Slumping Erstad Gets Moved Up

Angel Manager Mike Scioscia tinkered with his batting order again, moving Darin Erstad to the No. 2 spot Saturday.

Troy Glaus, whose batting average dropped considerably through June and July, hit .313 with four home runs and 11 runs batted in while batting second the last eight games.

Scioscia was hoping the move to No. 2 would help Erstad, too. His average has dropped from .295 on June 20 to .265 before Saturday’s game.

“Hitting Darin second and Troy third gives us better balance between left-handed and right-handed hitters in the lineup,” Scioscia said. “It might also get Darin feeling a little more confidant.”

While Erstad has been struggling at the plate, he has contributed in other ways. His diving catch on a drive by Tampa Bay’s Ben Grieve helped preserve a two-run lead in the eighth inning Thursday.

On Friday, his ground ball to the right side moved Glaus to third, where he scored on a ground out by Garret Anderson.

“If you’re not getting clutch hits, you have to do things like move runners into scoring position,” Erstad said. “You have to give other people a chance to knock in runs.”

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Casey Kotchman, the Angels’ first-round pick, took batting practice at Edison Field before the game and left an impression.

“Oh man, he’s got a great swing,” said Scioscia, who pitched batting practice. “I told him at the end, ‘You can hit 10 more if you hit this one good.’ He roped one up the alley.”

Hitting instructor Mickey Hatcher, when asked if he offered Kotchman any tips, said, “I’m not touching a thing there.”

This was a homecoming, of sorts, for Kotchman. Tom Kotchman, his father, has been a scout and a minor league manager with the Angels for 18 years.

Casey Kotchman wore cleats provided by Anderson, who played for his father in 1990, and brought with him a glove that was a present from pitcher Jarrod Washburn in 1995, when Washburn played for Tom Kotchman.

“I always wanted to have a professional career,” said Casey Kotchman who will report to Mesa, the Angels’ rookie league team, today. “I glad it’s with the Angels. I don’t have to change my wardrobe. I’ve been wearing Angels stuff since I was born.”

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Jose Canseco’s play with the Chicago White Sox has not gone unnoticed by Scioscia.

“He worked hard to get back and is playing well,” Scioscia said.

Canseco, who was cut in spring training, when the Angels acquired Glenallen Hill from the New York Yankees, was batting .304 with six home runs and 15 runs batted in in 26 games with the White Sox before Saturday.

Hill was batting .135 with one home run when he was waived on June 1. Canseco played for the Newark Bears, an independent team, then was signed by the White Sox.

“We went with what we thought was best for the ball club,” Scioscia said. “Some of our other players have gotten a chance, Shawn Wooten, Benji Gil, Scott Spiezio. They have been given more at-bats.”

TONIGHT

ANGELS’ ISMAEL VALDES

(7-5, 3.94 ERA)

vs.

ORIOLES’ JOSE MERCEDES

(4-12, 6.02 ERA)

Edison Field, 5

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

Update--Anderson did not play left field for the second consecutive game because of a sore left foot. He was in the lineup as the designated hitter Friday and Saturday.

Tickets--(714) 663-9000.