Spiezio Keeps on Making a Big Name for Himself

Every game day, Scott Spiezio wanders over to the bulletin board and checks the lineup to see if his name is there. After six months and a barrel-full of runs batted in, he might take it for granted.

Spiezio was at first base Sunday, as he has been much of this season. He homered and matched his career-high with RBIs, as the Angels kept pace in the American League West with a 9-3 victory over the Baltimore Orioles in front of 24,592 at Edison Field.

Yet, there will remain a bit of insecurity on Speizio’s part.

“I have never felt that this job was mine,” Spiezio said. “I hoped it was and begged for it. But every day, I look to see if I’m playing. That will never change. I’m feeling more comfortable that my name will be there. But there were too many years where I would look at it, hoping and begging that it was there.”

The begging can stop.

Even for those arriving late to the Angels’ season, Spiezio’s performance was hardly a surprise on Sunday.

He has gone at this pace all season and seems to be picking up speed. He has driven in 20 runs in the last 21 games.

“We all knew Scott was capable of putting up the numbers, given the chance,” Darin Erstad said.

Still, Spiezio had about as much a chance of filling Mo Vaughn’s cleats at first base as he did filling his plate following Vaughn in a post-game meal line. Yet, with a month to go, Spiezio has a career-high 69 RBIs, four more than Vaughn, who was traded to the New York Mets during the off-season.

“I’m not going to compare myself to Mo,” Spiezio said. “I think as far as a career, he has me crushed.”

Spiezio, though, has filled the Vaughn void, especially in the clutch. His three-run homer in the second Sunday erased a 1-0 deficit. His RBI single fueled a five-run eighth that put the Angels 28 games above .500 for the first time in franchise history.

More important, they stayed 3 1/2 games behind Oakland in the AL West and 2 1/2 games ahead of Seattle in the wild-card race. The Angels have seven games left with the Athletics and six with the Mariners.

“We have shown we can play with both Oakland and Seattle, so that doesn’t worry us,” Spiezio said.

The Angels were 7-2 against the Athletics and Mariners in July. But this is September, a month that has traditionally rained for 30 days and 30 nights on the Angel parade.

There was a taste of that Sunday, as Troy Glaus left the game after being hit by a pitch in the eighth inning. He was diagnosed with a bruise on his left elbow, but was sent to UC Irvine Medical Center for precautionary X-rays. The Angels are already playing without Tim Salmon and starting pitcher Aaron Sele.

That is the type of bad luck that has made September a burial ground for Angel hopes in the past.

Since winning their last division title in 1986, the Angels have had a winning record in September only twice. The Angels were 6-21 in September last season.

“There is more confidence with this team,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “I think last year, our pitching got a little taxed. Our bullpen was having to pick up games in the fifth or sixth inning constantly last season.”

Angel starting pitching was less of a question mark this season, with the acquisition of Sele and Kevin Appier. First base, however, was a multiple-choice pop quiz ... as in who’s going to provide some pop.

Spiezio has helped answer that by hitting .330 with runners in scoring position.

“What I’ve done this season is more about how guys are getting on base in front of me and giving me the chance,” Spiezio said. “I’m still going to go over and check the lineup card every day. I’m not taking anything for granted.”