Like His Bat, but Love His Glove

Despite his recent late-inning heroics, the Angels still consider Bengie Molina more valuable squatting behind the plate than standing beside it.

Even though Molina hit a game-tying two-run home run in the ninth inning Thursday and drove in the winning run with a two-run single in the eighth Friday, Manager Mike Scioscia said his catcher’s defensive prowess and ability to handle pitchers is “what we need to reach our goal.”

“That’s where Bengie has the biggest impact on our club, and that’s what we desperately need,” Scioscia said. “That’s more important to us than anything he’s going to do offensively. But from the offensive side, he’s definitely found his swing.”

Molina hit four of his eight homers in July, a month in which he also recorded 18 of his 41 runs batted in and hit .298.

The two-time Gold Glove winner ended the month on a down note, dropping a second-inning popup Saturday during the Angels’ 9-8 victory over the Seattle Mariners at Angel Stadium and having to leave after suffering a bruise on the tip of his right index finger in the seventh.

Nonetheless, Molina appears fully recovered from the hamstring and calf injuries that forced him to miss significant playing time earlier this season.

“He was hurt the first month of the season,” said Molina’s brother, Jose. “But the good thing about it is, it doesn’t matter how you start, it’s how you finish. He started bad, so he’s going to finish good.”

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Scioscia said the starting rotation’s return to form in recent weeks -- highlighted by the resurgence of Bartolo Colon -- lessened the Angels’ need to bolster their staff by trading for another pitcher.

Angel pitchers have recorded quality starts in eight of their last 11 games and 15 of their last 22. John Lackey has won five of his last six decisions, Colon has posted victories in four consecutive starts and Ramon Ortiz has resembled a front-line starter while filling in for the injured Jarrod Washburn.

“With our staff starting to throw to its potential, that becomes a diminished sense of urgency,” Scioscia said of acquiring another starter.

Said General Manager Bill Stoneman: “It looks like the depth we have in starting pitching is going to hold us in good stead.”

Still, Scioscia acknowledged that the Angels’ run at Arizona Diamondback ace Randy Johnson did not hinge on the performance of the Angel starters.

“A guy like Randy Johnson exceeds anything,” Scioscia said. “I don’t care how good your staff is, a guy like that is going to make you significantly better.”

The Diamondbacks did not call to inquire about the Angels’ interest in Johnson on Saturday after a proposed trade with the Dodgers fell through, Stoneman said.

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Washburn, on the disabled list with a strained ligament in his left rib cage, threw long toss Saturday and is scheduled to throw a bullpen session today. The Angels have not determined whether the left-hander will be able to return once he is eligible to come off the disabled list next week. If Washburn is unable to pitch, Ortiz would make a third consecutive start in his absence.... Darin Erstad, who experienced some general stiffness after Friday night’s game, was scheduled to get the day off before entering as a pinch-runner in the eighth. Robb Quinlan replaced Erstad at first base and went two for five to extend his career-high hitting streak to 12 games.