Angels Classic Rewind | Dateline: April 7th, 2002

ARLINGTON, Tex. — Tim Salmon didn’t blink when he saw Saturday’s lineup, which showed he was the designated hitter instead of his normal spot in right field. But it wasn’t as easy to shrug off when it happened again Sunday.

Though Sunday’s game against the Texas Rangers was rained out and it never actually happened, Salmon was left to wonder why.

”I guess Garret (Anderson) and Darin (Erstad) fought harder than I did,” Salmon said of his fellow outfielders. ”I guess Garret and Darin didn’t want to do it.” Salmon said he talked with manager Mike Scioscia about it.

”He said, ‘It’s your’s,’ ” Salmon said. ”I said, ‘What about the other guys?’ He said  they didn’t want to do it.”

Salmon was the DH Saturday as Orlando Palmeiro started in right field. Sunday, Jeff DaVanon was listed in the lineup as the right fielder.

”Tim handles DH better,” Scioscia said. ”I think DaVanon’s more comfortable in right field (than the other outfield spots). And I think Timmy’s still battling that knee a tad. If there’s an opportunity to get him off his feet, we’ll take it.”

Salmon was hit by a pitch on his right knee during spring training, but said his knee is fine. Asked if he was concerned about back-to-back games as a DH, Salmon said he wasn’t.

”No, because those guys will get their days,” he said.

Salmon has a .285 career average as a DH, where Erstad has hit .338 at DH and Anderson .323. But Salmon has more experience as a DH than the others. Because of a foot problem, Salmon spent nearly all of the 1998 season as the DH. He has 613 career at-bats as a DH, compared to 154 for Erstad and 127 for Anderson.

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Troy Glaus lounged on a couch in the visiting clubhouse at The Ballpark in Arlington Sunday morning, watching the Yankees and Devil Rays play on the big screen. He was in no hurry to get ready for the game, considering it was supposed to be the first day of his two-game suspension, a result of his charging the mound March 9 against the Padres.

Because Sunday’s game was rained out, Glaus will miss the first two games of the series against the Mariners, starting Monday in Anaheim.

Considering it’s the Mariners and considering Glaus has three homers in the past two games, the timing isn’t good.

”Any time you lose Troy, it’s not good timing,” Scioscia said. ”Hopefully in the next couple of days we can get the roster together.”

Going into Sunday, Glaus was tied for the league lead with three homers and led the league with nine RBI.

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Sunday’s game was supposed to be Scott Spiezio‘s opening day, having served his five-game suspension for his role in the fight with the Padres. Because of the rainout, he must wait for Monday’s game to finally get into a game.

”I had all these festivities planned for opening day,” Spiezio joked. ”I was going to have a Cesna fly-by and Morganna was going to show up and kiss me.”

Sunday’s rainout will be made up the next time the Angels visit Texas, June 24-27. What was scheduled to be a four-game series will now be a five-game series in four days, including a double-header on one of the days.

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The Angels open a four-game series against the defending American League West champion Mariners Monday at Edison Field. The Angels lost 15 of 19 against the Mariners last season, including eight of nine in Anaheim.

”We’re going to play our game,” center fielder Darin Erstad said. ”No question they are a great team. We can’t change what’s happened in the past. But we’re concerned about what we have to do. We have to play our game no matter who we’re playing.

”I’m a firm believer in being up for every game no matter who you’re playing. It’s why the Yankees are so good. They bury the teams they’re supposed to beat and they usually beat the good teams. You want to be on the same level and not have letdowns.”

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Angels pitching coach Bud Black left the team Sunday to be with his mother, who is ill. It is not known whether or not Black will be back with the team for Monday’s game.