Finley’s Influence Works for Erstad

First baseman Darin Erstad has no idea what’s in the little leather pouch he wears around his neck and under his uniform every night, a gift from center fielder Steve Finley that looks kind of like an Indian artifact.

“All I know is Finley is 40 years old and he played 162 games last year, so it can’t hurt,” said Erstad, who sat out more than a month of 2004 and most of 2003 because of hamstring injuries. “He started talking to me about it, and I walked away because I couldn’t understand it. I’ve played all the games so far, so it must be working.”

Finley has worn the same leather pouch under his uniform for about three years, ever since former teammate Craig Counsell gave him one in 2002.

“I was struggling at the time,” Finley said. “Craig said, ‘I don’t know what’s in this thing, but it works.’ After he gave it to me, I hit something like .370 for the next three months.”

Finley said the pouch is called a balance necklace, made by a company called Layers of Light International. According to the company’s website, the pouch contains a “Fusion Formula” of minerals designed to “achieve alignment of body, mind and spirit” and to “address the electro-pollution, toxic vapors, scars, surgeries and traumas to the skin by organizing the quantum nature of man.”

Say, what?

“There’s an actual science to it,” insists Finley, who has used innovative techniques to become one of baseball’s fittest players. “It’s not voodoo.”

Erstad has no plans to ditch the necklace. He’s batting .310 with one home run, five runs batted in and seven runs in the Angels’ first nine games.

*

Right-hander Kelvim Escobar, on the disabled list because of a sprained right elbow, gave up one hit, struck out seven and walked two in a three-inning minor league rehabilitation start for Class-A Rancho Cucamonga at Modesto on Thursday.

Escobar displayed a crisp fastball and excellent command during his 58-pitch outing, in which he threw 38 strikes and gave up one hit.

Escobar is hoping to return to the Angels for Tuesday night’s game against Seattle, but he might need one more rehab start to get his pitch count to the 80-pitch range before returning to the rotation.

ON DECK

Opponent--Oakland Athletics, three games.

Site--McAfee Coliseum, Oakland.

TV--Channel 9 tonight, FSN West on Saturday and Sunday.

Radio--710, 1020.

Records--Angels 5-4, A’s 4-5.

2004 Record vs. A’s--10-9.

Tonight, 7 -- Bartolo Colon (1-1, 4.97) vs. Barry Zito (0-2, 11.57).

Saturday, 1 p.m. -- Jarrod Washburn (0-0, 4.76) vs. Rich Harden (1-0, 1.69).

Sunday, 1 p.m. -- John Lackey (1-0, 6.52) vs. Kirk Saarloos (1-1, 5.59).