Patience Probably Won’t Be a Virtue

The Angels lost more than power with the departure of Troy Glaus and the injuries to Tim Salmon. A team that ranked last in the American League in walks in 2004 lost some patience too -- Glaus averaged 102 walks his last three full seasons (2000-02), and Salmon, who will sit out most of 2005 because of knee and shoulder surgery, averaged 87 walks in his last four full seasons (2000-03).

Add the loss of pesky leadoff batter David Eckstein, who didn’t walk or strike out much -- he averaged 42 walks and 49 strikeouts the last four years -- and the Angels will start this season without three of their most disciplined hitters of recent years, guys who could work counts and drive up pitch counts.

While many teams put a heavy emphasis on patience, walks and on-base percentage, the Angels will be a more free-swinging club with Vladimir Guerrero, who averages 54 walks a year; Orlando Cabrera, who averages 35 walks a year, and Garret Anderson, who averages 28 walks a year.

Third baseman Dallas McPherson had 186 strikeouts and 58 walks in 151 games last season; second baseman Chone Figgins had 94 strikeouts and 49 walks; first baseman Darin Erstad has averaged 45 walks and 83 strikeouts a year, new center fielder Steve Finley averages 48 walks and 73 strikeouts, and catcher Bengie Molina averages 18 walks and 38 strikeouts.

“It does play into how teams approach you,” said Anderson, who hit a two-run home off Greg Maddux in the Angels’ 8-3 split-squad exhibition victory over the Chicago Cubs on Saturday.

“We’re free swingers, but we’re good hitters, not bad hitters. A lot of teams apply pressure with patience, but you still have to get the big hits. I don’t mind having a team of free swingers. That puts pressure on pitchers. They can’t mess up.”

Manager Mike Scioscia isn’t so concerned about the number of walks the Angels draw -- just as important, he said, are the number of hitter’s counts and runners in scoring position, categories the Angels did well enough in last season to rank seventh in the league in runs.

“I don’t know if you have to have pure on-base percentage, but Vladdy can handle any pitch in any count, and Orlando doesn’t strike out much,” Scioscia said.

“You can’t force walks, but you can get into hitter’s counts and stay aggressive.”

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Jarrod Washburn pitched Saturday as if he had a plane to catch -- because he did. The Angel left-hander needed only 39 pitches to complete four innings against the Cubs and was so efficient in a one-run, four-hit outing he sprinted to the bullpen after the fourth to throw 15 more pitches, bringing him to the required 55-pitch range.

Washburn, who also singled in the third inning, then bolted Hohokam Park to catch a flight home to Wisconsin, where his wife, Kerrie, was scheduled to be induced into labor to deliver the couple’s third child.

Finley celebrated his 40th birthday Saturday with two doubles.

Reliever Esteban Yan gave up a homer to Nomar Garciaparra and has given up homers in consecutive appearances. The other Angel split-squad team lost to San Francisco, 7-4, Saturday in Scottsdale, Ariz.