Erstad Thinks About Contact, Not Contract

Struggling center fielder Darin Erstad seems ambivalent about his future with the Angels, who will have a major dilemma when they begin negotiations with Erstad this winter.

Erstad, in the final year of a four-year, $7.25-million contract, was awful in 1999 (.253, 13 homers, 53 runs batted in), phenomenal in 2000 (.355, 25 homers, 100 RBIs) and awful again in 2001 (.259, eight homers, 60 RBIs before Thursday night).

Erstad is eligible for arbitration this winter and can become a free agent after 2002. The Angel must decide whether to secure him to another long-term deal at a possible financial risk--they signed Tim Salmon to a four-year, $40-million extension last spring, and look what happened--go to arbitration with Erstad, where he is sure to take another beating, or sign him to a one-year deal in hopes he’ll play his way into a big contract.

“I don’t play this game for money, so whatever happens happens,” said Erstad, who singled twice and doubled in his first three at-bats Thursday night. “I’ve had a terrible year going into arbitration. So? I’d play for peanuts, so I really don’t care. If they don’t want me, I’ll play somewhere else.”

Would Erstad feel slighted if the Angels don’t offer a long-term contract? “I can honestly say I have not thought once about it,” Erstad said, “so it’s hard for me to even comment.”

All Erstad wants is to play at a level he is accustomed to. What he doesn’t want is manager-mandated days off, like he had Wednesday night, when he wasn’t in the lineup for the first time since April 29. Manager Mike Scioscia said Erstad looked like “a fish out of water” on the bench, and though Erstad said he “didn’t do a thing” during the game, he was restless the whole night.

“I couldn’t be a starting pitcher, that’s for sure,” Erstad said. “I was not the happiest guy [Wednesday], so I just tried to stay out of the way.”

ON DECK

Opponent--Minnesota Twins, three games.

Site--Edison Field.

Tonight--7.

TV--Channel 9 tonight, Fox Sports Net Sunday.

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

Records--Angels 72-68, Twins 73-67.

Record vs. Twins--2-4.

TONIGHT

ANGELS’

RAMON ORTIZ (11-8, 4.37 ERA) vs.

TWINS’ KYLE LOHSE

(4-6, 5.62 ERA)

: The good news for the Angels: They are not scheduled to face Twin ace Brad Radke, who has an 11-4 career record and 1.66 ERA in 17 starts against the Angels, in this series. The bad news: They will have to face talented left-hander Eric Milton, who threw a no-hitter against the Angels in 1999. Utility player Shawn Wooten will have surgery Tuesday to remove torn cartilage in his left wrist. Recovery time for the procedure is about three months.

Saturday, 7 p.m.: Pat Rapp (5-11, 4.57) vs. Rick Reed (2-3, 5.54). Sunday, 1 p.m.--Jarrod Washburn (11-7, 3.49) vs. Eric Milton (13-5, 4.26).

Tickets: (714) 663-9000.