A.L. reports

Sporting News, The, May 17, 2004

ANAHEIM ANGELS 1B Darin Erstad (hamstring) was placed on the 15-day D.L. Sunday, and he could be out for a while. To replace him, the team called up 1B Casey Kotchman from Class AA. This is the fourth time in his career Erstad has been on the D.L. because of a hamstring injury.... LHP Jarrod Washburn, who entered the week with a 5.14 ERA, is winning because of huge run support. Look for him to get better as the season goes on. He has shown much better late life on his fastball than he did last season. SEE A DIFFERENT GAME: RHP Francisco Rodriguez, a setup man, is frustrating hitters because of a different approach he began using during winter ball: Throw strikes, and don't worry about the rest. He has quit trying to hit corners early in counts. Now he's getting ahead early and finishing hitters off with his devastating slider. SCOUTING REPORT:. Kotchman, who's 21 and the son of Angels rookie league manager Tom Kotchman, hits for average, is disciplined at the plate and is developing power. He batted .368 with three home runs, 18 RBIs and a .438 on-base percentage this season in the Texas League. His defense has also been strong. The knocks on him: He is not very fast, and he has been prone to injury.--Doug Miller

BALTIMORE ORIOLES RHP Sidney Ponson is struggling in his first year as the team's ace, leaving some in the organization to wonder whether he's prepared for the responsibility. Ponson is having the problems with focus and command that he did when he was younger.... Though SS Miguel Tejada is hitting for average, he is not producing as expected with runners in scoring position. Tejada has been a clutch hitter in the past but likely is pressing in his first weeks with the new club. SEE A DIFFERENT GAME: 1B Rafael Palmeiro has burned teams with opposite field hits, and he has seen fewer shift defenses. The shift was a key reason he struggled last season, when he hit .260. He was batting .299 entering this week. SCOUTING REPORT: RF Jay Gibbons has the potential to hit 30 homers and drive in 100 runs, but he must overcome some glaring weaknesses. Gibbons, a lefthanded hitter, has a hole in his swing when he is pitched outside, and he chases those pitches. He must hit to the opposite field more often because when he tries to pull outside pitches, he bounces to second base. Gibbons realizes he has to sacrifice power to hit for average but hasn't succeeded this season.--Gary Washburn

BOSTON RED SOX As valuable as SS Nomar Garciaparra (Achilles') is, the team has missed RF Trot Nixon (herniated disk) even more. Nixon crushes righthanded pitching, and the Sox's offense hasn't found a consistent rhythm.... Manager Terry Francona moved 3B Bill Mueller, a switch hitter, from second in the batting order to eighth, where Mueller put up his best numbers in 2003. Mueller is one the rare players who can hit anywhere in the order.... Francona made an early imprint as the manager when he gave the players a pep talk after the team lost its fifth straight game in early May. The veterans were impressed that he stayed positive in a tough time. SEE A DIFFERENT GAME: The Red Sox drive opposing pitchers crazy with a patient offense. They work counts and increase the opposing starter's pitch count. The leadoff hitter, CF Johnny Damon, seems to foul balls off at will. Mueller, 2B Mark Bellhorn and LF Manny Ramirez rarely swing at bad pitches. SCOUTING REPORT: RHP Derek Lowe throws sinker after sinker. When his sinker is in top form, hitters can't help but beat it into the ground. Every now and then, he will mix in a cutter, curve or changeup. But he pretty much dares you to hit his best pitch. Lowe also is fiercely competitive.--Ian Browne

CHICAGO WHITE SOX RHP Dan Wright's lack of command and drop in velocity cost him the fifth starter's spot. He'll attempt to regain his spring training form in Class AAA. When the team needs a No. 5 starter, RHP Felix Diaz is the leading candidate.... RHP Billy Koch still has the closer's job. Despite the jams Koch has created with walks, he has managed to get outs when he has to.... CF Aaron Rowand is losing playing time to get Perez against righthanded pitchers, but that's part of the team's plan to get Perez off the bench for extended stretches. Rowand remains the starter and feels good about his offensive approach, despite a recent drop in average. SEE DIFFERENT GAME: Manager Ozzie Guillen has brought the N.L. style that helped Florida win the World Series to Chicago. Guillen advocates bunting--even early in the game--to advance runners, taking the extra base and manufacturing runs instead of waiting for a big hit. SCOUTING REPORT: A 15-year veteran, C Sandy Alomar Jr. serves as an extra pitching coach and helps starting C Miguel Olivo call a better game by supplying him with tendencies for each hurler. Alomar still has a strong arm and a solid bat, but he is content with a supporting role.--Scott Merkin

CLEVELAND INDIANS LF Matt Lawton's improved conditioning has turned his game around, lie has been faster this season, and his bat is much quicker through the zone. He has become the player the club envisioned when it traded for him three years ago.... The Indians are keeping an eye on RHP Bobby Howry, a veteran free agent who signed with the club and is in Class AAA. He has experience, and the club might want to add him to its troubled bullpen. SEE A DIFFERENT GAME: CF Coco Crisp's speed could have him hitting at the top of the lineup, but he can't seem to flatten his swing enough to slap the ball around the field, which a speedy leadoff hitter needs to do. The team hopes work with hitting coach Eddie Murray will help. Crisp must improve his on-base percentage; a better command of the strike zone and a level swing would help. SCOUTING REPORT: C Victor Martinez's bat looks as good as advertised, but he has problems with his throwing mechanics, and baserunners take too many liberties with him. The club is working on his footwork and release, but progress has been slow. His weakness against basestealers is hurting the pitching staff.--Justice B. Hill