Maicer Izturis takes it one at-bat at a time with Angels

DETROIT — 

— Maicer Izturis had three-hit games Thursday and Friday.

Saturday, he wasn’t in the Angels lineup.

Sunday, he was.

“I never know,” Izturis said.

The 31-year-old, switch-hitting utility man is batting .373 since July 29, with a career-high 15 stolen bases this season.

Yet, the Angels have given him nearly 100 fewer at-bats than third baseman Alberto Callaspo, who is batting .245, with Manager Mike Scioscia previously praising Callaspo as having a Gold Glove-caliber season. Callaspo has 10 errors to Izturis’ eight.

Izturis, an Angel since being acquired before the 2005 season, could very well be spending his final weeks with the team with free agency looming after the season. He is being paid $3.8 million this season.

Izturis declined to discuss the future, but after getting 449 at-bats in 2011, he heads to the final week of August with 248.

General Manager Jerry Dipoto said in a text message that “We will focus on the remainder of the 2012 season and make roster decisions at the appropriate time.”

Said Izturis: “I just try to go out there and do my job to help the team when they need me. We’ve got a lot of good players in here. I just try to control what I can — hit in batting practice, hit in the cage, get in the extra work and stay focused.”

It hasn’t translated to pinch-hitting, where Izturis is 0 for 19.

As a starter, however, Izturis is batting .289.

MVP debate

Center fielder Mike Trout, mired in an 0-for-9 skid, wasn’t in the greatest of spirits before Sunday’s game to discuss his candidacy for American League most valuable player.

The topic was relevant at Comerica Park, however, with Detroit slugger Miguel Cabrera (.324, 32 home runs, 106 runs batted in) also prominent in the discussion for the award.

Tigers Manager Jim Leyland told a Detroit radio station this month that the body of work of seven-time All-Star Cabrera should be weighed in the discussion, expressing concern about the momentum of what he refererred to as 21-year-old Trout’s “Wonderboy” status.

“I don’t even think about [MVP],” Trout said. “Just go out and play. I’ll keep doing that through the end of the year. Just trying to make the playoffs, that’s all that matters to me.”

Trout leads the AL in batting average (.337), runs scored (100) and stolen bases (41), becoming the youngest player since Detroit’s Ty Cobb in 1907 to steal 40 bases. Trout, also a Gold Glove favorite, needs one home run to become the first rookie with 25 home runs and 40 stolen bases in a season.

Short hops

First baseman Mark Trumbo departed Detroit with a .211 batting average in August, and was one for 11 with seven strikeouts against the Tigers. Scioscia said he might have considered sitting out Trumbo on Sunday but couldn’t with Albert Pujols sidelined at least until Tuesday because of right calf stiffness. … The Angels announced they’ll start Jered Weaver on Tuesday and probably C.J. Wilson on Wednesday and Zack Greinke on Thursday in a home series against the Boston Red Sox. … Howie Kendrick extended his hitting streak to 13 games with a second-inning single.

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