Slumping Glaus Is Given a Demotion

Like Tim Salmon before him, Angel third baseman Troy Glaus was dropped from cleanup to the sixth spot Monday night, a demotion that was accompanied by the obligatory “we’re hoping the move will relax him” speech from Manager Mike Scioscia.

Glaus, who is batting .174 in July after hitting .189 in June, is not a laid-back, go-out-and-have-some-fun type of guy, though, so he’d probably feel as much pressure to produce if he were hitting ninth.

“I don’t know if he’s pressing, but he takes the responsibility of driving in runs very seriously,” Scioscia said. “It’s not all on Troy, though. He’s a major piece of the puzzle, but he’s still only one piece of the puzzle.”

Lately, he just seems puzzled. Glaus’ power numbers--22 home runs and 53 runs batted in entering Monday night--are good, but his average slipped from .290 on May 26 to .243 Sunday. He’s batting only .188 in 170 at-bats in the cleanup spot.

Scioscia said Glaus has been “pulling off a bit,” meaning he’s opening his front shoulder too soon on his swing. Glaus, who singled in his last at-bat after striking out his first three times up Sunday night, is concentrating on keeping his swing as short and powerful as possible.

“It’s no secret I haven’t been doing well, and [Scioscia] feels this is something that will get me going,” said Glaus, who singled in a run and scored in the Angels’ four-run fourth inning Monday. “That’s fine. It doesn’t bother me. The bottom line is scoring runs and winning games. I haven’t been doing my job. I’m not getting hits, driving in runs. That’s what I’m supposed to do.”

The Tony Gwynn Farewell Tour rolled through Anaheim this week and will stop in 10 more cities before the season is over.

The 41-year-old Padre outfielder, who recently announced this will be his final season, appreciates the ceremonies opposing teams have held--the Angels honored him Sunday night--but they’ve thrown a bit of a wrench in his pregame routine.

“I usually get my game face on an hour before the game, I’m thinking about the opposing pitcher, and I’m not used to my concentration being broken,” said Gwynn, who was scratched as San Diego’s designated hitter Monday night because of swelling in his right knee.

“I don’t even remember what I’ve said during these things besides, ‘Thank you.’ I’m just winging it out there. You say something from the heart, then go out and try to beat the home team.”

Sunday night, Scioscia presented Gwynn with a crystal trophy.

“He handed me the crystal and said, ‘If you get a hit with a runner in scoring position tonight, I’m gonna kick your [behind],’ ” Gwynn said. “And then he hands me the microphone.

“All the fanfare is nice. It’s still surprising. It’s kind of embarrassing. You’re still amazed by it all. But I still want to be a productive hitter these last 2 1/2 months.”

Gwynn hopes to replace his former college coach, San Diego State’s Jim Dietz, when Dietz retires after the 2002 season. Asked if Gwynn would use him as a reference when applying for the job, Scioscia said: “Hey, I may be using him as a reference.”

TODAY

ANGELS’

SCOTT SCHOENEWEIS

(7-8, 4.66 ERA)

vs.

PADRES’

BOBBY J. JONES

(5-12, 4.15 ERA)

Edison Field, 1

TV--Channel 9.

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

Update--Garret Anderson has been the only Angel to produce on a consistent basis in recent weeks. Entering Monday night, the left fielder had hit in 17 of 19 games, going 25 for 73 (.342) with six home runs and 11 RBIs. Anderson leads the team and is seventh in the league with 66 RBIs. After getting bombed in three consecutive starts from June 19-29, Schoeneweis has given up three earned runs on 13 hits in 16 2/3 innings of his last two starts. The Padres have scored only 65 runs (3.4 average) in Jones’ 20 starts.

Tickets--(714) 663-9000.