Erstad Put on 15-Day Disabled List, but Collins Finds the Silver Lining

Darin Erstad was put on the 15-day disabled list Friday because of a strained ligament in his right knee, and Angel Manager Terry Collins called it “great news.”

That’s how sick and twisted this Angel season has become. A player gets hurt, but the injury isn’t as serious as Collins fears, so it’s viewed as a positive development.

Can you blame Collins? He thought Gary DiSarcina would be ready for opening day, but the shortstop wound up needing surgery on his left forearm and missed almost three months.

Tim Salmon was listed as day to day after spraining his left wrist May 3. Day to day became month to month, and Salmon didn’t return until July 17.

When doctors sent Erstad to a specialist for further tests after an abnormality was discovered in the ligament Thursday, Collins thought for sure Erstad had suffered a season-ending tear.

“But now they say he’ll only be out for two weeks,” Collins said. “That’s a lot better than we thought.”

Erstad suffered the injury when he twisted his front knee on a swing Tuesday night, but Collins didn’t find out until Wednesday afternoon.

“I went to the park thinking I was going to write the lineup I had written in last January, minus Randy [Velarde],” said Collins, who has been able to start Salmon, DiSarcina, Erstad, Mo Vaughn, Jim Edmonds and Garret Anderson in the same game only once, Tuesday night against Cleveland.

“We got to batting practice, and Darin couldn’t run. “I laughed, and then I cried. I got to write the lineup down. I never got to use it.”

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The Tigers obviously knew who their leaders were when they named catcher Brad Ausmus, third baseman Dean Palmer and reliever Doug Brocail team captains earlier this season.

The trio was at the forefront of a recent barrage of clubhouse criticism, each ripping the underachieving Tigers within a span of a few weeks.

Said Brocail: “At times this isn’t a major league clubhouse.”

Said Ausmus: “Maybe it’s the obvious. Maybe we’re just not good.”

And Palmer: “Why do people always ask why we’re bad? Why can’t we just be a bad team?”

Like the Angels, the Tigers rank at or near the bottom of the league in almost every offensive category. Like the Angels, the Tigers were picked to finish a lot higher than their current standing--dead last.

“It’s strange and unfortunate that we’re both on the same paths,” said Tiger second baseman Damion Easley, a former Angel. “It hasn’t been just pitching or hitting or defense with us. We’ve found all kinds of ways to lose. We have talent, just like the Angels do. It’s not that we should be knocking out Cleveland or anything, but we should be better than this.”

TONIGHT

ANGELS’ KEN HILL (4-11, 4.86 ERA) vs. TIGERS’ BRIAN MOEHLER (8-11, 5.39 ERA)

Tiger Stadium, Detroit, 1 p.m.

Radio--KLAC (570), XPRS (1090).

* Update--To replace Erstad, the Angels Friday recalled utility infielder Andy Sheets from triple-A Edmonton. Hill has given up only five earned runs in 19 innings of his last three starts but has one win, a loss and a no-decision in the three games. The right-hander has a 5-0 career record and 2.17 earned-run average against the Tigers with two shutouts. Vaughn’s RBI groundout in the first inning Friday night was his first run batted in since July 27. DiSarcina entered Friday’s game mired in a 5-for-45 slump.