ANGLES REPORT-5/30

Latest team info
This is the team that Angles fans have been waiting for. They have been playing the best baseball of the season. After starting the season 6-14 the Angels have picked that up and are now are only three games behind the all mighty Seattle Mariners. They are in the tick of things now and have a shot to make the playoffs, if they can keep up the good play.
They are averaging over five runs a game and letting less then four runs a game. This pick up is due to the fact that Tim Salmon, Darin Erstad, and Brad Fullmer began to hit the ball and hit it hard.
Shortstop David Eckstein and second baseman Adam Kennedy has been very solid defensively up the middle. The key to the Angels success has been the great all around pitching. The staff as a whole has a 3.86 ERA, and that’s third best in the American League.
Darin Erstad is playing to his 2000 form. Instead of leading off like he did in 2000, he is batting in the number two spot. In the beginning of this season Erstad was batting .242. After an injury in which he missed seven games he has been hitting .347. At this point in the season his batting average is a strong .307. He has most recently had a 10-game hitting streak broken.
Troy Glaus is up to his normal self. He is ahead of is career batting average and he is driving in runs at an incredible rate. At the rate at which he is driving in runs, he will drive in 149 runs. At this point of the season he is the top player at his position and will be starting the All Star Game at 3rd base.

Injuries
The Angels activated INF Benji Gil from the 15-day disabled list May 30 after sending INF Alfredo Amezaga to Triple-A Salt Lake the day before.

On the Farm
With the draft coming up it is interesting to see what kind of talent the Angels go after. Anaheim vice president and general manager Bill Stoneman doesn't usually give away much information, but when questioned about his team's plans for the 2002 draft, he answers with no hesitation. The Angels plan on going after the best player available at the time in their pick, which is at number 12. Three of the first four Angels selections in the 2001 draft were high school players so do not be surprised if they go young in this draft also. The one area the Angels might not go after is pitching. That is a very deep part of their farm system.
At the 12th pick the Angels can go after a player like outfielder Jeremy Hermida from Wheeler High in Marietta, Ga. He has risen up charts because of his reputation as a pure left-handed hitter. Also the fact that he's 6-foot-3 and 180 and was an early Clemson signee helps his draft status.

Quick Views
ADD- Tim Salmon is batting .246, which is not good. He does have 8 home runs and 32 RBI’s. He has been on a tear lately and if you have room on your roster for him, then take him. Benji Gil is off the DL and will get to see some time on the field. Time might be limited due to the fact that everyone is hitting, but they will get him at bats. David Eckstein plays every day and he will score runs and is on pace to steal 40 bases.

DROP- NONE, every one seems to be ok and they are on a hot streak.