Angels reliever Mike Morin sees room for improvement

Mike Morin seemed agitated and upset after Tuesday night’s 9-3 win over the Texas Rangers, but the Angels reliever said it had nothing to do with a ninth-inning mound visit from Mike Scioscia, who appeared to have some stern words for the rookie right-hander.

“If anything, that’s what helped me,” said Morin, who hit No. 8 batter Michael Choice with a pitch and walked No. 9 hitter Guilder Rodriguez before getting the final two outs of the game. “There weren’t too many people left in the stands, there was a lull in the action. I was trying to re-create that adrenaline and focus.”

Morin has played a key role in the team’s vastly improved bullpen this season, with a 3-3 record and 2.45 earned-run average in 52 games, but he has walked six batters in 9 1/3 innings since returning from a cut on his left foot in mid-August. Morin walked only 10 in 42 innings of his first 41 games.

“I’ve been erratic since I’ve been back,” said Morin, whose fastball-changeup combination has been very effective in getting the Angels out of middle-inning jams. “You think you make some good adjustments between outings, then you go out there, and if anything, you make it worse.

“I’m trying not to think too much, to trust myself, to not second-guess myself. That’s something that made me successful. I don’t worry too much about how I’m going to get the ball to the glove, I just trust it.”

Scioscia said it looked as if Morin “was overthinking some things,” and that’s why he, and not pitching coach Mike Butcher, went to the mound Tuesday night. That may be causing Morin to fall behind in too many counts.

“It definitely could be worse — I could be giving up runs — but I know I can do significantly better,” Morin said. “The common theme for me is allowing guys to get on base by not throwing strikes, whether it’s a hit by pitch or a walk. It’s frustrating getting behind in counts and having to battle back.”