Figgins’ hitting approach pays off

SEATTLE -- It’s a fine line between being too aggressive and too selective at the plate, and Chone Figgins is walking it with the ease of a Sunday stroll through the park.

Not only did the leadoff batter enter Saturday’s game tied for the American League lead in hits (15) and third in average (.395), he led the league with 11 walks, which helped fuel his league-leading .531 on-base percentage.

“I’m not trying to lead the league in walks,” Figgins said. “It’s a little bit of a fluke, but as to why . . . you’re asking the wrong person. I’m not throwing the pitches. I’m just being more patient and aggressive at the same time. You pick your spots.”

Figgins entered 2006 vowing to be more selective, and he drew a career-high 65 walks that season. He also hit a career-low .267 with 100 strikeouts.

After missing all but one game last April because of injury and batting .156 in May, the switch-hitter began to figure things out.

He was baseball’s top hitter from May 31 through the end of 2007, batting .381, and finished with a .330 average and .400 on-base percentage. He gained command of his strike zone, confidence in his approach and has carried that momentum into 2008.

“He’s always had the potential to hit deep in counts, and he’s been working counts as well as anyone in baseball,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “He’s seeing the ball as well as he ever has.”

------

The Angels opened the season with Maicer Izturis as their starting shortstop. An injury to Howie Kendrick last Monday forced Izturis to second base and gave Erick Aybar four straight starts at shortstop.

Aybar played so well, Scioscia will now give him a chance to seize the shortstop job. If he continues to make plays like he did in the sixth inning Friday night, expect to see a lot more of Aybar.

With the bases loaded and two outs, Yuniesky Betancourt hit a grounder up the middle. Aybar ranged far behind the bag to glove the ball and, with his momentum carrying him toward right field, made a reverse, under-hand flip to Izturis at second for the out.

“That’s the talent he has,” Scioscia said. “It doesn’t surprise me because he has the capabilities of being a dynamic, Gold Glove-caliber shortstop.”

------

Many think Gary Matthews Jr. has the talent to be a Gold Glove-caliber outfielder, but he hasn’t looked like one the past two nights.

Matthews charged in from left field for Ichiro Suzuki’s seventh-inning liner Friday night, dived and missed, the ball getting by him for a double.

In the sixth inning Saturday, Matthews, making his first start of the season in center, charged Suzuki’s single but had the ball get by him for an error, allowing Betancourt to score from first to give the Mariners a 6-3 lead.

Could Matthews’ new job, in which he rotates through the corner outfield and designated-hitter spots with an occasional start in center, be preventing him from getting comfortable enough at any one position?

“The ball that got by him [Friday] was an aggressive play, but I don’t know if it’s a function of him trying to get familiar with left field,” Scioscia said. “We understand it’s tougher to do what Gary’s doing than to play one position, but he can handle it.”

------

Torii Hunter started at DH because of a sore left toe Saturday night, but he expects to return to the outfield today. Hunter jammed the toe crashing into the wall Friday night.

--

mike.digiovanna@latimes.com