The Angels have been without three-fifths of their starting rotation since spring training and without slugger Vladimir Guerrero for more than three weeks. But Scioscia isn't using that as an excuse for the fact his team entered Thursday two games below .500 and in third place in a division they dominated last season.

"We feel we can win games with the team we have right now. We're a little disappointed with where we are. It's never fun to be in a position where you're under .500," said Scioscia, who could get pitchers John Lackey and Ervin Santana as well as Guerrero back next week. "But if you look just pragmatically at what our team's done, there's a lot of positive things happening."

Outfielder Chris Pettit, left-hander Trevor Reckling and infielder Alexi Amarista were named the organization's players of the month for April. Pettit hit .424 with 18 runs and 13 RBI in 18 games for triple-A Salt Lake and Reckling went 2-2 with a 0.72 ERA in four starts, three at single-A Rancho Cucamonga and one at double-A Arkansas. Amarista, the Angels' defensive player of the month, didn't make an error in 77 chances at single-A Cedar Rapids.

Probable pitchers: Matt Palmer vs. Gil Meche; Saturday: Joe Saunders (4-1, 3.29) vs. Zack Greinke (6-0, 0.40). Sunday: Shane Loux (2-2, 4.30) vs. Kyle Davies (2-1, 5.88).

Update: Palmer was excellent his last time out, holding the New York Yankees to a run and three hits over 6 1/3 innings to beat CC Sabathia. He also retired 14 in a row at one point, not bad for a guy making only his fifth major league start. And the timing couldn't have been better -- with Ervin Santana and John Lackey expected to rejoin the Angels next week, Palmer is competing for what will soon be the lone open spot in the rotation. Meche, bothered by back problems in his final April start, battled through six difficult innings in his last outing to beat Minnesota despite giving up seven hits and four runs in six innings. Meche, who is 7-1 lifetime against the Angels in Anaheim despite a 5.78 earned-run average, hasn't given up a home run in 37 innings this season.

Speier has not endeared himself to Angels management with his pitching or his erratic behavior. Wednesday's appearance against the Blue Jays was an example of both at their worst.

Speier gave up five runs in the eighth inning, jawing with plate umpire Bill Hohn at one point. His issues with Hohn continued after the game, and Speier had to be restrained by Angels coaches Mike Butcher, Mickey Hatcher and Ron Roenicke. The veteran reliever got into a shouting confrontation with Hatcher in the dugout.

Afterward, the Angels clubhouse was closed for 35 minutes while manager Mike Scioscia dealt with the situation.

"Justin's emotional," Scioscia said Thursday. "It's part of what's given him a good career. It's part of what you sometimes have to keep contained.

"It's been addressed. His emotions got the better of him last night."

Speier apologized to Hatcher on Thursday. But the "good career" Scioscia mentioned does not include his time with the Angels. Since signing a four-year, $18 million deal with the Angels before the 2007 season, Speier has a 4-12 record and 4.47 ERA with a whopping 45 home runs allowed in 129 innings pitched.