Orange County Register

With the Angels starting the season minus their top two pitchers (John Lackey and Kelvim Escobar), the team’s PR staff turned to Elias Sports Bureau — keepers of all that is quantifiable — to find out just how bad it is to lose 37 victories from your starting rotation.

Turns out it’s never happened before. Elias reports that no team since 1900 has played its first 30 games (or more) of a season without two pitchers who won at least 18 games apiece the year before. (Cases where one of the pitchers changed teams were eliminated.)

Last year, the Angels were 45-18 (.714) when Lackey or Escobar started — 49-50 (.495) when anyone else started.

Help could be on the way, though. Lackey (strained triceps) threw his second bullpen session before today’s game and could start a minor-league injury-rehabilitation assignment soon. Escobar (torn labrum) might resume his throwing program later this week in Arizona.

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