two scoreless innings in relief of Jon Garland and allowing no hits and one walk.

"It was pretty surreal to pitch in front of 45,000 people at a Major League park with the best team in baseball in a race," Loux said. "Everything came together last night as I was going from the bullpen to the mound. I tried not to look up to take it all in. I was lucky enough to have my girlfriend and some friends come to the game."

Loux came into the game in the eighth inning with the Angels trailing the Orioles by three runs. His job was to keep the Angels in the game. Loux was admittedly nervous before he pitched to his first batter, Juan Castro, but Castro grounded out to shortstop on the first pitch Loux threw.

"Getting the first out on one pitch helped me settle down a bit," Loux said. "I realized it's the same game."

The sinkerball pitcher induced five groundball outs in his two innings. His only blemish was a walk to Nick Markakis in the eighth.

"I pitch to contact," Loux said. "I got five ground balls last night. That's what I'm trying to do. I'm not trying to strike anybody out or work the count. I'm just trying to get ground balls."

Even though the Angels lost, Loux's performance impressed manager Mike Scioscia.

"He had good action on that sinker and threw a nice cutter and breaking ball," Scioscia said. "He's around the plate and has good action. His ball is heavy, and our Minor League guys were raving about the way things were going. He could be an important piece to our bullpen."

Loux, who was called up Monday after leading the Pacific Coast League in wins with 12, has battled through just about everything since being drafted by the Tigers in the second round 11 years ago.

He last pitched in the Majors in 2003, when he went 1-1 with a 7.12 ERA in 11 appearances, including four starts. Since then he's battled through the Minors and had his contract voided by the Mariners last year over what he called "a medical disagreement."

He thought his professional baseball career was over but got a second chance on a lucky break while giving pitching lessons to a student at Velocity Sports Performance center in Gilbert, Ariz. Loux made a few pitches of his own that day, getting the attention of Rich Barker, who owned the facility.

Barker called an Angels scout, and the Angels agreed to allow Loux to work out for the team one month later. Loux impressed at the workout, earned an invitation to Minor League Spring Training and made the starting rotation for Triple-A Salt Lake.

And after pitching well in the Minors, Loux finally got another shot to pitch in the Majors. Right now, he's making the most of it.

"From where I was a year ago to right now, there's no better scenario," Loux said.

WHO?????

Angels' rotation competition heating up
Moseley, Loux, Adenhart, Ortega vying for the two open spots

PEORIA, Ariz. -- As the days come off the calendar -- two weeks left in the Cactus and Grapefruit circuits -- tensions begin to rise for a wide range of players in every Major League camp bidding for tickets to The Show.

The talent-rich Angels don't have as many openings on their 25-man roster as most clubs, but they do have some valuable roles to be filled -- and nobody has to remind the candidates it's time to make their big push.

"Competition is good for a club," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "It brings out the best in players. It might not be an ideal situation for some of our players, but our depth is valuable to us."

With Jon Garland having departed and Ervin Santana and Kelvim Escobar ticketed for the 15-day disabled list to open the season, two rotation slots are available behind John Lackey, Joe Saunders and Jered Weaver.

Dustin Moseley, Shane Loux and Nick Adenhart are the primary contenders, with Anthony Ortega hoping to make a few strong closing statements in spite of a late start because of a tender arm.

Moseley was the front-runner coming in, having delivered a total of 18 starts for Scioscia the past two seasons. The right-hander from Texarkana, Ark., has done nothing to harm his case.

Fully recovered from elbow surgery following the 2007 season, leading to a painfully inconsistent and frustrating '08, Moseley has shown arm strength and high-quality stuff in his three starts.

Moseley has been better than his hard numbers -- four earned runs, nine hits allowed in nine innings -- suggest. A windblown, gift double cost him two earned runs, the difference between a 2.00 ERA and the 4.00 on the stat sheet. Eight strikes against three walks point to quality stuff and command.

"I'm happy with where I am, physically and with my stuff," Moseley said. "I'm confident I can do the job for this club."

Loux, at 29 and two years older than Moseley, is another veteran right-hander with the poise and skills to handle himself at the Major League level, in Scioscia's judgment.

Loux has been critical of his performances this spring, citing unusual control blips, but he has yielded only one earned run across 10 2/3 innings.

In his most recent outing against the Giants on Monday in Scottsdale, Ariz., Loux showed his resolve. After yielding a leadoff double, he struck out the next three men he faced in his final inning of work.

"In the 13 years of my career," Loux said, "this is only the second time I've had a legitimate chance to make a big league club out of Spring Training.

"One thing I learned early in my career is every time you go to the mound, you pitch for 30 teams. I found a home here with the Angels, but my goal is to pitch in the Major Leagues. I'm fully aware that everybody's watching, and every time you take the mound -- whether it's in Triple-A or a game at Angel Stadium -- you want to get the job done."

Adenhart, one of the gems of the farm system for several years along with Brandon Wood, has rebounded impressively from a disappointing 2008. Knocked around in three starts with the Angels, he let it negatively impact him when he returned to Triple-A Salt Lake.

Adenhart, 23, has the stuff and the temperament of a top-shelf Major League starter. The only question is when it will happen. Given that neither Moseley nor Loux has options left and most likely would be lost if they're sent down, Adenhart would have to blow everyone away to be in the opening-week rotation.

While he has been good enough to draw the praise of Scioscia and the staff, he hasn't separated himself from Moseley and Loux.

Ortega, a 23-year-old Venezuelan who enjoyed a breakthrough 2008 season at Double-A Arkansas and Salt Lake, is likely to join Adenhart in the Pacific Coast League at the outset of the season. The Bees could be as dominant as last year, when they were men among boys in opening the season 21-1 with a 15-game winning streak.

With Brian Fuentes replacing Francisco Rodriguez in the closing role, the competition for one open spot in the deep, resourceful bullpen involves Jason Bulger and Kevin Jepsen. Each has the stuff to close and has been impressive this spring.

Even for the man who makes the cut, however, there will be an air of uncertainty with Moseley or Loux likely to be moved into middle relief once Escobar and Santana return to make the rotation complete.

Escobar has been the buzz of camp all spring with his remarkable recovery from shoulder surgery and could be back by May. The club is being careful with Santana, who reported elbow discomfort and was shut down.

"Ervin's going to take it slow," Scioscia said. "He has started to play catch again. There's a lot that has to happen from right now before he's going to play in a game for us. Right now, it's baby steps, but he feels much better."

Given their quality depth on the mound, the Angels can afford to wait on Santana, an All-Star along with Saunders last season.

Tomorrow: position battles on the field.

Loux is scheduled to start for the Angels on Friday in part because Ervin Santana and John Lacky are on the DL.

Go Loux!!!

Who?

Update:

Loux is 0-1 with a 3.65 ERA in 2 starts this year.

Loux gets victory for Angels, 3-2

BALTIMORE -- Torii Hunter and Kendry Morales hit consecutive homers off Koji Uehara in the seventh inning, former Tiger Shane Loux earned his first win since 2003, and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Baltimore Orioles, 3-2, Wednesday for a two-game sweep.

Uehara (2-2) left in the seventh after being struck in the chest by a line drive off the bat of Gary Matthews Jr. After falling to his knees, Uehara slowly rose to his feet and walked off the field. The injury was determined to be a bruised sternum.

Loux (1-2) gave up one run on five hits in six-plus innings in his first victory since Sept. 24, 2003, with Detroit.

That's a long time without a win haha