Guerrero Is Not in Derby

Despite an ESPN television report claiming Vladimir Guerrero would be among the participants in the All-Star game home run derby Monday in Houston, the Angel slugger reiterated Tuesday that he will not take part in the event.

“Nobody has even called me officially to invite me,” Guerrero said through an interpreter. “I’m not going to do it. I got to do it in 2000 and had a good time, but there are others more deserving. It has nothing to do with my swing. I just want to go and be one of the guys.”

Tim Mead, the Angels’ vice president of communications, said he did not know where ESPN got its information.

Guerrero, who was batting .347 with 20 home runs and 71 runs batted in through Monday and who was voted by fans as an American League starter, did not see the ESPN report and said he did not feel pressured by the network, which televises the home run derby, to participate. He will decline an invitation, if one is extended.

Angel center fielder Garret Anderson won the derby in 2003, turning Manager Mike Scioscia into a fan of the event.

“I have a different perspective on it after last season,” said Scioscia, who managed the AL team in 2003. “It was exciting, the fans were into it, and they had a good time with it. Some players don’t want to take the 60 swings....

“It’s like having a couple of bad batting practices because you’re trying to lift and launch. Some think that sets you back, but Garret wasn’t lifting; he just hit line drives. It’s an individual thing. If you’re not comfortable with it, you shouldn’t do it.”

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After batting Guerrero and Anderson three-four in every game they’ve played together this season, Scioscia switched the two Tuesday night, moving Anderson to the third spot and Guerrero to cleanup, an alignment Scioscia said he will stick with for a while.

The Angels had scored three runs or fewer in 14 of their previous 30 games before Tuesday, and after batting .290 with runners in scoring position in April, they hit .240 with runners in scoring position in June.

“We’ve done a lot of brainstorming in the last couple of weeks as we’ve struggled with our situational hitting,” Scioscia said. “You look at the last 30-40 games, see .230 with runners in scoring position, that’s a glaring area.”

The move, Scioscia said, wasn’t so much to give Anderson more protection -- No. 5 batter Jose Guillen has provided solid protection for Anderson and Guerrero -- but to help generate more offense.

For instance: With the speedy David Eckstein and Chone Figgins on first, Anderson, who bats left-handed, will have a bigger hole on the right side to shoot for, and possibly more fastballs to hit, because pitchers would be concerned about the stolen base, and the first baseman would have to hold the runner on.

“Maybe it will give Eck and Figgy a chance to run more because Vlad swings at so many pitches,” designated hitter Tim Salmon said. “It’s really not that big of a deal. They’re just trying to spark the offense.”

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Infielder Shane Halter, sidelined because of a dislocated finger, was activated and infielder Alfredo Amezaga, who shined defensively but hit .157 (11 for 70) in 36 games, was optioned to triple-A Salt Lake.

“A lot of people in our organization have raved about Amezaga’s ability to be an everyday major league shortstop, but when he’s come here, it hasn’t happened,” Scioscia said. “He needs to play every day, get his stroke, and when he comes back, show the kind of player all these guys think he is.”