Levine Won’t Be Set Up for a Fall

A reporter approached Al Levine in the Angels’ Coors Field clubhouse, and the reliever practically ran away screaming.

“I know what you’re going to ask about,” Levine said, “and I don’t want to talk about it.”

Is Levine that superstitious? Does the right-hander really believe he could jinx himself by discussing the 15 1/3-inning scoreless streak he has accumulated in his last 12 outings?

“Yep,” Levine said. “My first year here we discussed not giving up a run for a while, and I got bombed in Toronto that day. I don’t like talking about it. Plus, it doesn’t matter what I do, as long as the team wins.”

Actually, it does matter what Levine does, because when he’s pitching well, the Angels usually win. As the team’s primary set-up man, Levine often pitches the eighth inning of close games in which the Angels are leading.

Levine has been outstanding, going 4-4 with a 2.15 earned-run average and a team-leading eight holds in 34 games. He has retired 27 of 33 first batters, and only six of his 17 inherited runners have scored.

The sinkerball specialist credits his defense, the safety net of having closer Troy Percival behind him and an easier workload for his success.

Starters are averaging 6 1/3 innings a game, a full inning better than 2000. Levine has had to pitch in back-to-back games only three times, and in three straight games once.

“The starters are flat-out dealing, so the relievers haven’t had to pitch a lot,” Levine said. “It’s a lot easier on the arm, and I feel fresher.”

Levine, who has evolved from a long-relief/mop-up role in 1999 to a key set-up role in 2001, doesn’t think he’s pitching any differently this season.

“I’m just locating my pitches better, and when I miss my spots, they’re not crushing them like they normally do,” Levine said. “It’s called luck.”

Levine is a strong believer in luck. That’s why he has worn the same uniform pants on the road for weeks, even though they have a patch sewn into them and should be replaced, and why he won’t discuss . . . well, you know what.

Right fielder Tim Salmon, sidelined because of a strained neck and left shoulder, will work out at Edison Field during the All-Star break and is eligible to come off the disabled list next Monday.

The Angels have not decided whether Salmon, who is struggling with a .206 average, nine homers and 26 runs batted in, will go on a minor league rehabilitation assignment. Some think it would do Salmon some good to tear up Class-A pitching for a few games.

“But we’re not looking at a rehab assignment so he can gain confidence,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “One advantage is you can get back into a baseball environment, but are 30 minor league at-bats going to lock him in? No, because you don’t get a chance to face major league pitching there.”

The Angels were the only team in baseball without a grand slam until Garret Anderson’s first-inning shot Sunday, the left fielder’s fifth career grand slam. . . . Pitching matchups for the Angel-Arizona series after the All-Star break at Edison Field: Scott Schoeneweis vs. Brian Anderson on Thursday night; Ismael Valdes vs. Curt Schilling on Friday night, and Jarrod Washburn vs. Randy Johnson on Saturday night. . . . Reliever Ben Weber was not available Sunday because he returned home to Beaumont, Texas, on Saturday to be with his wife, Marisa, who was hospitalized with an undisclosed illness.