Inside The A.L. West

Sporting News, The, June 19, 2000

Who's HOT

Oakland closer Jason Isringhausen has been nearly automatic in leading the A's to the front of the A.L. West. After blowing a save May 10 at Anaheim, Isringhausen converted his next nine opportunities, allowing just one run in 13 innings (0.69 ERA).

Who's NOT

... the bodies of Anaheim's original starting rotation, unless you include time in the hot tub. Kent Bottenfield (shoulder), Ken Hill (rib cage), Jason Dickson (hip flexor) and Ramon Ortiz (shoulder) have all spent time on the D.L.

CIRCLE THE CALENDAR

The best way to increase a division lead is by beating other teams in the division. Oakland will have that chance, getting two-time defending A.L. West champion Texas at home June 27-29 and then hitting the road for series against Anaheim (June 30-July 2) and Texas (July 4-6).

Keep an eye on

Texas' outfield. The opening day outfield combo of Gabe Kapler, Ruben Mateo and Rusty Greer has played together in just six games this season. Mateo (leg) is done for the year, and Kapler (leg) and Greer (ankle) are hobbled.

High and inside

Speaking of the battered Rangers outfield, the club's replacement plan began last week with the trade for Cubs OF Dave Martinez. The team also is interested in Houston's Moises Alou and Colorado's Darren Bragg.

TSN's Wired World

Seattle DH Edgar Martinez's bat again will be lost to the starting lineup for most of the games the team plays in N.L. parks. He has been hurt twice playing the field during interleague games. For more on the M's visit:

sportingnews.com/baseball/teams/mariners

PROSPECT WATCH

Seattle RHP Jeff Heaverlo, son of former Mariners reliever Dave Heaverlo, is considered by some to have the best slider in the organization, and it's reaping early benefits--he has 66 strikeouts in 61 innings for Class A Lancaster. He doesn't have overpowering stuff as a starter, but his pitching smarts help make up for it.

Anaheim

32-29: 3rd

Stocker moves to No. 2 spot; Vaughn backs away for hits

Kevin Stocker started six straight games at shortstop last week and appears firmly entrenched in the second spot in the order, a development that allowed manager Mike Scioscia to move struggling 2B Adam Kennedy out of' the No. 2 spot and down to eighth or ninth.... LHP Scott Schoeneweis is the only pitcher from the Angels' opening day rotation who still is standing after RHP Kent Bottenfield went on the 15-day D.L. last week because of tendinitis in his throwing shoulder. Bottenfield tried to work his way through the injury, but the shoulder did not respond to treatment, and every time he neared the 70-pitch count, his arm would weaken, his shoulder slot would drop and his command would disappear.

SCOOTING REPORT: RF Tim Salmon's strength offensively is a quick and powerful swing that generates enough bat speed to hit balls out of the park to left and right field. He also has an excellent eye and has been more patient this season, parlaying 43 walks into a terrific .412 on-base percentage. Though he won't steal many bases, Salmon has good speed and is a smart baserunner. Defensively, Salmon has one of the game's best outfield arms, but his throwing motion and release--which he compares to that of a football quarterback--cause his throws to tail considerably, which leads to some inaccuracy. He has turned the running/sliding catch of the sinking liner into a routine play but sometimes has difficulty going back on balls.

SEE A DIFFERENT GAME: 1B Mo Vaughn doesn't back down from LHP Randy Johnson, but he does back away from him, and that may be why he's one of the few lefthanded hitters to have any success against Johnson (.333). Against every other pitcher, Vaughn hugs the plate so much his hands are virtually in the strike zone. But against Johnson, Vaughn sets up about 6 inches more off the plate. It makes him a little less vulnerable to the inside pitch, and against Johnson, a power fastball/slider pitcher who thrives on the inside corner, that can make a difference. --Mike DiGiovanna

TSNumber

44

Number of bases the Angels stole in their first 60 games, ranking third in the league. The Angels stole 71 bases in 1999 and did not steal their 44th base until the 114th game.

                               ANGELS

                  AVG     G    AB    R     H   HR   RBI

Erstad( )        .382    60   262   46   100   12    46
Molina           .339    46   168   21    57    2    27
Glaus            .329    61   216   50    71   18    42
Palmeiro( )      .328    37    61    8    20    0     5
Vaughn( )        .310    61   245   40    76   18    52
Salmon           .284    60   218   46    62   15    34
(*)Kennedy( )    .277    58   242   36    67    4    32
Stockert         .255    46   137   23    35    2     9
Anderson( )      .253    60   249   35    63   15    41
Spiezio(#)       .239    52   142   18    34    6    19
Gil              .201    47   139   11    28    2    10
Walbeck(#)       .197    22    66   10    13    2     4
Clemente         .174    25    46    1     8    0     2

                  OBP    SLG   SB    K   BB    E

Erstad( )        .445   .584   11   29   29    2
Molina           .358   .429    1   16    5    3
Glaus            .449   .671    8   61   47   13
Palmeiro( )      .432   .393    0    6   11    0
Vaughn( )        .380   .584    2   67   26    6
Salmon           .412   .555    0   46   43    2
(*)Kennedy( )    .320   .409   11   30   14    5
Stockert         .378   .387    1   32   25   13
Anderson( )      .273   .486    4   38    8    0
Spiezio(#)       .357   .423    1   27   26    1
Gil              .277   .302    6   32   13   13
Walbeck(#)       .221   .333    0    8    2    1
Clemente         .191   .196    0   17    0    0

GRAND SLAMS: Anderson, Kennedy (1)

                  ERA   E-L    G     IP    H    R

Percival         3.00   4-2   25   24.0   22   10
Fyhrie           3.29   0-0   10   13.2   15    5
(*)Turnbow       3.68   0-0    6    7.1    8    3
Levine           3.74   1-0   23   45.2   45   19
(*)Cooper        4.15   2-2    4   26.0   25   17
Holtz( )         4.35   0-1   17   10.1   11    6
Washburn( )      4.42   2-1    6   36.2   32   20
Schoeneweis( )   4.93   5-3   12   80.1   81   51
Hasegawa         5.35   5-1   26   35.1   50   24
(*)Etherton      5.51   0-1    3   16.1   17   10
(*)Pote          5.84   0-0   13   12.1   19    8
Weaver           6.35   0-2   15   17.0   18   14

                 ER   HR    K   BB   SV   Avg.

Percival          8    2   22   15   15   .242
Fyhrie            5    1   10    2    0   .300
(*)Turnbow        3    1    3   10    0   .286
Levine           19    5   19   22    1   .259
(*)Cooper        12    4   14    8    0   .243
Holtz( )          5    1    9    5    0   .268
Washburn( )      18    7   24   15    0   .241
Schoeneweis( )   44    8   32   28    0   .263
Hasegawa         21    8   22   15    2   .340
(*)Etherton      10    7    7    6    0   .268
(*)Pote           8    3    8    5    0   .365
Weaver           12    4    8   15    0   .261