Anderson Is Not Hesitant to Continue With His Style

The play had no bearing on the Angels’ 13-7 exhibition victory over the Colorado Rockies Thursday, but it was significant for outfielder Garret Anderson.

After singling in the third inning, Anderson didn’t hesitate around second on Keith Luuloa’s single to center. Curtis Goodwin made a perfect throw to cut down the sliding Anderson at third, but when Anderson returned to the dugout, he was greeted with a pat on the back from Manager Terry Collins.

“My philosophy is to stay aggressive, and I want Garret to continue to play that way,” said Collins, who yanked Anderson from a game last summer for failing to run hard on a grounder. “There’s nothing wrong with what he did. I was very impressed with how he hustled.”

Anderson, starting his fifth year in the big leagues, has been hesitant to take such chances, “because I’ve always been scared to make mistakes,” he said. “But I’m starting to realize the way to get better is to make a mistake and learn from it.”

Does this mean Anderson will be stretching singles into doubles and diving into the gap or crashing into walls to make catches? “Terry has talked to me about diving for balls, but with me being 6-foot-4, all I’m going to do is get hurt,” Anderson said. “I feel if I keep running and stick my hand out I’ll have a better chance. . . . You can’t stay healthy running into walls. If you make the play, great. If you miss a week because of it, is it worth it?”

Anderson has been criticized for his cool, almost detached, demeanor on the field, an approach he believes contributes to his consistency but one that makes him look passive next to center fielder Jim Edmonds, who has won two Gold Gloves because of his spectacular catches, and Darin Erstad, who seems to have no fear in the outfield.

“Is it being cool or lazy?” Anderson said. “Don’t pull any punches. Fair or not, it’s a rap that has been given to me. Darin looks like he exerts a ton of energy when he plays, and I’m the exact opposite. But we both get the job done. I come to play every day, my teammates know that, and that’s what’s important.”

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Collins said “no one guy is ahead of the other guy” in the battle between Troy Glaus and Dave Hollins for the third-base job, but Glaus didn’t hurt his chances Thursday, smashing two home runs and driving in six runs to bring his spring average to .429 with a team-leading 14 RBIs.

Hollins, entering the final year of a three-year contract that will pay him $2.4 million, has been sidelined by a strained hamstring since Sunday.

“I have to give them a reason to keep me because there is an option for me to be sent down,” said Glaus, who batted .218 after being called up to Anaheim last July 30. “I want to remove that possibility.”

Glaus has been working with batting instructor Rod Carew every day in an effort to shorten his swing and hit to the opposite field.

“I obviously didn’t do well, for various reasons, when I got called up last year,” Glaus said. “I want to prove to the coaches that I can hit here.”

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Ken Hill continued to distance himself from last year’s elbow surgery with four strong innings Thursday, giving up one run on four hits and striking out five. He pitched aggressively inside with his fastball, and his slider and split-fingered fastballs were sharp. . . . Mo Vaughn, who entered Thursday with a .192 spring average, banged a two-run double off the left-center field wall in the first and singled in the third.