24-year old righty Garrett Richards started the 2013 season in the bullpen, but he has been moved to the rotation to replace Jered Weaver (who is injured).  Richards has done a very good job in his first two starts for the Angels this year as he is 1-0 with a 2.70 ERA and a 0.60 WHIP.  Richards has only given up 5 hits and 3 walks while whiffing 9 batters in his first 13 1/3 innings this year.  He has now pitched in 6 games (2 starts) overall this year for the Angels and he is 1-0 with a 2.55 ERA and a 0.68 WHIP.  The Angels hope that Richards keeps up the good work as the Angels’ rotation needs all of the help that it can get this year.

Lefty swinging CF Jim Edmonds started his career playing for the California Angels and he also played for the Los Angeles Angels in his 7 years with the franchise.  He played in 709 games in his 7 years with the Angels and he was 768 for 2,644 (.290 avg, .856 OPS) with 464 runs scored, 121 homers, 408 RBIs and 26 stolen bases.  His best year with the Angels and his only All-Star appearance for the Angels came back in 1995.  He played in 141 games in 1995 for the California Angels and he was 162 of 558 (.290 avg, .888 OPS) with 120 runs scored, 33 homers, 107 RBIs and 1 stolen base.  Edmonds also had another solid year in 1998 for the Angels.  He played in 154 games in 1998 for the Angels and he was 184 of 599 (.307 avg, .874 OPS) with 115 runs scored, 25 homers, 91 RBIs and 7 stolen bases.  Edmonds was also one of the best defensive outfielders in Angels’ history as he won 2 Gold Gloves for them.  Edmonds is still #9 in Angels’ history in batting average (.290) and he is also #3 in OPS (.856).

The Angels have placed 29-year old righty reliever Mark Lowe on the 15-day disabled list due to neck stiffness.  I’m not surprised as his neck stiffness is likely due to whiplash with the way he has been pitching so far in 2013.  He has pitched in 7 games (0 starts) for the Angels so far this year and he is 1-0 with a 11.37 ERA and a 1.90 WHIP.  Lowe has given up only 4 hits and he has whiffed 6 batters in his first 6 1/3 innings for the Angels this year, but he has walked 8 batters which has gotten him into a lot of trouble so far.  Hopefully his control problems were because of his neck, as he has a really good arm.

The Angels have placed 30-year old switch-hitting 3B Alberto Callaspo on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to April 11th due to right calf tightness.  Callaspo has played in 9 games for the Angels so far this year and he is 9 for 33 (.273 avg, .745 OPS) with 3 runs scored, 1 homer and 3 RBIs.  25-year old righty swinging rookie Luis Jimenez will continue to start at 3B until Callaspo is ready to return to action.  He has played in 5 games for the Angels so far this year and he is 7 for 16 (.438 avg, 1.096 OPS) with 3 runs scored.

With starting 3B Alberto Callaspo hurting right now, 25-year old righty swinging Luis Jimenez is getting his first shot at the show.  He has played in 4 games for the Angels so far this year and he is 5 for 12 (.417 avg, 1.045 OPS) with 1 run scored and 2 doubles.  Jimenez has also played in 8 games in AAA-ball so far this year and he is 11 for 30 (.367 avg, .991 OPS) with 5 runs scored, 1 homer, 4 RBIs and 1 stolen base.  Jimenez came into this season as the Angels’ #17 prospect according to Baseball America.  If he stays hot, he might just bump Callaspo to the bench.

20-year old switch-hitting 3B Caleb Cowart is off to a slow start in AA-ball for the Angels in 2013.  He came into this season as the Angels’ #1 prospect according to Baseball America.  Cowart has played in 9 games in AA-ball for the Angels so far this year and he is 3 for 31 (.097 avg, .319 OPS) with 3 runs scored and 2 stolen bases.  Cowart has now played in 223 games in his first four years in the minors and he is 233 for 866 (.269 avg, .769 OPS) with 143 runs scored, 24 homers, 150 RBIs and 27 stolen bases.  The Angels are likely going to take things slowly with Cowart.

The Angels have called up 25-year old lefty swinging outfielder J.B. Shuck and 23-year old reliever/starter Michael Roth from the minors.  Shuck has played in 5 games for the Angels already this year and he is 2 for 8 (.250 avg, .750 OPS).  Roth came into this season as the Angels’ #30 prospect according to Baseball America.  He worked two scoreless, hitless innings while whiffing 4 batters to earn his first major league win last night against the Astros in his major league debut.  Roth has pitched in 12 games (10 starts) in his first two years in the minors and he is 1-2 with a 4.00 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP.

The Angels have placed 29-year old switch-hitting SS Erick Aybar on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to April 10th due to a bruised heel.  Aybar has played in 7 games for the Angels so far this year and he is 9 for 28 (.321 avg, .726 OPS) with 4 runs scored, 0 homers and 1 RBI.  32-year old righty swinging Brendan Harris and 27-year old lefty swinging Andrew Romine will likely share P.T. at SS until Aybar is ready to return to action.  Harris has played in 7 games for the Angels so far this year and he is 3 for 12 (.250 avg, .536 OPS) with 2 runs scored, 0 homers and 1 RBI.  Romine has played in 5 games for the Angels so far this year and he is 0 for 7 (.000 avg, .000 OPS).  The Angels hope that Aybar is able to return to action in a couple of weeks, because they are really going to miss him while he’s out of action.

The Angels have designated 28-year old lefty swinging outfielder Scott Cousins for assignment.  Cousins played in 7 games in AAA-ball for the Angels this year and he was 6 for 26 (.231 avg, .541 OPS) with 4 runs scored, 0 homers, 3 RBIs and 1 stolen base.  He has played in 128 games in his first three years in the majors and he is 32 for 175 (.183 avg, .523 OPS) with 14 runs scored, 2 homers, 9 RBIs and 2 stolen bases.  This isn’t much of a loss for the Angels if they lose Cousins.

UPDATE:  (4/17/2013) - Scott Cousins has cleared waivers and he has been outrighted to AAA.

The Angels have signed 35-year old righty starting pitcher Kip Wells to a minor league deal.  Wells pitched in 7 games (all starts) for the Padres last year and he was 2-4 with a 4.58 ERA and a 1.63 WHIP.  Wells has now pitched in 296 games (219 starts) in his first 12 years in the majors and he is 69-103 with 2 saves, a 4.71 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP.  Wells could get a shot with the Angels in 2013, if he looks good in the minors.