Consistency Is the Name of the Game Now for Glaus

Six weeks into the 2000 season, and Angel third baseman Troy Glaus has barely whiffed the scent of a slump.

Oh, he’s whiffed a few times--he has a team-leading 37 strikeouts--but Glaus also has a team-high 27 walks, he’s batting .341 with 10 home runs, 15 doubles and 24 runs batted in, and he leads Angel regulars in on-base percentage (.448) and slugging percentage (.667)

Most impressive, Glaus has not gone more than two consecutive games without a hit.

If you remember his extreme swings in 1999, when he batted .341 with five homers in April and .130 with one homer in May, you know Glaus has made considerable progress in 2000.

In his second full big league season, Glaus has evolved into a model of consistency, and not just defensively. His average rose above .300 on April 18 and has remained there since.

He responded to his roughest patch of the season, an 0-for-8 skid in Seattle May 6-7, with four hits and three runs the next night against Oakland.

“If I had an answer for why I was so up and down last year, I wouldn’t have done that,” said Glaus, who hit a game-tying homer in the ninth inning Sunday to help the Angels beat the Rangers, 7-6.

“I wish I didn’t struggle, but you learn from your mistakes. You learn you have to make adjustments from one at-bat to the next, not just day to day or week to week.”

Glaus said he feels comfortable at the plate, which is a major factor in his success, but he’s also doing a better job of recognizing pitches. He hit his homer Sunday on an 0-and-2 fastball on the outer half of the plate that he drove to the opposite field.

“He’s been disciplined, he waits for good pitches to hit and hasn’t been missing them,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “I think his experience in 1999 will propel him to a higher level. When you fail and you learn from it, it makes you a better player.”

Glaus is also faster, the result of off-season arthroscopic surgery to clean out both knees. He has already equaled his stolen-base total, five, of last season.

The 6-foot-5, 229-pounder won’t leg out many infield hits, but once he gets those long strides churning, he’s effective going from first to third on singles, and has scored from first a few times on doubles.

“I’m not a burner by any means, but when I get rolling, I’m fine,” Glaus said.

“It just takes me a long time to get it rolling.”

*

Twice last week, Scioscia declined to bring closer Troy Percival into tie games at home in the top of the ninth, a strategy many managers employ in hopes of holding the opponent and winning in the bottom of the ninth.

And twice, the Angels were burned. Oakland scored four runs in the ninth off Mark Petkovsek and Mike Fyhrie to snap a 3-3 tie and beat the Angels, 7-4, Wednesday, and Texas pinch-hitter Ivan Rodriguez homered off Shigetoshi Hasegawa to snap a 5-5 tie in the ninth Sunday, though the Angels came back to win in the bottom of the ninth.

Scioscia has gone to great lengths to protect Percival, who had major shoulder surgery last October, but could those measures cost the Angels too many games?

“There will be a time when Troy will pitch the ninth inning of a tie game at home; it’s something we’ve discussed,” Scioscia said. “But for us to be where we want to be, we need Troy for the whole year. We also need Petkovsek and Hasegawa to fill their roles, and I need to show confidence in them.”

*

Kent Mercker, who suffered a cerebral hemorrhage late Thursday night, was transferred from the UCI Medical Center’s intensive-care unit to a private room and remains in stable condition. The Angel pitcher will continue to undergo tests this week to determine the cause of the bleeding between his brain and skull. . . . Ramon Ortiz’s first start for triple-A Edmonton was suspended after two scoreless innings Saturday because of a power outage in Fresno.

ON DECK

* Opponent--Baltimore Orioles, two games.

* Site--Edison Field.

* Tonight--7.

* TV--Channel 9 tonight, Fox Sports Net Wednesday night.

* Radio--KMPC (1540) and XPRS (1090) tonight; KLAC (570) and XPRS (1090) Wednesday.

* Records--Angels 19-20, Orioles 16-21.

* Record vs. Orioles--2-1.

TONIGHT

ANGELS’

KENT BOTTENFIELD

(3-3, 3.78 ERA)

vs.

ORIOLES’

SCOTT ERICKSON

(0-1, 12.46 ERA)

* Update--The Orioles, who opened the season with an 11-5 record, have lost seven in a row and 10 of their last 11. They were outscored, 35-6, while being swept by the Red Sox in a four-game weekend series. The Orioles have a league-worst 6.03 ERA, and have blown 10 saves. Cal Ripken Jr. is doubtful because of a back injury, and Will Clark remains on the disabled list because of a strained left hamstring.

* Wednesday, 7 p.m.--Scott Schoeneweis (4-2, 5.06) vs. Pat Rapp (3-2, 5.45).

* Tickets: (714) 663-9000.