Big-hitting Angels sashay into Queens

NEW YORK -- The Angels did just fine without Vladimir Guerrero in their lineup, winning 10 of 18 games and managing to keep hold of first place in the American League West.
But for the Angels to live up to expectations, repeat as division champions and get as deep into October as they did in 2002, they know they need the reigning league Most Valuable Player in his usual No. 3 spot in the lineup.

They got that and maybe a bit more Friday night, when they overcame a sluggish start to steamroll the New York Mets, 12-2, before 31,131 in Shea Stadium.

Guerrero, whose partially dislocated shoulder landed him on the disabled list, came back strong with three hits and three runs scored. More important, however, was the effect his presence in the lineup seemed to have on his teammates.

Starter Bartolo Colon, who pitched six innings of two-run ball to notch his team-leading eighth victory of the season, searched out the lineup card and found it in the trainers' room.

"I did smile when I saw Vladdy's name in the lineup," Colon said.

Angels manager Mike Scioscia, who saw his team rap out 13 hits to even its record to 5-5 on a four-city, 12-game road trip through Chicago, Boston, Atlanta and New York, admitted that Guerrero does galvanize the club, but added that a lot of things are starting to go right for a team averaging seven runs per game over its last eight.

"He makes everyone around him better," Scioscia said. "But if you look statistically for us the last three weeks while Vlad's been out, we've done a lot.

"Tonight, we got some guys on and drove in some runs, and Vlad was in the middle of everything."

So was Steve Finley, who had been flailing at AL pitching through a baffling early season that had him straddling the Mendoza Line. Known as one of the streakier players in the league, Finley might be starting to embark on the positive side of that extreme.

Mets starter Kazuhisa Ishii, who was 1-4 with a 9.00 ERA against the Angels while pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers from 2002-04, looked like a completely different pitcher through the first five innings Friday, striking out eight batters and shutting out the Angels on two singles.

"He was lights-out for the first five," Finley said.

The Mets scratched out a two-run lead, but Ishii walked Chone Figgins to lead off the sixth, Darin Erstad tied the game with a home run to right, Guerrero and Garret Anderson singled and Finley effectively put the game on ice three batters later by crushing a three-run homer over the wall in right-center.

All of a sudden, Finley, the 40-year-old who brought a .223 batting average into the game, is the Angels' home run leader with eight on the season. A sacrifice fly in the Angels' five-run ninth inning increased his RBI total to 37, which puts him on pace for 100 this season.

And with the Texas Rangers losing their fourth game in a row, the Angels' lead in the division grew to 2 1/2 games, the biggest advantage they've enjoyed since May 21, Guerrero's first day on the disabled list.

"We kept the ship afloat while he was gone," Finley said. "Hopefully with him back, he'll continue to do the things that made him MVP last year."

The Angels -- and their main man Guerrero -- are certainly starting to do the things that made them AL West champions last year.

Guerrero's second hit of the night was classic Guerrero. He was fooled on a changeup but leaned all the way over, reached out and flung the bat at the ball one-handed, flicking it into right field for a single.

Scioscia said the Angels were concerned about that type of swing and the damage it could do on the injured shoulder, but after the game Guerrero said it was fine.

"I felt pretty normal, actually, after not being in the lineup for a while," Guerrero said through an interpreter. "I saw the ball well and was able to fit into the offense. I'll probably let loose more when I get more swings and feel more comfortable up there."

Colon, doing the rare chore of hitting in a National League park, didn't exactly feel comfortable but managed to provide some humor on an easygoing night for the Angels.

His first two at-bats against Ishii were comically easy strikeouts for the left-hander, who fooled Colon so badly on a curveball that the burly batter's helmet fell off.

"He was lucky it was just his helmet that fell off," quipped Scioscia.

"I did like [hitting] when I was with the Expos," added Colon, "but now that I'm in the American League I almost don't want to go up to the plate. You can get hurt swinging the bat."

Colon, however, proved that it was the Angels' night in his third at-bat. He fisted an Ishii offering for an opposite-field RBI single, then shook the sting out of his hands on the run to first base.

It was a fitting moment for an offensive attack that just might be getting its wings with its most powerful pilot back on board.

"I definitely feel a flow," Guerrero said.

"Even when we were behind, 2-0, it was like we knew it was coming."

Source: http://losangeles.angels.mlb.com/

Angels stunned by Mets in extras

NEW YORK -- Brendan Donnelly managed to crack a knowing grin and get even a bit philosophical after serving up a game-winning three-run home run to Cliff Floyd with two out in the bottom of the 10th inning Saturday night in Shea Stadium.
The New York Mets slugger fouled off pitch after pitch before launching a full-count split-fingered fastball -- the ninth pitch of the at-bat -- deep into the night, giving the Angels a particularly painful 5-3 loss before what remained of a crowd of 33,889.

The Mets partied at home plate, the celebratory Shea big apple rose up from the top hat beyond the center-field fence and Donnelly went to his locker, where he pondered the baffling reality of the Angels' most bizarre loss of the season.

"You keep showing up and keep doing your thing," Donnelly said, when asked how he would handle being unable to protect the Angels' second one-run lead late in the game.

"Every game's weird. You never know what to expect."

The Angels hardly could have expected what transpired Saturday.

First, the game started 84 minutes late because of a summer rain shower.

Then, much later, the Angels were poised to win the game -- twice. But that's when the really weird stuff started happening.

With the Angels up, 2-1, in the bottom of the ninth, closer Francisco Rodriguez had gotten one out when he faced pinch-hitter Marlon Anderson. The backup infielder hit a gapper to right-center field that dropped and kicked off Angels center fielder Steve Finley's leg like a Superball, and rolled toward the right-field corner.

Finley chased it down and relayed it to second baseman Adam Kennedy, who threw home, but Anderson was running the whole way and barely beat catcher Jose Molina's tag for a rare, crowd-pleasing, game-tying inside-the-park home run. It was the first hit of its kind by a Met in Shea since Darryl Strawberry did it in May 1989.

"It tipped off the end of my glove and hit my knee," Finley said. "It was just a tough-luck play. What can I say? It was a freak play. You can't really defend that."

Angels manager Mike Scioscia agreed with that assessment, saying he didn't have a problem with Finley playing the ball aggressively instead of letting it drop and stay in front of him to protect the one-run lead.

"You're trying to win," Scioscia said. "He had a bead on it. Any time you can catch a ball, you try to catch it."

The play didn't seem to bother the Angels too much, though.

Rodriguez struck out the next batter to escape further damage, and with the game tied at 2 in the top of the 10th, Darin Erstad laced a ball down the left-field line off Mets closer Braden Looper, scoring Jeff DaVanon for a 3-2 lead.

That opened the bullpen gate for Donnelly, who allowed the first two runners to reach base before striking out Carlos Beltran and Mike Piazza, both on splitters.

With Floyd in the middle of the epic game-winning at-bat, Mets shortstop Jose Reyes took off from second base and advanced to third during what appeared to be a break in the action. Donnelly said he thought time should have been called, and with Reyes standing on third and a full count to Floyd, the pitcher said he didn't want to throw his nastiest splitter for fear of a game-tying wild pitch.

He left one up in the zone and Floyd left the yard.

"That was just a bad pitch, that last pitch," Scioscia said.

And a heck of an at-bat, according to Donnelly.

"I tip my hat to Floyd," Donnelly said. "It seemed like I was pitching him forever. He's never seen me, which makes it even more impressive."

For a while Saturday night, impressive pitching and defense allowed the Angels to be on the verge of stealing a victory.

Jarrod Washburn / P
Born: 08/13/74
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 195 lbs
Bats: L / Throws: L

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Jarrod Washburn pitched 6 1/3 innings of six-hit, one-run ball and Kennedy saved two runs with one of the Angels' best defensive plays of the year, a diving, inning-ending forceout with the bases loaded in the second.

