Spiezio, Wooten Answer the Call

The guys propping up the Angel offense have come from the chorus line lately.

Tim Salmon remains mired in a season-long slump, with no end in sight. Darin Erstad’s batting average has taken a recession-like drop, back to 1999, when he hit .253.

Into that void have stepped Scott Spiezio and Shawn Wooten.

Spiezio was hitting .367 with six home runs and had driven in 12 runs in his last 17 games before Sunday. In his last 16 games, Wooten was hitting .318 with two home runs and 12 runs batted in.

“Our periphery players have taken a little of the pressure off our core unit,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “When our core unit starts swinging the bat better, there will be a lot of possibilities with this offense.”

Just when that will happen is still an unknown.

Erstad had been three for 35 before doubling off the top of the center-field fence his first time up Sunday. Salmon had been four for 25 before Sunday.

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Scioscia declared Friday that Spiezio was the team’s everyday first baseman. It came with an unusual prize: an outfielder’s glove.

Spiezio has played left field since Scioscia anointed him the Angels’ first baseman in lieu of Mo Vaughn.

“As long as I’m in the lineup, it doesn’t matter to me,” said Spiezio, who has started 17 consecutive games. “The last few weeks have been awesome. They’ve been a blast. I hope I play every game for the rest of the season.”

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Getting Wooten and Spiezio in the lineup Sunday meant Adam Kennedy made his major league debut as a leadoff hitter.

Benji Gil started at shortstop, giving David Eckstein the day off. That left Kennedy as the most qualified leadoff hitter in the lineup.

“I haven’t hit leadoff since I was in college,” Kennedy said. “I’m not one of those guys who will steal you 50 bases, but I do a decent job at getting one base.”

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Jarrod Washburn will miss his start Tuesday in Boston because he is flying to Wisconsin to attend his grandfather’s funeral. Washburn will pitch Friday in New York.

The Angels will go with Ramon Ortiz today, Scott Schoeneweis on Wednesday and Pat Rapp on Thursday against the Red Sox. All will pitch with four days’ rest, as the Angels have an off day today.

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Baltimore Manager Mike Hargrove was irate about how Oriole third baseman Tony Batista was treated by fans Saturday night. Batista, who started for Cal Ripken, was booed every time he came to the plate.

“It was absolutely uncalled for,” Hargrove said. “I know a lot of them came to see Cal play, but he is not going to play every day. Everybody needs a break now and then. I am not going to start managing this team to please the fans.”

Hargrove seemed less sympathetic toward Oriole pitcher Willis Roberts, who collapsed on the mound with two outs in the sixth inning Saturday and had to be taken off the field on a stretcher.

“That was going to be his last batter anyway,” Hargrove said.

X-rays on Roberts’ knee were negative.