Joel Pineiro To Miss 6-8 Weeks With Oblique Strain

The Angels, who recently acquired Dan Haren and Alberto Callaspo and have been poking around for even more help, clearly aren't prepared to throw in the towel for 2010. Today, though, Joel Pineiro was a late scratch from a start against the Red Sox, and the outlook isn't so good:

Pineiro suffered a left oblique strain while warming in the bullpen.
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Pineiro out 6-8 weeks.

Pineiro has posted a 4.18 ERA and 2.6 K/BB over 20 starts, working as part of an Angels rotation that, with Haren, looked like one of the better rotations in the league. Unfortunately, a 6-8 week absence is a big deal, and the team doesn't really have anyone who could step in as a suitable replacement.

With the Angels at 8.5 behind Texas in the division and 11 behind Tampa Bay for the Wild Card, this could and should be the news that convinces everyone that, hey, 2010 just isn't Anaheim's year. Find more over at Halos Heaven.