The Angels had taken a 1-0 lead in the top of the second when Garret Anderson led off with a double, moved to third on a Dallas McPherson single and scored when Bengie Molina bounced into a double play.

In the bottom of the inning, the Mets kicked off a rally with Piazza and Floyd singling in succession. Washburn got two outs, but then suddenly lost his control and walked Kazuo Matsui and Benson on eight straight balls, tying the game for the Mets before Kennedy's play ended the threat.

"It's weird, when you're pitching sometimes," Washburn said. "All of a sudden, you can't pitch. Usually it lasts four pitches. Tonight I lost it for eight. For eight pitches there, I had no idea.

But it didn't seem to matter three innings later, when the Angels took the lead. McPherson led off with a double, moved to third on a Bengie Molina groundout and scored on a Kennedy sacrifice fly.

As tough as the loss might have seemed, especially with a quick turnaround before a day game against Pedro Martinez on Sunday, the Angels kept their 2 1/2-game lead in the American League West intact when the Texas Rangers lost to the Florida Marlins, their fifth consecutive defeat.

And according to Scioscia, the Angels' defensive wizardry and late-inning resolve to forge those two short-lived leads were positives to be taken from this effort.

Washburn summed up the mood of the quiet clubhouse perfectly, though.

"Any time you lose a game you should win, it's tough to take," the left-hander said. "It's pretty frustrating.

"It wasn't meant to be for us tonight, I guess."

Source: http://losangeles.angels.mlb.com/

Guerrero is activated

NEW YORK -- The Angels had a 10-8 record, scored 5.4 runs per game and managed to stay atop the American League West through the 18 games missed by Vladimir Guerrero.
Still, there were a lot of smiles when the reigning AL Most Valuable Player's name was written on the lineup card Friday night.

Guerrero was officially back on the active roster Friday, with the Angels placing starter Kelvim Escobar on the 15-day disabled list (bone spur in right elbow) to accommodate their No. 3 hitter.

Guerrero, who partially dislocated his left shoulder in a headfirst dive into home plate May 20 in Dodger Stadium, returned with a .303 batting average, seven home runs and 24 RBIs. He took regular batting practice before Friday's game and hit a few monstrous homers.

Even though the Angels have gone the better part of a month without their major masher, manager Mike Scioscia said he didn't necessarily think the team needed any kind of spiritual lift that could be provided with Guerrero's return.

"It'll probably give a bit of an emotional boost, but what we need is production," Scioscia said. "Hopefully, we'll be able to get Vlad swinging the bat like he left off."

Actually, that wouldn't necessarily be such a great thing.

Guerrero had five hits in his last 27 at-bats (.185) with no homers and two RBIs over eight games before he went on the DL.

The Angels were struggling to score runs at the time but have shown signs of coming out of the slump over the last two weeks, making Guerrero's return a timely one.

"I think, offensively, things have picked up, but it's certainly not related to Vlad being out," Scioscia said.

Escobar and Option C: Escobar said the shot of cortisone that he received Thursday during a visit to a Manhattan physician was "Option C" out of four possible options, with "D" being surgery to shave down the bone spur that could keep him out of action for months.

Escobar said the cortisone is a much stronger anti-inflammatory than the ones he's been taking while battling the intermittent pain caused when the spur chafes a tendon in his pitching elbow.

He said he'll sit out the next two weeks and then try to make a go of it for the rest of the season.

"It's my last shot," Escobar said. "I don't know what's next. But [surgery] is the last, last, last, last thing I want to do right now."

Escobar showed up to Spring Training with weakness in his throwing shoulder, then missed the first three weeks of the season with a sprained right elbow.

"It's frustrating," Escobar said. "I've never been through this. I don't think there's much I can do about it. It's something I have, and I have to deal with it."

Scioscia didn't officially confirm it, but the team will recall 22-year-old right-hander Ervin Santana, who went 1-1 with a 4.15 ERA in Escobar's place in May, including a shutout of the Chicago White Sox.

"It'll be good for him and we'll take a good look at him," Escobar said. "We feel good about him. We all know he's a very talented young kid and he can pitch."

The cutting room: Orlando Cabrera showed up with a tight haircut from the barber shop he owns in upper Manhattan, and he also showed up with some pointed words about his own play when he saw that he was batting eighth.

"I [stink]," Cabrera said. "I'm hitting eighth. I [stink]. I'm hitting before the pitcher. That's ninth."

Cabrera hasn't exactly been tearing it up lately. He brought a .240 batting average and 16 RBIs into the game against the New York Mets. Still, Scioscia said it was more about getting his offense to find some kind of consistent balance than anything personal against Cabrera, who has also hit second, third, fifth, sixth and seventh this year.

"Orlando's a guy I know is going to bring us offense along the lines of his [usual] stats," Scioscia said. "But until we find some continuity, some guys are going to have to bounce around a little bit."

DaVanon OK: Scioscia said Jeff DaVanon's broken nose will not land the outfielder on the DL. DaVanon, who sustained the injury Wednesday when a ball caromed off the wall in Atlanta and smacked him in the face, wore a soft cast in the locker room and has a special mask that will allow him to play.

He took early batting practice Friday, ran the bases and shagged fly balls just like any other day.

"He's available," Scioscia said. "We'll try to keep him away from the walls."

On deck: The Angels will play the second game in the three-game set against the Mets on Saturday night at 4:10 p.m. PT, with Jarrod Washburn (3-3, 3.86 ERA) taking the hill against Mets right-hander Kris Benson (4-2, 3.74 ERA).

Source: http://losangeles.angels.mlb.com/

Halos rally to end road trip on high note

NEW YORK -- Mere hours after blowing two late-inning leads in potentially the most devastating loss of their season, the Angels spotted the New York Mets a three-run lead before coming back to win Sunday afternoon.
Darin Erstad extended his hitting streak to 13 games, then accounted for the winning run in the ninth inning when his hard ground ball to third base took a bad hop, caromed off David Wright's glove, and allowed Robb Quinlan to scamper home for a 4-3 win before 43,582 at Shea Stadium.

Scot Shields, who struggled at the beginning of the Angels' grueling four-city, 14-day, 12-game road trip, rebounded Sunday with two dominant innings of relief and earned the victory.

Recently called-up reliever Joel Peralta continued to impress, getting a big strikeout with two runners on in the sixth.

Vladimir Guerrero got a hit in his third straight game since coming off the disabled list.

A night after blowing a save, closer Francisco Rodriguez nailed down the save by retiring the Mets in order in the ninth.

And the Angels evened out their road trip with a 6-6 record and a 36-26 clip overall.

In other words, the Angels are alive and well with a 2 1/2-game lead over the Texas Rangers in the American League West and they're going back to Anaheim for a two-week, 12-game homestand.

That greasy airplane food is bound to taste a lot better.

"We played four teams [White Sox, Red Sox, Braves, Mets] that are playing for first place and are over .500," Erstad said. "We battled hard and were pretty much in every game. We'd like to do better [than 6-6], but we'll take it."

They'll certainly take it against Pedro Martinez.

The Angels didn't hang a loss on Martinez, who is 7-1 in his first season in New York, but they hung around and won the game against the New York bullpen. Once again, the Angels did it with tenacious pitching and just enough offensive moxie to get the job done at the right time.

The Mets got on the board in Sunday's first inning when Mike Cameron hit a one-out double off the center-field wall, moved to third on a failed pick-off throw by Angels starter John Lackey and scored on an RBI single by Cliff Floyd.

The lead grew to 3-0 in the bottom of the fourth when Lackey's lack of command hurt him.

Wright hit a one-out double, moved to third on Lackey's second wild pitch of the game, and barely scored on a Miguel Cairo sacrifice fly to center when Steve Finley's throw arrived a tad late. One batter later, with Doug Mientkiewicz having taken second on Finley's throw, Martinez delivered in a huge way, singling up the middle for his first RBI since Aug. 2, 1996.

