Salmon Looking Better Than Average
When Tim Salmon was batting .135 last month, he began to question whether he was merely experiencing another typically slow start or if the nightmare he endured last season had resumed.
“I started out knowing I was going to come around,” he said, “then I started hoping.”
Salmon has more reason to believe last season’s .227 average was an exception and won’t be the rule.
Salmon homered and doubled in his first two at-bats Sunday to reach base safely in seven consecutive plate appearances and extend his fledgling hitting streak to five games. Although a .231 batting average isn’t much to brag about for a career .285 hitter, Salmon believes that with the help of hitting coach Mickey Hatcher, he’s regaining his equilibrium.
“It’s just a nice feeling to get in the position where I’m getting some good passes at balls and I’m putting it into play,” said Salmon, who is nine for 16 during his hitting streak and has hit in 13 of his last 19 games. “I hit a slider out, and I’m hitting pitches that were mistakes....
“I’m a high-maintenance, mechanical-swing kind of guy. A month from now, I may be swinging different.”
As long as he’s swinging well, Manager Mike Scioscia is happy.
“Tim has looked good the last couple of weeks,” Scioscia said, “and hopefully we’re getting him into a confidence zone where he’s going to continually produce.... We need Tim there for us. He’s going to be fine.”
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Troy Percival earned his second win in five days by pitching a hitless ninth.
He didn’t strike out the side, as he had in two of his last three appearances--he gave up a leadoff walk to Kenny Lofton and an intentional walk to Paul Konerko--but he got the job done.
He also agreed with Scioscia’s decision to walk Konerko, who had singled twice in four previous at-bats. “You’ve got a force at every base,” said Percival, who ended the inning by getting Carlos Lee to fly to center.
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For the second straight Sunday, outfielder Garret Anderson started at designated hitter and Brad Fullmer played first base. Scioscia said he plans to restore Anderson to the outfield Tuesday at Detroit.
“We’re just trying to get him off his feet,” Scioscia said.
Fullmer’s nine-game hitting streak ended, but he walked twice.
