Erstad Plays Through Slump

Darin Erstad has played in every game this season, so Manager Terry Collins considered giving his slumping left fielder a day off Friday. But he was glad he didn’t only a couple of minutes into the game.

Erstad, who had eight hits in his previous 41 at-bats before Friday’s game, singled to right in the first inning, driving in Jim Edmonds, who had singled and stolen second.

“I asked [coaches Larry] Bowa, [George] Hendrick and [Rod] Carew about it and at first they all thought it might be a good idea,” Collins said. “Then I asked them if when they were players and they were struggling if they wanted a day off and they all said, ‘Absolutely not. I’d want to battle my way out of it.’

“Sometimes, I think you get so stressed about it, that fatigues you and wears you down more than playing every day. But he’s just going through a stretch where he’s not getting the ball centered on the bat.”

Erstad also lined a single to center, stole second and scored on Cecil Fielder’s home run in the sixth.

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Mike Piazza apparently doesn’t appreciate the boos he’s hearing in New York these days and has told friends he would like to sign with the Angels when he becomes a free agent after this season. He supposedly likes the idea of being a designated hitter a couple of times a week and living in the Newport Beach area.

But rumors of an imminent trade with the Mets involving center fielder Jim Edmonds seem to have caught Angel officials by surprise.

Collins laughed and immediately wondered where the money to pay a guy who has already turned down an $80-million-plus contract would come from.

“You’re making this stuff up,” he said.

General Manager Bill Bavasi, asked about it late Thursday night, reportedly had a similar reaction.

“We have a lot of irons in the fire,” said Bavasi, who declined to talk about any specific trades on Friday, “but nothing is close to being forged.”

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Shortstop Gary DiSarcina, who has started the last 91 games, will get a day off either today or Sunday. Norberto Martin, who started at second base in place of rookie Justin Baughman Friday night, will start at shortstop for DiSarcina.

“Gary has played his brains out,” Collins said. “And everybody needs a day off except for [Cal] Ripken.”

And, apparently, Erstad.

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Right-hander Ken Hill threw off a mound Friday for the second time since undergoing surgery to have bone chips removed and spurs shaved off his elbow on June 15. Hill threw breaking balls for the first time. “I feel good,” he said. “I still have a ways to go, but I’m getting there.” The Angels are hoping Hill will be ready to return late next month . . . . Third baseman Troy Glaus, the Angels’ first-round pick in 1997, has raised his batting average to .294 for triple-A Vancouver. He has 13 homers and 36 RBIs in 53 games with the Canadians . . . Right-hander Seth Etherton, the former USC standout who was the Angels’ No. 1 pick this year, was impressive in his first start with double-A Midland. He struck out 10 and allowed only a second-inning single in five innings.

TONIGHT

ANGELS’ JARROD WASHBURN (5-2, 4.13 ERA) vs. ROYALS’ TIM BELCHER (9-8, 4.20 ERA)

Kauffman Stadium, 5 p.m.

TV--Channel 9. Radio--KRLA (1110), XPRS (1090).

* Update--Angel Manager Terry Collins and Royal Manager Tony Muser received word from American League President Gene Budig before Friday’s game that he expects no residual violence from the June 2 game here that resulted in 12 ejections, seven Angel suspensions and four Royal suspensions. Washburn, making his major league debut in that game, gave up just two hits and one run in 6 1/3 innings to earn the victory. Garret Anderson’s sixth-inning single extended his career-best hitting streak to 21 games. Third baseman Dave Hollins started but was replaced in the seventh inning by Craig Shipley when his inflamed right shoulder tightened up.