Erstad Impressing All but Himself

After starting his major league career by going hitless in his first 10 at-bats, Darin Erstad has rebounded to hit in 10 consecutive games.

In 12 starts since being called up from the minors June 13, he also has proven to be a poised replacement for the injured Jim Edmonds. There has been little if any drop off in the caliber of play in center field.

Mention that to Erstad and he screws up his face, clearly in disagreement.

“I’m definitely not the player he is,” said Erstad, last year’s No. 1 overall pick in last year’s draft. “He’s an All-Star center fielder. There’s no way I’m as good as he is. There’s no doubt in my mind he’ll be playing ahead of me.

“I haven’t proved anything yet.”

General Manager Bill Bavasi, traveling with the club on the seven-game trip to Milwaukee and Chicago, has been impressed. But the plans call for Erstad to return to triple-A Vancouver when Edmonds’ sprained right thumb is healed.

*

Chicago Manager Terry Bevington waited until Monday afternoon to say who would pitch the second game of the doubleheader. No problem there, according to Angel Manager Marcel Lachemann. Bevington had until game-time to announce his starter.

“That’s nothing,” Lachemann said. “Sometimes in the minors, managers would have one pitcher warming up in the bullpen before a game and another guy [the real starter] warming up out in the parking lot.”

*

The White Sox introduced their No. 2 draft pick to reporters Monday. Catcher Josh Paul is from nearby Buffalo Grove, Ill., and grew up admiring Carlton Fisk. He had an interesting way of saying how much.

“I’ve been a huge Sox fan since 1981,” Paul said. “It’ll be an honor to me to squat in his footsteps.”

*

J.T. Snow’s three-run homer in the fifth inning of the second game broke a three-game home run drought for the Angels, their longest of the season. They had gone 36 innings without one after homering in a season-high 13 consecutive games. . . . Rex Hudler stole his team-leading ninth base in the first inning of the first game to pull within 30 of Cleveland’s Kenny Lofton, who leads the majors. The Angels have 23 stolen bases, fewest in the majors. The club record of 220, set in 1975, appears safe. The record for the fewest steals is 37, set in the Angels’ inaugural season in 1961. . . . Reliever Mark Eichhorn, on the disabled list with shoulder tendinitis since June 7, is not scheduled to begin throwing until the All-Star break July 8-10.