AMERICAN LEAGUE.(team-by-team analysis)

Anaheim

22-25: 3rd

Weber, Levine must fill void left by a fallen setup man

The Angels' bullpen was dealt a severe blow when righthanded setup man Shigetoshi Hasegawa was diagnosed with a partial tear of the rotator cuff in his throwing shoulder, an injury that will sideline him indefinitely. No surgery is planned, but if the injury doesn't respond to therapy in the next few weeks, he could need surgery that would sideline him for the season. Hasegawa was the team's most valuable pitcher last year. He had the stamina to pitch three innings and the resiliency to pitch four or five times a week. RHPs Al Levine and Ben Weber are capable replacements in the setup role, but the loss of Hasegawa puts a dent in the depth of the bullpen.

SCOUTING REPORT: No one took losses harder last season than LHP Scott Schoeneweis. But perhaps it is a sign of his maturity that he let an unprecedented drubbing by the Orioles (four innings, 11 runs, 12 hits) roll off his back. Learning to handle failure is a major hurdle for young pitchers, and he seems on his way to clearing it. Schoeneweis relies almost exclusively on a sinking fastball that sometimes cuts, making it look like a slider. He has gained better command of his pitches this season, his second as a big-league starter. With the new expanded strike zone, he can be devastating.

SEE A DIFFERENT GAME: The team played only two games against the Orioles last week but spilled enough bad blood to last a season. Six batters (three on each team) were hit by pitches, two warnings were issued by umpires, several accusations were made by the Orioles that Angels pitchers hit them intentionally, and one hard slide was made by Orioles 1B David Segui. RHP Ramon Ortiz hit Segui with a high-and-tight fasthall, and Segui responded by leg-whipping SS David Eckstein at second on a routine force that ended an inning and then exchanged words with players in the Angels' dugout. Asked whether there was bad blood between the Orioles and his team, 2B Adam Kennedy said, "It looks like it.... We play them, what, seven more times this year? Who knows?" --Mike DiGiovanna

MAY GRADES