Martinez helped his cause on the mound, keeping the Angels scoreless until the fifth, when they cut the Mets' lead to 3-1 on a one-out triple by Orlando Cabrera and a bloop RBI single by Adam Kennedy.

But Lackey kept the Mets at three runs through five innings, allowing the Angels to stay in the game.

"I thought John did a good job of getting key outs," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "He bent a little bit and didn't break. John kept going and that's important."

And so did the Angels' offense, which was maligned through a mediocre May but has been jump-started in June.

Darin Erstad / CF
Born: 06/04/74
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 210 lbs
Bats: L / Throws: L

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In the top of the sixth, Erstad hit a one-out single, moved to second when Vladimir Guerrero worked a walk, and scored on a Finley double that pushed Guerrero to third. The next batter, Dallas McPherson, grounded out to second base, scoring Guerrero and making it 3-3.

After leaving two runners on the bases in the seventh and eighth frames, the Angels made the most of their chances in the ninth against Mets closer Braden Looper. Pinch-hitter Casey Kotchman drew a leadoff walk and was replaced by Quinlan, who moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by pinch-hitter Josh Paul. Chone Figgins' groundout to second got Quinlan to third, which set up Erstad's game-winning grounder.

Scioscia said after the game that he thought the play should have been scored a hit, but Erstad didn't offer an opinion.

"I don't care," Erstad said. "Run scores, we win, who cares? I could care less. We won the game."

And the 5-3 loss in the 10th inning of the previous game, when an inside-the-park homer tied it for the Mets in the ninth and Cliff Floyd's game-winning three-run shot off Brendan Donnelly in the 10th electrified the Saturday night crowd, seemed to be forgotten.

"We've got some solid character on this team," Erstad said. "We're real good at turning the page. We were down 3-0 against Pedro and found a way."

The offensive turnaround has been a big reason for that. The Angels have hit .310 as a team over their last 15 games to raise their batting average almost 20 points to .261, and they've averaged 6.7 runs per game in that span.

"Nobody doubted our offense," Shields said. "There's no doubt in our minds that we can hit.

"We're starting to show it."

Source: http://losangeles.angels.mlb.com/

Hatcher survives a scare

NEW YORK -- Angels hitting coach Mickey Hatcher is a former big league player, and throughout his career in the game, he has always enjoyed traveling to and around New York. A man of the people, Hatcher's been known to mix it up with the blue-collar crowd from time to time.
Hatcher said he always used New York's famed subway system to get from his hotel in Manhattan to Shea Stadium in Queens or Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, but that might have changed after a scary turn of events Saturday.

Hatcher said he hopped on the No. 7 at Grand Central Station near the team hotel to get to Shea at around noon, and immediately he realized that he was packed in a train car with no room to move whatsoever. This continued for about 20 minutes as the train snaked its way toward Flushing, and Hatcher said it became difficult to even raise his arms as the temperature and humidity inside the car grew to unpleasant levels.

The ride became even more unpleasant for Hatcher when he noticed what he considered to be a gang member eyeing him up and down. Hatcher said he didn't think much of it at first, but quickly realized that the man was trying to get his attention and pick a fight with him.

"He was giving me a bad look and he was making some comments," Hatcher said.

Hatcher said he was comforted by the fact that there was absolutely no room for the man to move toward him, but Hatcher also couldn't move to get off the train and didn't know what neighborhood he was in.

Then, a few stops later, with the man still paying close attention to Hatcher, more gang members got on the train and started jawing with the man who was eyeing Hatcher and his cohorts in what appeared to be a gang-related argument. Hatcher said several of the men pulled out sticks to prepare to rumble and that the fracas spilled out of the train car when it came to its next stop.

Only then could Hatcher breathe easy -- although he said when he reached the Shea stop and got down from the platform, he took a minute to collect himself.

"When I got off the train, I had to sit down," Hatcher said. "I was so shook."

Hatcher did manage to keep his notorious sense of humor, however. After relaying the story, he said he might have had a different reaction to the frightening situation if it had taken place while the Angels were struggling at the plate in May, and rumors about Hatcher's job security started popping up.

"A few weeks ago I would have been saying, 'Take me out of my misery,' " Hatcher said.

Lackey hooks another ace: Right-hander John Lackey will take the ball Sunday afternoon in the series finale against the New York Mets, and once again he finds himself facing a top-caliber pitcher. In his last outing, it was Atlanta Braves legend John Smoltz, and Lackey got a no-decision despite giving up just two runs in six innings. This time, it's Pedro Martinez.

Lackey has faced Martinez before, on April 27, 2003, a game -- and no-decision -- Lackey said he couldn't help but remember for one particularly famous reason.

"J-Lo was there at our place in Anaheim," Lackey said of pop culture diva Jennifer Lopez with a smile. "Up there above the dugout with whatchamacallit [Ben Affleck]."

John Lackey / P
Born: 10/23/78
Height: 6'6"
Weight: 235 lbs
Bats: R / Throws: R

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Lackey went seven innings that day and gave up four runs, and he said he was not intimidated by the starlet's presence.

"That's motivation, bro," he said.

Lackey said he won't be intimidated with his first game against Pedro this year, either. "I'm going to have to pitch well to win," Lackey said, "regardless of who's pitching against me."

After a rough start to the season, Lackey has put up quality starts -- six innings or more, three earned runs or less -- in six of his last seven outings to improve his record to 5-2 and lower his ERA to 3.93. The key, he said, is that he's built a lot of confidence with his changeup and slurve, which has been set up by better fastball command.

"Probably two bad starts out of the first 12 or so wasn't bad," he said.

Halo handbook: All signs point to right-hander Ervin Santana being recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake to replace injured Kelvim Escobar in the starting rotation Tuesday at home against the Washington Nationals. Santana, 22, pitched for Salt Lake on Thursday night, giving him four days of rest for Tuesday's outing. Santana shut out the Chicago White Sox in his last start for the Angels on May 23. ... Angels manager Mike Scioscia said outfielder Curtis Pride will begin a rehab assignment with Salt Lake on Monday. Pride has been on the disabled list since May 29 because of a strained right wrist. ... Utility man Chone Figgins got a day off Saturday, which Scioscia said was more a result of National League rules than anything else. "Without the DH and with Vlad [Guerrero] back, you can't play everybody every day," Scioscia said.

On deck: Lackey and Martinez (7-1, 2.45 ERA) will square off in Sunday's series finale, which is set for 10:10 a.m. PT. The Angels will hope to do better than they have historically against Martinez. Pedro is 9-1 with a 2.12 ERA in 13 career starts against the Angels.

Source: http://losangeles.angels.mlb.com/

No more winter ball for K-Rod

NEW YORK -- When Francisco Rodriguez's Major League season ends and he returns to his hometown of Caracas, Venezuela, he's greeted with love from his family and expectations from his country's fervent baseball community.
At the end of this year, Rodriguez will undoubtedly once again be pressured to pitch in the Venezuelan Winter League, where he has been the closer for the La Guaira Tiburones for the last two seasons. His countrymen and adoring family will clamor to see him save enough games to get his team into the Caribbean Series.

But Rodriguez said he was recently asked by manager Mike Scioscia and pitching coach Bud Black to quit playing winter ball and put less stress on his right arm, which sustained a recent forearm injury that put him on the disabled list for the first time in his Major League career.

"I'm not going to do anything to jeopardize my career," Rodriguez said. "It's tough, because my family doesn't get a chance to see me pitch here, so it's important for me to pitch in Venezuela. But I can't do it anymore."

Rodriguez logged 86 regular-season innings for the Angels in 2003, then pitched over 40 innings in Venezuela and in the Caribbean Series in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. In 2004, he pitched 84 innings in the regular season for the Angels and then 35 1/3 innings in the Winter Leagues, turning down the closer spot on the Venezuelan champion Aragua Tigers in the Caribbean Series so he could rest up for Spring Training.

