ANAHEIM, Calif._Tommy La Stella was unable to finish the last game he started for the Angels. The All-Star infielder was carried off the field after fracturing his right tibia when he fouled a ball off his shin in the sixth inning of a July 2 game at Texas.
It is the bitter taste of an injury that sidelined him for almost three months and torpedoed a breakout year that La Stella hopes to rinse out of his mouth by returning for this weekend's season-ending series against Houston.
The Angels were eliminated from playoff contention weeks ago, but La Stella hit on the field, ran the bases and fielded grounders again Tuesday in anticipation of playing two or three games _ probably as the designated hitter _ against Houston.
"It's important for me to go out there and get the last visual going into the off-season," La Stella said before Tuesday night's 3-2 victory over the Oakland Athletics. "I want to be in a game, be out on the field, see the pitcher, go through game reps, and have that be the last thing I remember." La Stella, a former Chicago Cubs utility player who hit 10 homers in 396 games in his first five big league seasons, then hit .300 with 16 homers and 44 RBIs in 78 games for the Angels. He was voted by players as an All-Star reserve but was on crutches for the July 9 game at Cleveland.
"I took some steps in the right direction personally," La Stella said, "The injury doesn't negate that."
La Stella, 30, will be eligible for arbitration this winter, and the Angels are expected to retain him. As disappointing a season as it has been for the Angels, La Stella hopes to end on a high note.
"He would like to get on the field before the season ends and kind of bring some closure to it," manager Brad Ausmus said. "Obviously, the games don't have a ton of meaning, but I think for him they're more meaningful."
