Palmeiro Has Become Player to Keep an Eye On

The more people see of Orlando Palmeiro, the more they like him, and that includes his manager.

“He will be the one name I bring up in years to come,” Terry Collins said. “We sent him down after spring training. He wasn’t happy about it, but he didn’t go there and pout. His attitude was, ‘When I come back, I’m staying.’ He has shown he belongs here.”

Palmeiro, who was at triple-A Vancouver until June, has become a key component for the Angels the last two weeks. When left fielder Darin Erstad suffered a slightly pulled hamstring, Palmeiro stepped into the leadoff void.

He doesn’t have Erstad’s power or speed. But he is a pest at the plate, taking pitches, fouling off pitches, making a pitcher use nearly his entire repertoire during one at-bat.

Palmeiro is batting .352 with 18 runs scored and has driven in 18 runs in 50 games. In the two weeks since Erstad’s injury, Palmeiro has been exceptional, hitting safely in 12 consecutive games.

Erstad returned Wednesday, but will likely hit third with Palmeiro resuming the leadoff spot.

“Every time I’ve looked up in the last two weeks, Orlando has been on base,” Collins said. “Now we can move Darin down to third and that gives us a more powerful middle of the order. Orlando is an effective leadoff hitter. He sees a lot of pitches and he’s going to get his bat on the ball.”

Both were evident--and helped the Angels win--on their last trip. It’s not unusual for him to wait until he has two strikes during his first at-bat before swinging.

“He comes back to the dugout and tells the rest of us what the pitcher has, which way his fastball is moving,” shortstop Gary DiSarcina said. “That’s how confident he is about being able to get the bat on the ball.”

On Saturday against Toronto, he had three hits, two off Roger Clemens, who was mowing down Angel batters. In the 11th, Palmeiro came up with the bases loaded and walked, forcing in the tie-breaking run in a 6-3 victory.

Four days earlier, his 11th-inning single on a 3-2 pitch drove in two runs against Detroit in a 5-4 victory.

Said Collins: “Orlando was in the hole 0-2, then it was 1-2, then 2-2, then 3-2. Then he kept fouling off pitches. He must have seen 14 pitches in that one at-bat.”

That doesn’t go unnoticed by his teammates.

“He and Tony Phillips are the two best leadoff hitters I’ve ever played with,” closer Troy Percival said. “I played with Orlando six or seven years in the minor leagues. You have to see him day in and day out to truly appreciate what he does.”

Fans are starting to see.

Palmeiro chased Albert Belle’s towering fly into the left-field corner Monday, but a fan knocked his glove away as he reached up. Belle was credited with a home run.

Palmeiro looked at the fan and extended his palms, as if to say, “Why?”

“All I said--and I could have said a lot more--was, ‘We’re the home team,’ ” Palmeiro said. “I probably would have done the same thing. I’d want a ball too. It’s a game that makes everyone feel like a little kid.”

Of course, Palmeiro’s gesture--or perhaps the fact the fan was ejected Monday--had an effect. Tuesday night, Palmeiro chased a foul fly toward the left-field seats.

“I could hear fans saying, ‘Give him room, let him make the catch,’ ” Palmeiro said.

The more people see Palmeiro, the more they like him.