Salmon to Have Tests on Sore Left Shoulder

Things got a little worse for Angel outfielder Tim Salmon on Sunday.

Already mired in a season-long slump, Salmon was scratched from Sunday’s game against the Seattle Mariners because of a sore left shoulder and neck. Dr. Lewis Yocum examined him before Sunday’s game and Salmon did not make the trip to Oakland with the team.

Salmon will undergo further tests today.

“It has been bothering him for about four or five days,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “It something that is day-to-day right now. He will be evaluated again today and see how he does.”

Salmon had surgery on the shoulder in October. He is hitting .108 with runners in scoring position and .206 overall.

Salmon refused to link his troubles at the plate with pressure to produce after signing a $40-million contract extension in the spring. The extension runs through the 2005 season.

“Even if I was making the major league minimum, I would feel like I wasn’t earning it,” Salmon said after Saturday’s game. “I’d feel terrible about how I’m playing no matter what I was making.”

ON DECK

Opponent--Oakland Athletics, four games.

Site--Network Associates Coliseum

Tonight--7 p.m.

TV--Channel 9 tonight and Tuesday.

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

Records--Angels 38-42, Blue Jays 38-43.

Record vs. Athletics--5-4.

TONIGHT

ANGELS’ JARROD WASHBURN

(6-4, 3.86 ERA)

vs.

ATHLETICS’ TIM HUDSON

(8-5, 3.39 ERA)

Update--Angel starting pitchers average 6 1/3 innings a start, tops in the American League. Ismael Valdes, on the disabled list because of a sore right shoulder, is scheduled to throw in the bullpen Tuesday and might be activated to start Thursday’s game. Hudson is 3-0 with a 1.64 earned-run average against the Angels this season, and is 6-1 lifetime against them.

Tuesday, 6 p.m.--Pat Rapp (2-8, 4.45 ERA) vs. Barry Zito (4-6, 4.81 ERA).

Wednesday, 12:35 p.m.--Scott Schoeneweis (6-7, 5.16 ERA) vs. Cory Lidle (1-4, 4.66 ERA).

Thursday, 12:35 p.m.--Ramon Ortiz (6-6, 4.14 ERA) vs. Gil Heredia (4-6, 6.48 ERA).