Offense Seeking a Boost

The infield dirt has not turned to quicksand when the Angels have been on base this season, but it sure seems that way at times.

An offense that hit a franchise-record 236 home runs and rounded the bases at a vertigo-inducing pace in 2000, scoring 864 runs--two shy of the franchise record--has slowed considerably in 2001.

Even with Sunday’s 14-run, 16-hit outburst in Detroit, the Angels rank 10th in the American League in batting average, 11th in runs, 10th in home runs, last in doubles, 10th in on-base percentage and 10th in stolen bases.

They’re averaging 4.4 runs and 8.9 hits after averaging 5.3 runs and 9.7 hits last season. They’ve been shut out three times already after being shut out only five times in 2000.

The Angels have not gone from first to third on base hits or executed as many hit-and-run plays as they would like. Thus, they have not been able to manufacture runs as well as they did last season.

“We haven’t had the consistent offensive pressure to exploit that part of the game,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “When we’re going bad, it’s been tough to put two hits together. We’ve had some hit-and-runs that have helped win some games, but in some cases, we haven’t executed as well as we want.

“Overall, in terms of manufacturing runs, we’re getting better, but we’re not where we want to be. If we don’t do that, you’re relying on the four guys in the middle of the lineup to pound the ball, and we don’t want to get into that situation.”

Those four guys in the middle--Darin Erstad, Tim Salmon, Garret Anderson and Troy Glaus--haven’t pounded the ball as they did last season. Erstad is batting .238 with two homers and 17 runs batted in after his .355, 25-homer, 100-RBI season in 2000.

Salmon is hitting .214 with four homers and 14 RBIs, an 18-homer, 61-RBI pace that is well off his 34-homer, 97-RBI season in 2000. Anderson is batting .261 with four homers and 18 RBIs, an 18-homer, 79-RBI pace that is well off his 35-homer, 117-RBI 2000.

Glaus has shown good power (nine homers, 21 RBIs), but his average is a subpar .259, and he’s on pace for 39 homers and 92 RBIs after hitting 47 homers and driving in 102 runs last season.

It also hasn’t helped that after last season’s 36-homer, 117-RBI performance, first baseman Mo Vaughn has not--and will not--play in 2001 after elbow surgery in February.

Pitcher Jarrod Washburn was not pleased with Jerry Manuel’s comments after last Tuesday’s game, when the Chicago manager said he was “mystified” the White Sox did not have a baserunner through five innings against him.

He will be very pleased with what Detroit Manager Phil Garner had to say after Washburn limited the Tigers to two runs and five hits in six innings and had a career-high nine strikeouts in Sunday’s 14-2 Angel victory.

“The guy must have been throwing mystery balls,” Garner said. “We didn’t hit any of his fastballs well. Not one.”

ON DECK

Opponent--Toronto Blue Jays, three games.

Site--Edison Field.

Tonight--7.

TV--Fox Sports Net tonight and Wednesday.

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

Records--Angels 17-20, Blue Jays 19-18.

Record vs. Blue Jays--1-2.

TONIGHT

ANGELS’ ISMAEL VALDES

(2-2, 2.81 ERA)

vs.

BLUE JAYS’ CHRIS MICHALAK

(3-2, 3.58 ERA)

Update--More consistent playing time seems to agree with Wally Joyner. The first baseman has started 10 of the Angels’ last 13 games, going 17 for 43 to raise his average from .156 on April 27 to .273 through Sunday. The Blue Jays have lost six in a row, including a weekend sweep at the hands of the Mariners, to fall three games behind Boston in the AL East.

Wednesday, 7 p.m.--Scott Schoeneweis (2-2, 3.24) vs. Steve Parris (2-2, 6.31).

Thursday, 7 p.m.--Ramon Ortiz (3-3, 4.30) vs. Joey Hamilton (1-2, 4.99).

Tickets--(714) 663-9000.