Salmon Finally Finds Support

The Angels rallied around right fielder Tim Salmon on Tuesday, one night after fans repeatedly booed him during a defeat in which he failed to hit the ball out of the infield and the Seattle Mariners scored the tying run on his error. Salmon is hitting .125 with three hits and nine strikeouts in 24 at-bats.

“I’ve seen Tim struggle for the first half and carry the team in the second half,” Darin Erstad said. “He’s never been a fast starter. I’m not concerned about him one bit.”

Salmon is not the only Angel off to a slow start, a circumstance he and Erstad attributed in part to the challenge in maintaining the timing of a swing during a week that included two days off and a rainout. After six games, Salmon isn’t worried that a slow start heralds a season similar to his poor one last year, but he does not fault the home fans for booing him.

“They’re responding to the play,” he said. “You’d like to play well enough that you don’t hear that stuff.”

Salmon also struggled on defense last season, and a repeat performance could force the Angels into a difficult decision. With Salmon signed for three years beyond this one, the Angels probably would not re-sign Brad Fullmer if they believed Salmon would eventually move to designated hitter. That, team officials say, is an issue far in the future.

“He’s still running well. His arm is still strong,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “I think he’s going to play a good right field.”

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Closer Troy Percival, on the disabled list because of a strained rib cage, threw lightly Tuesday and said he is “almost positive” he can return April 18, the earliest day he can be activated. Angel relievers walked five in the eighth and ninth innings Saturday and gave up five runs in the seventh and eighth innings Monday, but Percival said the bullpen can hold the fort until he returns, even with some relievers working in unaccustomed roles.

“It’s when it’s real prolonged that it becomes a problem,” he said. “This bullpen can handle it for as long as I’ll be out.”

Percival sounded almost jealous of Al Levine, the primary closer for now. Percival makes his living on the strikeout; Levine induces ground balls and fly balls.

“He can throw four pitches and be out of there,” Percival said. “I have to throw 25 and take half an hour to get it done.”

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Second baseman Adam Kennedy, who was reduced to platoon status during the second half last season but who led the Angels with a .439 average during spring training, is hitting .130 in 23 at-bats.

“You want to say it’s early,” he said, “but you don’t want to be saying it’s early two to three weeks into the season.”

After the game, the Angels activated reliever Dennis Cook from the disabled list and sent infielder Clay Bellinger to triple-A Salt Lake.

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TONIGHT

ANGELS’

AARON SELE

(0-1, 7.20 ERA)

vs.

MARINERS’

JAMES BALDWIN

(1-0, 1.29 ERA)

Edison Field, 7

TV--Fox Sports Net.

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

Update--Sele won 32 games while pitching for his hometown Mariners the last two seasons. They decided to spend money on offense, so they did not offer Sele a new contract and instead signed Baldwin, who won three of 12 starts for the Dodgers, for one year and $1.25 million. Sele, who pitches against his old mates for the first time tonight, signed with the Angels for three years and $24 million.

Tickets--(714) 663-9000.