Halos keeping tabs on Lincecum

MILWAUKEE — Count the Angels among the many teams that are keeping tabs on Tim Lincecum, the two-time National League Cy Young Award winner who is expected to throw in front of scouts for the first time on Friday. It’s hard to gauge the Angels’ interest at this point, largely because Lincecum’s offseason training has been so secretive.

The Angels’ rotation depth has been pared from eight to four since the start of Spring Training, so they certainly have a need.

C.J. Wilson (shoulder tendinitis) and Andrew Heaney (forearm tightness) are on the disabled list, and they won’t return until the middle of June at the earliest. Tyler Skaggs, a product of August 2014 Tommy John surgery, was scratched from his fourth start with Triple-A Salt Lake and is having his shoulder evaluated in Los Angeles on Monday. And Matt Shoemaker was optioned to the Minor Leagues after finishing April with a 9.15 ERA.

The Angels don’t need a fifth starter until May 14.

Lincecum was one of the game’s best pitchers from 2008-11, averaging 16 wins, a 2.81 ERA and 10.0 strikeouts per nine innings while making the All-Star team and finishing within the top 10 in NL Cy Young Award voting in each of those four seasons.

In the four years since, though, Lincecum’s ERA has ballooned to 4.68. He posted a 4.13 ERA, a 1.48 WHIP and a 1.58 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 15 starts last year, then underwent season-ending hip surgery. The …

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