Matthews wants back in the game

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Gary Matthews Jr. said he and Manager Mike Scioscia have agreed to disagree over Scioscia’s decision to bench the slumping outfielder while he tries to fight his way out of a season-long slump. But they’re on the same page when it comes to Matthews’ performance this season, with both men agreeing it could be better.

“I don’t know if players ever agree with taking unwanted days off,” Matthews said. “I do know that my numbers should be better than they are. I know that.

“He makes the lineup. He makes the decision. And that will be that.”

Matthews, batting .186 with two extra-base hits since June 19 and .236 for the season, was benched Wednesday in favor of Juan Rivera, who has three home runs, five runs scored and seven runs batted in in four July starts.

“The bottom line is Gary knows he’s not where he needs to be,” said Scioscia, who wants Matthews to work on his timing and staying inside the ball, spraying it to all fields. “Our goal is to get him where he needs to be. And he’s not moving in the right direction.”

Still the adjustment is proving tough for Matthews, who has averaged 138 games played over the last three seasons.

“My whole day is constructed around playing a baseball game,” he said. “So when you come to the ballpark and you know that you’re not going to be in the lineup because you just haven’t had the results that you need, it stinks.

“And you have one of those mornings like this morning. You kind of wake up half asleep and you just think it was a bad dream. And then you finally fully wake up and you’re like, ‘nope, not a bad dream. It’s for real. I’m hitting .240 in July.’ ”

Escobar waits

for a decision

Angels General Manager Tony Reagins and Peter Greenberg, the agent for injured right-hander Kelvim Escobar, have yet to reach an agreement over whether the pitcher’s torn labrum needs season-ending surgery.

“I would think we should know something by tomorrow,” Greenberg wrote in a text message.

Escobar, an 18-game winner last year, hasn’t pitched this season after going on the disabled list in March. He was examined by Angels orthopedist Lewis Yocum and New York Mets orthopedist David Altchek in the last week, and the two doctors were to meet in Florida to discuss their findings.

Greenberg said Escobar, who left the Angels on Sunday to consult with Altchek, is “doing OK. Patient. He’s come this far, so he is OK waiting for word from the Yocum-Altchek conference.”

No place like home

Torii Hunter did not take the team charter to Oakland on Thursday, electing to spend one more night in his home just north of Dallas. And he’ll be coming back home following the final game of the first half Sunday in Oakland.

“This is like the best week and a half ever in my career,” Hunter said.

Hunter hasn’t been home alone, though. Teammates Chone Figgins and Garret Anderson also stayed at Hunter’s home during the Angels’ four nights in Texas, waking each morning to fish in a lake on Hunter’s property.

“It’s very nice,” Figgins said of Hunter’s spread. “Usually on the road you can go to the mall and that’s about it. But . . . we’d get up in the morning and fish. Just hung out by the dock and talked.

“You don’t get to do that stuff. And for four days, it’s just nice.”

Short hops

All-Star left-hander Joe Saunders, who returned to Orange County on Wednesday to be with his pregnant wife, Shanel, is expected to throw a bullpen session today at Rancho Cucamonga before rejoining the team in Oakland on Saturday. The 12-game winner is scheduled to start the final game of the first half Sunday.

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kevin.baxter@latimes.com