"Winter ball helped me get ready for the season," Rodriguez said. "I could get my pitches to where I wanted them and be sharp when the season started. But they don't want me to do it, so I won't. I don't want to get hurt again."

That will surely come as a relief to general manager Bill Stoneman, who has always expressed concern about Rodriguez's health -- concerns Rodriguez now shares after suffering a scare with the forearm strain that kept him out of action from May 14 to June 1.

In addition to committing to keep himself fresher by not playing winter ball, Rodriguez said he has started doing arm and wrist exercises he ignored in the past.

"That injury was a wake-up call," Rodriguez said. "I'm doing all the right things now. I have to make sure this doesn't happen to me again."

Guillen returning: Former Angels outfielder Jose Guillen will set foot on the field at Angel Stadium for the first time since last Sept. 25, when he was removed from a game against the Oakland A's for a pinch-runner, threw a tantrum in the dugout and clubhouse, and was suspended for the rest of the season and playoffs a few days later.

Guillen was then traded to the Washington Nationals for outfielder Juan Rivera and infielder Maicer Izturis in the offseason and returns as the Nationals' right fielder and clubhouse leader.

Scioscia said he has spoken to Guillen since the incidents and that the two made peace with one another.

"I've got no issues with him at all," Scioscia said. "We've moved on, he's moved on. We're doing well, he's doing well, and that's the situation. I don't think that's a big deal.

"We hope we contain him and the whole team. He's having a good year and they're a good club."

Kotchman takes 0-for in stride: It's a typically tough situation Casey Kotchman finds himself in right now, the classic bench player's Catch-22. He can't get into a rhythm at the plate because he's not getting enough at-bats, and he can't get at-bats because he's not producing at the plate.

Kotchman, a 22-year-old first base prospect, was recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake on May 31 when outfielder Curtis Pride went on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right wrist. Kotchman hasn't gotten a hit in nine at-bats spread over five games, two of them starts.

He said he's not necessarily a "rhythm" guy at the plate, so he's not too concerned about his lack of results so far.

"Any time you go up to the plate, you're trying to compete," Kotchman said. "My approach is the same. I don't get frustrated either way. I try to get the most out of whatever I do, whenever I do it."

It's unlikely that Kotchman will stick around for very long anyway. With Izturis probably a week or so away from rejoining the club and Pride on the mend, the Angels will likely option Kotchman back to Salt Lake, where he can get five at-bats per game.

Anderson sits: Left fielder Garret Anderson wasn't in the lineup Sunday because of tightness in the right hamstring that necessitated him being pulled from Saturday night's game in the late innings. Scioscia said he didn't think it was a problem and that Anderson would be available to pinch-hit and would most likely start Monday night in Anaheim.

On deck: The Angels return to Anaheim on Monday after a 12-game, four-city, 14-day road trip and don't get any rest. They'll take to the field Monday night for the first game in a three-game set against the Nationals. Paul Byrd (5-5, 4.38 ERA) takes the hill for the Angels against Nationals righty Esteban Loaiza (2-4, 3.48 ERA).

Source: http://losangeles.angels.mlb.com/

Vlad busts through Nationals' defense

ANAHEIM -- The Nationals' winning streak said 10 straight, but it was the Angels who went to 11.
Not much for being gracious hosts, a robust hometown 20-hit attack Monday quickly put to rest Washington's bid to extend its string as the Halos throttled their own amps to 11 in an 11-1 power-chord rout.

Out front was Vladimir Guerrero, who four games removed from the disabled list is not showing much in the form of rust or restraint after partially dislocating his left shoulder with a headfirst slide into home at Dodger Stadium on May 20. Guerrero went 4-for-4 with five RBIs on Monday, highlighted by a three-run blast in the sixth off Nationals reliever T.J. Tucker.

"He's not going to let three weeks out stop him," manager Mike Scioscia said. "He's going to come out with guns blazing."

The four-hit night matched a career high for Guerrero and was the 16th time he's accomplished the feat. Darin Erstad extended his hitting streak to 14 games by going 3-for-4 with an RBI and three runs, while Dallas McPherson led off the fourth with his sixth home run of the year as the Angels scored five runs on six hits to salt the game away.

"His presence on the field as one of the elite players in the game means so much," Paul Byrd said of Guerrero. Byrd allowed one run over six innings to pick up the win. "Even if he goes 1-for-3, he lets other players see better pitches."

The Angels opened the series with the Nationals on the heels of a tough four-city, 12-game trip that concluded with a 6-6 mark, but the offense has been anything but mediocre. Over the last 16 games the club is hitting .323 and Monday night it threw gas on the fire. The 20 hits Monday were a season high for the Angels as all nine starters had at least one hit, while two of the four reserves also collected base hits.

"We're getting contributions from a lineup full of guys that are reaching their potential," Scioscia said. "Over the last few weeks we've seen it coming together."

Byrd (6-5) was the primary beneficiary of his teammates' lively night at the plate, but the right-hander held his own.

Brad Wilkerson led off the game with a sharp double to center, but Byrd responded by retiring six straight batters. He allowed a single and a walk in the top of the third, but neither baserunner reached home. Byrd then rang up a string of eight straight outs before Wilkerson again reached on a leadoff double in the sixth.

Wilkerson would score on a single by former Angel Jose Guillen. Byrd, though, was enjoying a 7-0 bulge and he ended his outing with just a run on four hits and a walk. He also struck out three to pick up his second win in his last five starts and first at home since May 10.

"If you score me 10 runs, I'll win a lot of games for you," joked Byrd, who said he battled a sore right triceps and used heat treatments throughout the game.

The bullpen stepped in with three scoreless innings as a couple of relievers who don't get their numbers called that often made solid contributions. Esteban Yan gave up a leadoff single in the seventh and then rebounded with six straight outs that included striking out the side in the eighth. Jake Woods tossed a perfect ninth.

"The big thing about the offensive night is we were able to give guys in the bullpen that needed the work and give guys a day off that needed it," Scioscia said.

Much pregame attention Monday was given to the return of Guillen. The last time the mercurial outfielder played at Angel Stadium, he threw his batting helmet when he took exception to being removed for a pinch-runner on Sept. 25. An exchange with Scioscia that carried from the field and later into the clubhouse essentially ended his days with the club.

Guillen was suspended for the remaining eight games of last season, a sentence that included the postseason. In November, Guillen was packed off to Washington for Juan Rivera and Maicer Izturis.

His lone contribution Monday was to keep the Nationals from being shut out when he singled off Byrd to score Wilkerson, but Guillen was treated to a chorus of boos every time he stepped to the plate or touched the ball in the field.

The Angels got out of the blocks early Monday when Erstad doubled with one out in the bottom of the first and scored on Guerrero's RBI single. Steve Finley later doubled into the right-field corner to drive in Guerrero for a 2-0 lead.

McPherson's homer in the fourth began a string of six straight Angels hits to lead off the inning before Garret Anderson bounced into a double play for the first outs of the inning. By then the Angels had added five more runs, with Chone Figgins' two-run triple to left being the defining shot in a frame that saw the club hit for the cycle.

"We're getting good pitches to hit and making good swings and not missing," McPherson said. "That is the difference for the team over the last few weeks."

Source: http://losangeles.angels.mlb.com/

Santana back for an encore

ANAHEIM -- Ervin Santana is back in the Angels clubhouse and will take the hill for his third Major League start Tuesday.
With starting pitcher Kelvim Escobar on the disabled list with a bone spur in his right elbow, the Angels did not hesitate to turn to Santana, who is likely to get at least two turns in the rotation.

