Hatcher Wants Glaus to Remain Aggressive

Given the choice between a walk to first and a trot around the bases, Angel batting instructor Mickey Hatcher would prefer Troy Glaus go for the latter.

“He’s the kind of guy who needs to be aggressive,” Hatcher said. “I’d rather he hit .270 with 40 homers and be aggressive than take a lot of walks.”

Who says Glaus needs to choose? The 23-year-old third baseman has shown enough discipline to rank second in the American League with 47 walks without sacrificing an ounce of aggression.

Glaus will begin today’s game against Tampa Bay with a .327 average, 18 home runs, 20 doubles and 42 runs batted in.

“If I’m walking more, I’m seeing pitches better, and that’s the bottom line,” Glaus said. “If I start flailing at everything, that’s not good.”

It’s rare that a player as young as Glaus is among league leaders in walks. Those slots are usually occupied by veteran, established power hitters such as Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire and Frank Thomas, players opponents regularly pitch around or who draw a lot of intentional walks.

But Glaus has opened his stance slightly this season, which has helped him see the ball better, and batting sixth in the Angel lineup, opponents are much more careful with Glaus, occasionally pitching around him to get to Bengie Molina or Scott Spiezio, who have shared the seventh spot.

“So far, I haven’t been swinging at the borderline pitches they’ve given me,” Glaus said, “so I’m walking more.”

By laying off borderline pitches early in his at-bats, Glaus has been able to work many counts in his favor, and he has often punished pitchers who fall behind in the count.

“He’s learned his strengths, what he can do with certain pitches, and his experience is paying off,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “Even though he’s young, after struggling last year, he understands the importance of discipline at the plate.”

*

Shortstop Kevin Stocker did not play the last two games, but Scioscia was not priming backup Benji Gil to play all three games against the Devil Rays, who released Stocker on May 25 after he made 10 errors on Tropicana Field’s new artificial turf.

Stocker actually had a slightly strained left hip, and Scioscia, who said he has no reservations about playing Stocker in Tampa Bay, expects him to return for today’s game.

Stocker said his problem wasn’t so much with the artificial turf as it was the turf-to-dirt transition, which changed the pace of some ground balls, making them difficult to handle. His new job with the Angels affords him the opportunity for a new approach to the dreaded field.

“At least I know I can leave after three games,” Stocker said. “I’m not really worried about it. Let’s say I make a couple errors. So what? I made a few errors in Anaheim, and my teammates picked me up.”

Stocker doubts he’ll have extra motivation against the Devil Rays, a last-place team that was so disappointed by his performance it was willing to eat most of his $3.3-million contract and release him.

“I’m not out for revenge,” Stocker said. “This was probably a blessing for me, because I’m an Angel now.”

*

The Devil Rays have been one of baseball’s most disappointing teams, and a quartet of sluggers that Jose Canseco predicted would each hit 40 home runs--Canseco, Fred McGriff, Greg Vaughn and Vinny Castilla--have combined for only 36 so far. Vaughn is having a decent season (.289, 13 homers, 36 RBIs), and McGriff, who recently collected his 400th homer and 2,000th hit, is batting .265 with 10 homers and 43 RBIs. But Canseco, who has seven homers and 20 RBIs, is on the disabled list because of a strained left heel, and Castilla is struggling with a .213 average, six homers and 31 RBIs.

ON DECK

* Opponent--Tampa Bay Devil Rays, three games.

* Site--Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Fla.

* Today--4:15 p.m.

* TV--Channel 9 all three games.

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

* Records--Angels 32-30, Devil Rays 23-38.

* Record vs. Devil Rays--3-4.

TODAY

ANGELS’

SETH ETHERTON

(0-1, 5.51 ERA)

vs.

DEVIL RAYS’

BRYAN REKAR

(2-3, 4.46 ERA)

* Update--Veteran right-hander Tim Belcher is expected to be activated for Saturday’s game in Baltimore, so Etherton will take the mound today looking not only for a victory but to impress Angel coaches enough to remain in the big leagues. The most likely starters to be sent to triple-A Edmonton when Belcher returns are Etherton and Brian Cooper.

* Wednesday, 4:15 p.m.--Cooper (2-2, 4.15) vs. Albie Lopez (2-4, 5.15).

* Thursday, 4:15 p.m.--Jarrod Washburn (2-1, 4.42) vs. Steve Trachsel (4-6, 5.22).