10B
SPORTS
》 MLB
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WEDNESDAY MARCH 14, 2002
Angels rock Royals pitching staff for 11 runs, 13 hits
ASSOCIATED PRESS
SURPRISE, Ariz. — The neck- and-neck battle for backup outfield spots seems to change not every day for the Los Angeles Angels, but every at bat.
In an 11-4 victory against Kansas City on Monday, Tommy Murphy, Jeff Mathis and Erick Aybar combined for six hits, three home runs and six RBI.
"There's depth there on the outfield side," said manager Mike Scioseia.
"I don't know if you're going to say there's a lead dog because you could handicap them every day and one guy might be a little ahead of the others depending on what's going on.
But they're all showing they can play the game. We saw the pop in Tommy Murphy's bat."
Murphy,
in right field,
raised his spring
average to 321
and drove in
three runs with
a fielder's choice
grounder and a
two-run home
run. Mathis had
two home runs
and three RBI
while Aybar
just missing some squared them up
"I'm ready for anything that happens. Starting, relieving, I don't care.Either one.Last year I did both"
went 2-for-4 and scored two runs.
HECTOR CARRASCO Angels pitcher
"It's good to see left come out and swing the bat," said Scioscia. "He's been swinging the bat well but
pitches. Today he and had a good day. It's got to be a confidence builder for him.
"A guy like Aybar, he just gets hits. The depth is there."
Earlier in the day, alley starters Jered Weaver and Bartolo Colon both threw 45 pitches in a bullpen session and looked good. It's still too early to know if they'll be ready for the opening of the season, but Hector Carrasco, who could fill in
for either one, threw four strong innings against Kansas City, giving up four hits and no runs and striking out three.
"They tell me they are going to stretch me out here because they don't know if those guys are going to be ready," Carrasco said. "I'm ready for anything that happens. Starting, relieving I don't care. Either one. Last year I did both. I hope those guys get ready fast. Colon and Weaver, we need those guys."
Chris Carlson/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Kansas City Royals second baseman Esteban German can't get a glove on a base hit by Los Angeles Angels Chone Figgins during the fourth inning of their spring training baseball game in Tempe, Aniz, Tuesday.