Scioscia Needs Hill to Add Spark as DH

The sight of Glenallen Hill in the Angel lineup may not make may folks in Seattle or other American League cities quiver. But his presence was a welcome sight for Manager Mike Scioscia.

This is a guy who might put the “hitter” back in the phrase “designated hitter” for the Angels.

Hill, on the disabled list since April 24 because of a strained rib cage muscle and pulled hamstring, was activated before Tuesday’s game and put into the lineup. The Angels optioned infielder Jose Nieves back to triple-A Salt Lake City to make room.

Hill pronounced himself fit--physically.

“It feels good enough to play,” Hill said. “It’s a psychological thing. You worry, ‘Is it going to happen again?’ Any little twinge, any time there is tightness, you panic a little. Then you start thinking, ‘OK, we can do this.’ And you’re all right. The body has a mind of its own.”

The Angels, though, have no time to wait for Hill’s body to offer an opinion.

The team’s designated hitters are batting .199 with four home runs and 18 runs batted in this season. Angel pitchers hit .263 in interleague games last season.

“You look at the numbers of our designated hitters, and that includes Glenallen before he was injured, and you see how desperate we are for production from that spot,” Scioscia said.

Grading on a curve, Hill has to be better. Hitting a curve, on the other hand, is yet to be seen from Hill.

Hill was acquired from the New York Yankees late in spring training after the Angels decided Jose Canseco was not the answer. On opening day, Hill grounded into a home-to-first double play with the bases loaded and no outs in the ninth inning against Texas. The Angels lost, 3-2.

He was batting .135 with one home run and two RBIs when he went on the disabled list. He had 27 home runs with the Yankees and Cubs last season.

Hill was two for 12 in three games during his rehabilitation stint with Class-A Rancho Cucamonga over the weekend.

“While I was out, I watched other hitters and thought about what I would do in those situations,” Hill said. “All that goes out the door when you stand in the box. Then it is time to trust what you see.”

The Angels, in turn, hope to like what they see from Hill.

Relief pitcher Mike Holtz will be activated from the 15-day disabled list either today or Thursday, Scioscia said. Holtz, sidelined since May 11 because of an inflamed left elbow, made two rehabilitation starts with Rancho Cucamonga, giving up two runs in two innings.

When Holtz returns, either left-hander Mark Lukasiewicz or right-hander Scot Shields will be optioned to Salt Lake City.

TONIGHT

ANGELS’

PAT RAPP

(1-4, 5.28 ERA)

vs.

TWINS’

JOE MAYS

(6-3, 2.97 ERA)

Edison Field, 7

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

Update--The Angels’ Troy Glaus and Darin Erstad have lumped together hot streaks in the last two weeks. Entering Tuesday, Glaus had hit safely in 14 of his last 18 games, raising his average from .230 to .283. He has had six home runs in that three-week stretch. Erstad had hit safely in 17 of his last 19 games, raising his average from .204 to .263.

Tickets--(714) 663-9000.