Ortiz Seeks a Simple Solution

Having watched Ramon Ortiz tail off toward the end of last season, founder in spring training and continue to struggle during his first three starts of 2004, Angel Manager Mike Scioscia has installed a simplified approach that he hopes will help the beleaguered right-hander today against the Athletics.

Without revealing the specifics of the plan, Scioscia said he would limit Ortiz’s pitch selection in an effort to focus on execution and stay with “his best stuff.”

“Instead of doing a number of things maybe not as well as you could, you narrow it down to doing a few things very well,” Scioscia said. “Sometimes he gets outside of that and tries to force some things that maybe aren’t there at the right time.”

Scioscia insisted that he has retained confidence in Ortiz (0-2), who won a career-high 16 games last season despite losing five of his last eight decisions. Ortiz posted a 6.66 spring training earned-run average, which he has nearly doubled to 12.66 in the regular season.

“His confidence isn’t quite where it will be, and that’s explainable,” Scioscia said. “But he’ll get back to where he needs to be.”

Kevin Gregg appears to be the leading candidate to replace Ortiz in the rotation should his funk extend beyond a few more starts. Though Gregg pitched four scoreless innings out of the bullpen Friday during the Angels’ 12-2 victory over the Athletics, Scioscia said he still projected the lanky right-hander as a starter.

“He’s got the stuff, the makeup, the command,” Scioscia said. “The way he’s throwing, he’s definitely showing he could be part of a championship-caliber staff.”

Said Gregg: “I’m ready to pitch when they want to give me the ball. They can choose the role.”

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The lingering stiffness in Garret Anderson’s upper back will almost surely sideline the cleanup hitter for the longest stretch of his career. Anderson sat out his third consecutive game Saturday, despite telling Scioscia he felt much better, and could be out up to another week.

It was the first time the typically dependable Anderson missed three straight games since his rookie season in 1995; he has never missed four consecutive games. From 2000 to 2003, Anderson played in 637 games, more than any major league player except Miguel Tejada (646), Shawn Green (641) and Jeff Bagwell (638).

Scioscia said Anderson’s stiffness, which resulted from a new mattress, first occurred during spring training and resumed once the Angels returned to Southern California the second week of the season for their first homestand. Anderson has since changed mattresses.

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Reliever Francisco Rodriguez extended his scoreless streak starting the season to 8 2/3 innings with one inning of relief Saturday. He stranded runners at second and third in the eighth by getting Scott Hatteberg to ground out to shortstop.

Rodriguez attributed his start, in which he has allowed six hits and struck out 14, to starting the season in shape and throwing strikes. He acknowledged that he eventually wants to become the Angel closer but said that is not his focus. “I want to have a good year and stay healthy,” Rodriguez said. “If that comes next year or whenever, that would be great.”

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Tim Salmon, who returned to the lineup after missing four games because of a sore left knee, went hitless in four at-bats.