Santana made a strong impression when he got his first taste of the bigs with a pair of starts in May. Also pitching in place of Escobar, the tall, young right-hander struggled in his first start when he allowed six runs on eight hits and four walks over four innings on the road in Cleveland. But at home, Santana shed whatever rookie shakiness he may have had by going the distance against the White Sox.

He walked one batter and struck out seven, scattering five hits for his first Major League shutout and win. Santana expects to succeed again, but is prepared for the unexpected.

"Nothing is easy because you have to keep working hard," Santana said. "You never know what is going to happen."

Escobar is on the DL for the third time since the end of Spring Training, and all three stints have been related to the elbow. The last two visits have been because of the bone spur in the joint, which causes pain and inflammation. Escobar and the club remain hopeful that a cortisone shot and rehab will alleviate the problem enough so he can avoid surgery this season.

Escobar began playing catch Monday and is close to beginning a throwing program, but the Angels are buoyed by what Santana brings to the equation.

"He is still not a finished product, but he's shown a lot," manager Mike Scioscia said. "He can come up here and produce."

Santana started this season at Double-A, where he was 5-1 with a 2.33 ERA in seven starts with Arkansas. He then was promoted to Triple-A Salt Lake after his two starts with the Angels and posted a 1-0 mark with a 4.19 ERA in three starts. Santana is well aware that his latest jump to the Majors might be temporary, but will make the most of it.

"Every day I feel serious because this is my job," Santana said. "I have to concentrate very hard."

Sent down: Casey Kotchman was optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake to make room for Santana on the roster. Kotchman went 0-for-10 in seven games with the Angels.

Sore wheel: Garret Anderson was in the lineup Monday, batting fourth as the designated hitter. Anderson was held out of Sunday's 4-3 win over the Mets with a tight right hamstring, but felt good enough to get at-bats in the series opener with the Nationals.

"The hamstring is an injury that is a separate breed by itself," Scioscia said. "DH is not a magic bullet, but it might help to take the load off not having to play in the field and the ball down the line. Right now it looks like it can."

Anderson has provided the one consistent bat this season for an offense that has only recently begun to put it together. Over their last 15 games, the Angels have hit .310 and averaged 6.7 runs per game. That after hitting .228 and averaging 3.5 runs per game over their previous 23 games.

A big part of that has been Anderson, who leads the club with 48 RBIs. On their just concluded 12-game road trip, Anderson went 20-for-47 with two homers and drove in 10 runs.

"If we can keep his bat in the lineup and keep [Chone Figgins] in there as well, we can keep that offensive continuity," Scioscia said. "We don't have to do much other than change some numbers on the card."

No hard feelings: Nationals outfielder Jose Guillen appeared on the field at Angel Stadium for the first time Monday since Sept. 25, when both on-field and off-field behavior resulted in the former Angel being suspended for the remainder of the season and through the playoffs.

Guillen was traded in November for outfielder/DH Juan Rivera and infielder Maicer Izturis, but as far as Scioscia is concerned it's old news.

"I don't know Jose well enough to know what he will do [in the future]," Scioscia said. "But we all grow from our experiences and I think he has."

Greetings: Vladimir Guerrero and Orlando Cabrera said hello to Nationals manager Frank Robinson during batting practice Monday. Guerrero spent two of his eight seasons in Montreal working under Robinson, while Cabrera had 2 1/2 seasons with the Hall of Famer.

Moving up: Kendry Morales was promoted to Double-A Arkansas Monday. In 22 games at Class A Rancho Cucamonga, Morales hit.344 with five homers and 17 RBIs. Morales mostly appeared at first, but also drew some starts at third and in the outfield.

"All reports have been glowing, " Scioscia said. "He has the upside and he has the talent. Now he has to learn the nuances of becoming a championship-caliber player."

On deck: The Angels will continue their three-game series with the Nationals on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. PT. Santana will face Nationals right-hander Livan Hernandez.

Source: http://losangeles.angels.mlb.com/

Izturis' rehab lengthy

ANAHEIM -- Maicer Izturis continues to make progress during his rehab assignment at Triple-A Salt Lake.
The reserve infielder has appeared in six games for the Stingers and posted a .412 batting average with two doubles and two RBIs. Izturis also has three stolen bases and has not committed an error over four games in the field.

Izturis would provide much needed infield depth for the Angels. Chone Figgins is currently the only backup at shortstop and second, and is second on the depth chart at third. The half-brother of Dodgers Gold Glove shortstop Cesar Izturis, Maicer would move into the No. 2 spot at all three of those positions while supplying a speed boost to the bench.

"Maicer would free up Figgy to just DH," manager Mike Scioscia said. "Right now, we don't have a lot of versatility."

Izturis strained the MCL in his left knee during fielding drills at Yankee Stadium on April 26. The initial prognosis was that he would miss four to six weeks, but Tuesday's game with the Nationals was the seven-week mark for Izturis' absence from the active roster.

Still, the Angels are not going to push Izturis, who has yet to play a full game. Scioscia said they would like to see Izturis log a string of full games before activating him off the disabled list.

Rehab report: Curtis Pride began a rehab assignment at Salt Lake on Monday and went 2-for-4 with an RBI in the Stingers' 6-1 win over Tucson.

The reserve outfielder was called up to the Angels on May 22, when Vladimir Guerrero was placed on the DL. Pride appeared in three games before suffering a strained right wrist on May 29 in a game against the Royals.

Do the math: The winning formula the Angels utilize is a pretty simple one: Outhit the opposition. The Angels are 27-5 entering Tuesday's game when they've outhit their opponent, but are 6-20 when they've been outhit. When the hits have been equal, the Angels have posted a 4-1 mark.

So far in June, the Angels are leading the Majors with a .324 batting average. Guerrero has provided a shot in the arm with his return from the DL, but contributions are being provided throughout the lineup.

"There is no doubt that a player of Vladdy's caliber and strength impacts the whole lineup," Dallas McPherson said. "Still, there are a lot of guys in this lineup doing incredible things."

Darin Erstad has been particularly hot, posting a .353 batting average in June, and Tuesday the first baseman extended his hitting streak to 15 games, tying his career high. McPherson has also been doing his part. Over the last 15 games, the rookie third baseman has hit .313 and of his last 20 hits, 11 have been for extra bases.

His increasingly steady play in the field and progression at the plate has helped provide a boost to the offense while keeping him in the lineup.

"He's playing very well at third and if his confidence remains high you want to keep his bat in the lineup as much as possible," Scioscia said.

Keep the tension: Interleague Play carves out a major portion of the schedule during June and forces managers to adjust when they visit cities in the opposite league. Scioscia appreciates the break, but added that if the integrity of schedule is maintained, then he's fine with however it shakes out.

"As long as we have the intra-divisional rivalries at the beginning, middle and end," Scioscia said. "That keeps alive the flow of a pennant race."

On the farm: Kendry Morales went 0-for-4 in his first game at Double-A Arkansas on Monday, but drove in a run and struck out twice. At Class A Rancho Cucamonga, shortstop Brandon Wood is hitting .311 with 20 home runs, 50 RBIs and a 1.011 OPS over 62 games.

On deck: The Angels will conclude their three-game Interleague series with the Nationals at 7:05 p.m. PT on Wednesday. Right-hander Bartolo Colon will face Washington right-hander Ryan Drese.

Source: http://losangeles.angels.mlb.com/

Angels thrown for a difficult loss

ANAHEIM -- A funny thing happened on the way to an otherwise innocent Interleague matchup: a rivalry was born.
Aside from a three-game series played in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in August 2003, there was no previous "history" between the Angels and the Nationals. Vladimir Guerrero and Orlando Cabrera both played for the Expos, as the Washington franchise was known in a past life, but both of those departures were amicable.

There was the turbulent era of Jose Guillen as an Angel, which ended when he was traded to the Nationals last November. But aside from the local fans voicing their displeasure when he came to bat during the series' first two games, no simmering hostility was evident.

