Salmon Is Critical of His Play

Angel right fielder Tim Salmon remains pessimistic in his self-analysis this season, picking apart every at-bat, every strikeout and every failed opportunity with runners in scoring position.

“This year I feel like I’ve gotten out of character,” said Salmon, the 1993 American League rookie of the year. “It doesn’t seem like I’ve had a lot of success in situations (with the game on the line).

“I’ve had a ton of opportunities, but I’ve popped up or struck out.”

That opportunity came again Sunday, with Salmon at the plate in the bottom of the eighth against the Texas Rangers at Anaheim Stadium with the score tied, 3-3.

Another strikeout? No.

Pop fly to short? Not quite.

After falling behind in the count, Salmon belted Darren Oliver’s slider over the left-field fence for a one-run homer that gave the Angels a 4-3 victory and pulled them to within 1 1/2 games of the AL West-leading Rangers.

“I expect more out of myself this year and I’m trying to stay ahead of myself all the time,” Salmon said. “That’s why it’s been more frustrating for me. This year has been much different than last year--we have a chance to win the division. We’re right in it.”

Salmon’s personal plight this season may not be as bad as he makes it sound. He’s hitting .281, leads the team in home runs (16) and runs batted in (55), and is well ahead of last year’s pace in which he hit .283 with 31 home runs and 95 RBIs.

But the one statistic he quotes the most is his 82 strikeouts, which lead the AL.

“I’m still not afraid to swing at it,” he said. “I’m not going to cut my swing down to keep from striking out, because that takes away from my strength--swinging away and hitting home runs.

“And (hitting coach) Rod Carew has been right there with me, telling me that I’m not in there to be some Punch-and-Judy hitter. I can’t be afraid to strike out.”

Salmon has been particularly effective against the Rangers this season. he was nine of 14 (.624) in a three-game series at Texas in early May. He was two for three with an RBI in a 12-7 Angel victory Saturday night and followed with Sunday’s one-for-three performance with an RBI and two runs scored.

“It’s like he’s having a quite, great year,” Angel pitcher Mark Langston said. “It’s just like last year. J.T. Snow got off to the great start, and Tim just plugged away.’