Stoneman Willing to Stand Pat With Shortstops

TEMPE, Ariz. —  Even as doctors ordered shortstop Gary DiSarcina to stop throwing, further delaying his recovery from shoulder surgery and making it unlikely he can play until well into May at the earliest, Angel General Manager Bill Stoneman said Friday he is not planning to trade for a regular shortstop.

That means the Angels could play an increasingly significant portion of the schedule with Benji Gil, who hit a career-high .239 last season, and/or rookie Wilmy Caceres, who played at double-A Chattanooga last season, at shortstop.

“Right now, I anticipate we will probably not be doing something to bring in another shortstop,” Stoneman said. “That doesn’t mean it won’t happen. But, from a realistic standpoint, we’ll open with Benji and probably Wilmy.”

DiSarcina had targeted early May to return from rotator cuff surgery. After throwing regularly for three months, he experienced discomfort in his right shoulder last week. The Angels sent him to Anaheim for evaluation by Dr. Lewis Yocum, and the team said Friday that Yocum had diagnosed DiSarcina’s condition as tendinitis and ordered him to cease all baseball-related activity. No timetable was given for his return.

“I believe he’ll respond to treatment and be back shortly,” Manager Mike Scioscia said.

Still, the Angels cannot count on DiSarcina, who has been sidelined most of the last two seasons because of injuries.

“We don’t know if the answer is here yet,” Scioscia said. “We could have the answer here.”

The Angels would be content with Gil, but they’re increasingly intrigued by Caceres, 22, obtained from the Cincinnati Reds in December for pitcher Seth Etherton. While the Angels understand Caceres would be overmatched at bat--he hit .268 with two home runs at double A last season and is two for 14 (.143) in the Cactus League--his fielding this spring has been both reliable and spectacular.

“The guy is really steady in the field,” Stoneman said. “He doesn’t look like a typical rookie.”

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The Angels also sent first baseman Mo Vaughn to Anaheim, where Yocum performed what the team called a minor surgical procedure, removing three sutures left in his arm after biceps surgery last month. Vaughn will continue rehabilitation in Southern California; he is expected to sit out the season. . . . Precautionary X-rays were negative on the right hand of second baseman Adam Kennedy, hit by a pitch in Thursday’s game. Kennedy said he expected to be out “probably a couple of days.” . . . Jarrod Washburn, making his second start of the spring, gave up eight hits in three innings of an 8-3 loss to the Seattle Mariners. He gave up only two runs, thanks to two double plays and a runner thrown out at home. He was encouraged, he said, because none of the hits came on a changeup. “That’s my second pitch, and I need that to be successful,” Washburn said. “I don’t really throw a breaking ball that effectively.” . . . First baseman Larry Barnes, asked to show power in his competition with Wally Joyner and Scott Spiezio, tripled Friday. First basemen and triples don’t often go together, but Barnes ranked second in the Pacific Coast League last season with 11 triples.