Yet a game that had rolled along as the latest installment of the budding career of young Ervin Santana, and ended up as a 6-3 comeback win by the Nationals, was shaded in sharp contrast when Nationals manager Frank Robinson came out to speak with home-plate umpire Tim Tschida during a pitching change in the top of the seventh.

The results of Mr. Robinson's visit were three-fold.

Angels reliever Brendan Donnelly was ejected for having a foreign substance in his glove. A series of shoving matches ensued, Robinson and Angels manager Mike Scioscia exchanging words and Guillen was restrained as both benches and bullpens emptied. And the Angels unraveled with Guillen delivering a game-tying two-run homer off Scot Shields and Junior Spivey chipping in with the go-ahead RBI single.

The collapse was plenty, but adding specifically to Scioscia's ire was that the foreign substance was pine tar, something that, from his perspective, is tacitly approved. In his mind, it had nothing to do with the game.

"Pine tar does not affect the flight of the ball. It is something that has been around baseball for a long time," said Scioscia, who remembered teammate Jay Howell being suspended for a similar offense during the 1988 World Series. "It gives you a normal grip on the ball and when it is slick or cold."

Donnelly admitted using pine tar for helping him to grip the ball. He said he sweats a lot and uses the substance to control pitches from becoming dangerous to hitters, but not to get them out.

"I'm not trying to cheat and doctor the ball," Donnelly said. "That is not the case."

But crew chief Dale Scott was clear. Rule 8.02 (b) states that a pitcher may not have a foreign substance on his person.

"I have no knowledge of that," Scott said of an unstated but accepted practice of pitchers using pine tar. "Pine tar is not allowed."

Robinson further accused Donnelly of having sandpaper and getting a teammate to dispose of it. Both Scioscia and Donnelly were emphatic in their denials of sandpaper.

"He had no sandpaper. He had pine tar in this glove," Scioscia said. "That is absolutely ridiculous."

Scott confirmed that was not at issue.

"We don't know anything about any sandpaper," Scott said.

In any event, Donnelly's glove will be sent to the Commissioner's Office for inspection, after which any further penalties against Donnelly, such as a suspension, will be assessed.

Opposing managers have doing their part to get into Donnelly's head. In Chicago in late May, White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen alerted umpires to the right-hander's habit of putting his hand to his mouth while still on the mound. On consecutive nights, Donnelly was charged with a ball and it appeared to rattle the reliever as he allowed homers both nights.

Robinson took the gamesmanship a step further Tuesday when he asked Tschida to inspect Donnelly's glove. After a discussion that lasted a few minutes and included the entire four-man umpiring crew, Donnelly was ejected. As the pitcher walked off the field, Scioscia turned back toward the visitor's dugout and said something to Robinson, who took exception and the mild fracas was on.

"We weren't making a lunch date," Scioscia said.

Scioscia returned the favor when he asked umpires to check the glove of Gary Majewski, but the Nationals reliever continued when the inspection was clean. He said he'll be out to check the Nationals pitchers further but added it will detract from the game.

"It is a fine line," Scioscia said. "You're going to have to go out and undress every pitcher. You're going to have to have them go through metal detectors every time they pitch. They're going to have to be strip-searched."

Robinson said he took that as a threat.

"I lost a lot of respect for Mike tonight as a person and as a manager," Robinson said. "There is nothing he can say to me now. I don't even want him to come close to me or try to apologize. If he even thought about it, I will not accept it."

Prior to the game being turned upside-down by Pine Tar-gate, the Angels had built a 3-1 lead on a solid start by Santana and some clutch two-out hitting.

Santana retired the first eight batters before allowing a two-out single to Cristian Guzman, who was caught stealing to end the third. Santana allowed a pair of walks in the fourth, but did not give up another single until Ryan Church hit a two-out roller down the third base line in the sixth.

That began a string of three straight hits that culminated with Nick Johnson's two-out RBI single to break a streak of 14 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings by Santana. Santana allowed one run on four hits and four walks over 6 1/3 innings for a no-decision. He also struck out seven.

Darin Erstad broke a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the sixth with an RBI single to left off Nationals starter Livan Hernandez that scored Orlando Cabrera. Vladimir Guerrero followed with a booming double that hit off the top of the wall in center to drive in Erstad for a two-run Angels lead.

Erstad continued with the hot hand at the plate, extending his hitting streak to 15 games to tie a career high. The Angels first baseman went 3-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored and is hitting .383 during the streak.

Bengie Molina hit an RBI single to center off Hernandez to give the Angels a 1-0 lead in the fifth.

Source: http://losangeles.angels.mlb.com/

One and done: Colon drops a 1-0 heartbreaker

ANAHEIM -- Bartolo Colon is pleased to go the distance, but he'd rather pick up a win at the end of the night.
The burly right-hander notched his second complete game this season, against the Nationals on Wednesday night, but an offense that had been revving high in recent weeks mostly idled in a 1-0 loss courtesy of Brian Schneider's homer in the sixth.

A would-be rally in the ninth merely added to the sting of the loss as it underscored what could have been a more fitting finish for the staff ace.

The Angels applied their only offensive pressure in the game when Darin Erstad opened the ninth with a bloop single to left to extend his hitting streak to 16 games, a career high. Vladimir Guerrero followed with a nine-pitch walk, though the cuts he was taking indicated he wanted to end the game with one swing.

Garret Anderson then singled to right, but it was too shallow to score Erstad and left the bases loaded. Steve Finley struck out, Bengie Molina lifted a fly ball to center but it was also too shallow to bring home Erstad and Dallas McPherson went down swinging on five pitches to end the game.

"We couldn't get the contact when we needed it," manager Mike Scioscia said.

So a series that began with promise, by virtue of an 11-1 win Monday, teetered and fell in the opposite direction and will be clouded not only by dropping two of the three games, but also the inability to put Tuesday's unpleasant incident in the past. Brendan Donnelly's ejection for having pine tar on his glove escalated into on-field shouting and shoving matches and further claims of cheating and disrespect.

"You do kind of want to go out there and show that you're a good team, too," Colon said through an interpreter. "You can't forget that Washington is a good team and they wanted to go out and do well. They had a good series."

Colon was dominant and efficient Wednesday, allowing just one run. The problem, as it turned out, was he needed to post a zero.

He sailed through the first three innings, tossing perfect ball and did not allow his first hit until Jose Guillen singled with two out in the fourth. Colon then retired four straight before allowing a leadoff homer to Schneider on a pitch he said he would throw again.

"It was a pitch exactly where I wanted to throw it, fastball away," Colon said. "Schneider caught me [in Montreal] and I think he was looking for a fastball out over the plate so he could extend his arms."

Colon (8-4) then gave up a single to Cristian Guzman, but rang up eight straight outs thereafter. The Nationals reached him for a pair of singles in the eighth and a ninth-inning double play limited any damage as Colon allowed three singles in the final frame.

Of his 92 pitches, 74 were strikes and Colon gave credit to a new workout regimen for improving his accuracy.

"I'm throwing a heavy ball in the strike zone," Colon said of his side sessions. "It has helped me focus on throwing strikes."

The pressure that was brought to bear on Colon has been absent in recent weeks. During the first two months of the season, Angels starters had to post low numbers if the club was going to have a chance to win, but that has changed with the resurgence of the offense.

The Angels brought a .321 batting average in June with them into Wednesday's contest, but that was only a mere statistic as the offense found it difficult to do more than hit ground balls to second base. Orlando Cabrera's sharp single to center with one down in the bottom of the third was the Angels' lone hit through seven innings.

Adam Kennedy hit a one-out single in the eighth, but he was promptly removed by a double play to end the inning. The Angels then mounted their rally in the ninth when Nationals manager Frank Robinson removed eventual winner Ryan Drese for closer Chad Cordero, who nearly handed the game over.

