Erstad’s Defense Surprises

He entered Friday night’s game leading the major leagues in batting (.468) and on-base percentage (.533), and had already set an American League record for hits in April with 44. He has made three spectacular catches in the outfield.

What’s Darin Erstad going to do next, take the mound in the late innings against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and strike out Fred McGriff with the bases loaded? Hey, the Angels could use a good left-handed setup man, right?

As gaudy as Erstad’s offensive figures are, they aren’t shocking. Erstad showed in the first half of 1998, when he batted .313 with 18 homers and 59 runs batted in, that he’s capable of posting most valuable player-caliber statistics.

But the Gold Glove-caliber defense is something of a surprise, if only because Erstad has spent so much more time at first base than in the outfield for the last three seasons. He adapts quickly, though.

Erstad robbed Nomar Garciaparra of extra bases with a backhanded diving catch in left-center on April 9, he took a sure double away from Paul Konerko with a diving catch to his forehand side on April 16, and he made another spectacular catch Thursday night, leaping into the stands in foul territory to snag Kevin Stocker’s fly ball.

“I worked really hard this winter on trying to turn routine catches into highlight-reel catches so I can get on TV more,” Erstad said with a self- deprecating grin. “But seriously, I’m just playing, laying it on the line, doing whatever it takes.”

What it took Thursday was crashing into a wall, risking a rib-cage injury and reaching beyond the first row of seats to make a phenomenal catch that Erstad needed a replay of to see--for the first time.

“Heck no!” Erstad said, when asked if his eyes were open on the play. “Somehow, the ball got in my glove. I can honestly say I didn’t know I had it until I hit the ground. I don’t know how I caught it, I really don’t. I guess that’s what you call a lucky grab.”

Luckily for the Angels, it did not come at a cost. Though Erstad seemed to double over in pain after the catch, he emerged with only a nick on his side and no broken ribs.

“That’s Ersty,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “He has one speed.”

*

Angel catcher Bengie Molina was feeling much better Friday after losing 10 pounds in two days because of a nasty stomach virus. Molina began feeling ill during the fourth inning Wednesday night, but he played the whole game in a 6-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers. Though he vomited several times Wednesday night and Thursday morning and was nothing close to full strength Thursday night, he played all of Thursday’s loss to Tampa Bay. . . . The Angels claimed outfielder Scott Morgan off waivers from the Cleveland Indians and assigned him to triple-A Edmonton. To make room for Morgan on the 40-man roster, the Angels transferred outfielder Jeff DaVanon from the 15-day to the 60-day disabled list. Morgan, 26, hit .364 with four RBIs in 11 games for triple-A Buffalo this season.

TONIGHT

ANGELS’

KEN HILL

(2-3, 7.30 ERA)

vs.

DEVIL RAYS’

DAVE EILAND

(1-0, 6.28 ERA)

Edison Field, 7

TV--Fox Sports Net.

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

* Update--Hill was not in peak form Monday night, but after giving up 15 runs on 16 hits in seven innings of his previous two starts, his 6 1/3-inning, three-run, seven-hit effort in a 10-4 victory over the Tigers was a step in the right direction. Eiland, a right-hander who came out of the bullpen for his first five appearances this season, baffled the Angels with his assortment of sinkers, sliders and change-ups during six scoreless innings of the Devil Rays’ 1-0 victory at Tampa Bay on Sunday.

* Tickets--(714) 663-9000.