"A loss is a loss," Scioscia said. "I don't think there is any loss that you can characterize as a bad loss. We didn't get it done on the offensive side, but Drese was terrific for eight innings."

The Angels left seven runners on base and went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position. Guerrero and Finley both went 0-for-2 with runners in scoring position.

Rendering the Angels' bats less than heavenly Wednesday was Drese (5-6). The Washington right-hander, who was released by Texas last week and was making his first appearance for the Nationals, worked around the strike zone but was able to keep hitters off balance, leading to 16 ground-ball outs.

"Drese was effectively wild where he would miss the plate and then he would hit a good spot and he kept the ball down," Scioscia said. "He's pitched against us before. We may have expanded the zone a couple of times."

Source: http://losangeles.angels.mlb.com/

Angels' Donnelly tossed for illegal glove

ANAHEIM -- Angels reliever Brendan Donnelly was ejected before he threw a pitch Tuesday after Nationals manager Frank Robinson asked the umpires to check the pitcher's glove for foreign substances, leading to an exchange of words between Robinson and Angels manager Mike Scioscia, a brief benches-clearing confrontation and a Nationals' comeback win.
The Angels were leading 3-1 in the seventh inning when Scioscia brought in Donnelly with one out and a man on first. As Donnelly warmed up, Robinson came out and talked with home-plate umpire Tim Tschida. Tschida then conferenced with the other umpires and inspected Donnelly's glove.

The umpires found pine tar on the glove, violating rule 8.02b, which prohibits a pitcher from having a foreign substance on his person or equipment.

"The glove was confiscated and will be sent to Major League Baseball tomorrow," crew chief Dale Scott said, meaning the glove will be inspected by the Commissioner's Office, which will determine possible further penalties, such as a suspension. "Pine tar is not allowed."

Robinson also accused Donnelly of using sandpaper, but the umpires said none was found.

Scioscia and the Angels were steamed.

"Pine tar is accepted practice for pitchers," Scioscia said after the game, which the Nationals won, 6-3. "Pine tar is not doctoring the ball; it's just giving you a normal grip for guys who sweat a lot if it's cold."

That conviction led Scioscia to issue a warning to Robinson on the field after the ejection, which incensed the Washington manager, leading both benches to clear.

"I told Frank that we were gonna undress his pitchers when they were out on the mound," Scioscia said. "He obviously wasn't happy."

Indeed he was not. After the game, Robinson carefully and slowly laid out the following response to Scioscia's comments.

"I've known Mike Scioscia for quite a while. I've always respected Mike as a person and a player," Robinson said. "His guy got caught tonight cheating, and he was way off base. He took me by surprise when he came over to me and he gave me a threat and he told me that he was going to have every one of our pitchers undressed."

The first one, at least. Prior to the bottom of the seventh, Sciocia asked Tschida to check Nationals pitcher Gary Majewski's glove for foreign substances. Nothing was found, but Robinson took umbrage at the action and at Scioscia's statement that he would have the Nationals' pitchers checked, which Robinson considered a "threat."

"I lost a lot of respect for Mike tonight as a person and as a manger and there's nothing he can say to me now," Robinson said. "I don't even want him to come close to me or try to apologize to me. If he even thought about it, I will not accept it."

Scioscia was displeased with Robinson's conduct as well. He said that Donnelly had been targeted and that he thought Robinson's decision to have him checked would spark an ugly trend in baseball.

"You'll have to have pitchers walk through a metal detector before every game," Scioscia said. "Or have umpires strip-search pitchers every time they come into the game."

Scioscia and Robinson weren't the only ones steamed. The Nationals' Jose Guillen -- who played for the Angels until last September, when he was suspended from the team after an extended altercation with Scioscia -- felt that Scioscia had shown up Robinson on the field.

No punches were thrown during the scrum after Donnelly's ejection, but Guillen tried to confront Scioscia and needed to be restrained by three Nationals.

"You guys saw what happened there," Guillen said. "That's what [ticked] me off. We're talking about respect, and I don't think [Scioscia] showed any respect to Frank. Frank deserves more respect than that."

Guillen, who has endured heavy booing by the fans at Angel Stadium all series, hit a game-tying home run in the eighth inning and, after flipping his bat, made a slow, celebratory trot around the bases. He batted again in the ninth, but further incidents were averted, as the Angels pitched to him and he flew out on the first pitch.

Donnelly did not throw a pitch in the game, but the Nationals torched the man who relieved him, Scot Shields, for four runs in the eighth en route to the 6-3 win. After the game, Robinson said that he watched video on Donnelly prior and said he saw Donnelly used foreign substances on the mound.

Tuesday, Robinson said Donnelly was caught for having pine tar but escaped a potentially more serious violation.

"He also had sandpaper on his pitching hand," Robinson said. "He either put it in his back pocket or gave it to [second baseman Adam] Kennedy."

Donnelly, while unhappy about the ejection, was very measured with the media after the game Tuesday. When told about Robinson's statement, he first asked the reporter if he was joking. After learning the Nationals manager was serious, Donnelly was surprised and upset.

"You know what, that's just a ... lie, that's what it is," Donnelly said. "That's a [darn] lie. Can you write that?"

Scioscia found Robinson's statement equally hard to believe.

"Are you kidding me?" Scioscia asked. "That's absolutely ridiculous."

Scott said that the umpires did not find any sandpaper on Donnelly.

"Donnelly did not put up much resistance at all," Scott said. "We don't know anything about any sandpaper."

The umpiring crew did not know if there would be a suspension handed down or how long it might be. However, Jay Howell was suspended for three games after being found with pine tar on his hat during Game 3 of the 1988 National League Championship Series, which was played in a cold rain. The penalty was reduced to two games upon appeal.

"I don't know what the precedent is," Scioscia said. "This is different than sandpaper, this is different than Vaseline, this is different than whatever pitchers might use to alter the flight of the ball. You have a rosin bag out there. Rosin and water, you're making pine tar."

The Angels and Nationals will play for the third and final time this season Wednesday night. Scioscia said the Angels would be ready for any further inspections that might occur.

"Obviously, it's something we're gonna have to address with our guys and make sure they don't have any [foreign substances] on there," he said. "It is in the rulebook."

Source: http://losangeles.angels.mlb.com/

Pine Tar Game II?

ANAHEIM -- When comparing famous pine tar moments, Brendan Donnelly's won't quite rank up there with George Brett's.
The former Royal charged from the dugout after his bat was declared illegal at Yankee Stadium on July 24, 1983, when the gamesman was none other than Billy Martin. The then-Yankees manager suspected that Brett was using a bat with pine tar above the allowed limit of 18 inches from the tip of the handle. So when Brett hit a ninth-inning, two-out, two-run homer for a 5-4 Royals lead, Martin approached home-plate umpire Tim McClelland about the apparent violation.

McClelland agreed and Brett was ejected, handing the Yankees a 4-3 win. But what launched the moment into lore was Brett storming from the visitor's dugout and then being restrained by a host of teammates.

Of course, the ruling was eventually overturned, the home run stood and the Royals won the game.

Donnelly was caught Tuesday and ejected for having pine tar on his glove. Nationals manager Frank Robinson alerted home-plate umpire Tim Tschida after the Nationals video crew spotted what it thought was unusual movement on Donnelly's pitches during advance scouting of the Angels.

On the mound to relieve starter Ervin Santana in the seventh inning, Donnelly was prevented from completing his warmups so the crew could inspect the glove.

Donnelly's reaction when crew chief Dale Scott cited rule 8.02 (b), which disallows a pitcher from having a foreign substance on his person, was much tamer than Brett's, but he was nonetheless angry and continued to regret the incident Wednesday afternoon.

"It's not like I'm using it to doctor the ball," said Donnelly, who faces a possible suspension. His glove was sent to the Commissioner's Office for further review. "I want to know that I have a good grip on the ball and I'm not going to kill people."

Even though it is essentially illegal, Donnelly admits to using pine tar occasionally to control the pitch in cold or sweaty conditions, but not to cheat.

But what propelled the moment from a footnote to a possibly contentious issue was the exchange between Robinson and Angels manager Mike Scioscia, who let Robinson know that he was going to employ the same tactic. Robinson took exception and both benches and bullpens emptied. Nationals outfielder and former Angel Jose Guillen had to be restrained.

Robinson felt Scioscia showed disrespect. But Scioscia said he was simply protecting his club and making it clear he would not be intimidated.

"If you don't like the fact that you have the same prerogative to undress their pitchers, then so be it," Scioscia said. "But I don't think I disrespected him. I don't agree with that."

Brendan Donnelly / P
Born: 07/04/71
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 240 lbs
Bats: R / Throws: R

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Scioscia and Donnelly both agreed that using pine tar was a violation, but they both vehemently denied Robinson's second allegation, that Donnelly also used sandpaper.

Robinson holds to how he handled the situation and believes there was more to the glove than pine tar.

"Why was Donnelly upset? Because he got caught," Robinson said. "Everybody knows he is breaking the rules. [Donnelly] went to the back of the mound and Donnelly was shaking his bare hand and he was walking up to [Adam] Kennedy. I didn't see him give the sandpaper to Kennedy. But I would bet that ranch that he had sandpaper."

Usage known: Part of Scioscia's complaint about the pine tar is that it is known that pitchers use it for grip, but not to enhance performance. He admitted, though, that he may have alerted an umpire had he seen it on an opposing pitcher's glove.

Angels starter Jarrod Washburn said he does not use it, but said it's been a known substance for pitchers for a long time. Washburn also said hitters are aware and don't necessarily have a problem with it.

"I know the few hitters on our team that have said they would rather have a pitcher have a good grip on the ball instead of not knowing where it is going," Washburn said.

Forgotten man: Santana is on his second tour with the Angels this season, essentially performing temporary duty in the absence of injured starter Kelvim Escobar. But the 22-year-old, who mixes a natural giddiness with steely calm, is quickly making a claim for permanent residence as a Major Leaguer.

Santana was pulled in favor of Donnelly with one out on Tuesday. But over 6 1/3 innings, Santana allowed one run on four hits and four walks. After getting lit up in his first Major League start, Santana has allowed one run over 15 1/3 innings with 14 strikeouts in his next two starts. He was in line for the win Tuesday.

On deck: The Angels will be off Thursday and then will welcome the Marlins to town for a three-game series, beginning Friday. Washburn will face Florida right-hander Brian Moehler in the opener. Game time is 7:05 p.m. PT.

Source: http://losangeles.angels.mlb.com/

Erstad's lineup move helps Angels win

ANAHEIM -- Darin Erstad doesn't care where he hits in the lineup, he just simply cares that he does.
Put him first, second, sixth, wherever. Shoot, drop him into the nine-hole and he'll go to the plate with the same mind-set -- get a pitch and put a swing on it.

So it is that Erstad finds himself currently batting second in the order for the Angels, and shrugging his shoulders as if he were hitting .500 or .005.

"It doesn't matter," Erstad said.

What does matter is that Erstad is productive in an offense that doesn't rely on one man. Sure, Vladimir Guerrero bats third and is fully capable of carrying the ballclub like he did last September when he put the final stranglehold on the American League MVP. But the Angels expect performance throughout the lineup and Erstad's role is critical to its execution.

Lately, the offense has played like the one that was advertised in Spring Training: a group that won't necessarily stand toe-to-toe and slug with opponents, but will jab and dance and remain in motion. The Angels see constant pressure as the way to break down the opposition.

Through the first two months, the only pressure the club was applying was to their own pitchers as they huddled near the bottom of the AL in most offensive categories. But over the past few weeks, the club has found its stroke. Over the last 30 days, the Angels are tops in the AL with a .294 team batting average, the third best in baseball, while their 146 runs scored is fourth in the Majors and second in the AL.

They are also reaching base at a 35 percent clip, third highest in the AL and fifth overall in baseball over that same 30-day span. Coincidence or not, this period also aligns roughly with Erstad's move from batting leadoff to second in the order.

Erstad will contend there is no correlation to his spot in the lineup and the performance of the rest of the club, but interested observers might beg to differ.

"I like the two-spot for him," hitting coach Mickey Hatcher said. "For him, one thing is he is a good situational hitter and he knows how to play the game as a whole."

Hatcher is not a big fan of stats; he assesses his hitters by how they're swinging the bat and the confidence they project at the plate. Early in the season, he had no issues with the way his charges were taking cuts, but their confidence flagged, and they couldn't help but be affected by it.

But the numbers are too attractive to dismiss. Since Erstad has moved to the second spot in the order, the team is 19-11. Erstad is currently in the midst of a 16-game hitting streak, the longest of his career. He is hitting .600 over the last four games, .397 during the streak and .341 since dropping in the order.

And as an on-the-field response to those critics who have claimed that Erstad is a bad on-base man, the 31-year-old has posted a .353 on-base percentage for the season and has been getting on base 45 percent of the time in the month of June. But Erstad doesn't wade into the current of criticism and he isn't much for analysis. He prefers to attribute it to the variations of the game.

Darin Erstad / CF
Born: 06/04/74
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 210 lbs
Bats: L / Throws: L

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"I just didn't feel good earlier in the year; I scuffled," Erstad said of posting a .286 batting average in April, and then a .258 mark in May. "But I started to feel better. I couldn't tell you, to be honest, any one time when it started to click."

His manager agrees.

"I don't think it is as much a function of him [moving in the lineup] as it is that he's feeling more confident. I haven't noticed that he's changed his game dramatically from hitting in the one-spot."

Erstad hit a season-low .235 when he went 0-for-3 in a 9-3 win at Detroit, five games after flipping spots in the batting order with Chone Figgins. He went on an eight-game hitting streak the next day, going 10-for-23. After getting two hits in his next three games, Erstad started a new streak which he will take to the plate with him Friday when the Angels host the Marlins.

For him, it is reflective more of the performance by the entire team.

"It's just guys finding their swings," Erstad said. "It is contagious both ways. Guys are feeding off each other."

A month ago, Hatcher was on the wrong end of questions regarding his hitters. With the Angels offense recently playing up to its potential, Hatcher can feel better about his own job performance, but he is keenly aware he must keep it positive no matter what the numbers say.

"You want to get them feeling good about themselves, not looking at film and banging their heads against the wall," Hatcher said. "I always look to put a guy in a position where he feels comfortable to swing a bat."

With Erstad, Hatcher believes the switch in the batting order is more than just coincidental.

"I believe this guy has the ability to be a great hitter," Hatcher said. "I think we're seeing that come around."

Source: http://losangeles.angels.mlb.com/

Angels Baseball announces official name change

ANAHEIM -- Angels Baseball Monday announced the team has changed its official name to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. This change is effective January 3, 2005.
The inclusion of Los Angeles reflects the original expansion name awarded by Major League Baseball in December 1960 and again returns the Angels as Major League Baseball's American League representative in the Greater Los Angeles territory that Major League Baseball expects the team to serve.

The Los Angeles region, which is comprised of Orange, Los Angeles, Ventura, San Bernardino, and Riverside Counties, is the second largest media market in the country. This name change will strengthen the Angels' long-term economic health by enhancing the marketability through this metropolitan area and beyond.

Angels Baseball and the "A" brand will continue to be the marketing focus of the organization and Angels Stadium of Anaheim remains the home of the 2004 defending American League Western Division Champions.

The Angels have enjoyed tremendous success in Anaheim, highlighted by a World Championship in 2002. The organization will continue to work closely with the City of Anaheim in promoting the Anaheim community, Angel Stadium of Anaheim, and the Angels' baseball experience.

Source: http://anaheim.angels.mlb.com/