A.L. (Baseball).

Anaheim Angels

www.sportingnews.com/baseball/teams/angels

30-22 2nd in West

HE'S HOT: LHP Jarrod Washburn is on a roll again. He won eight consecutive decisions during one stretch last season and was on a five-game winning streak entering the week. Since going 0-2 in his first three starts to begin the season, Washburn is 5-0 with a 2.53 ERA in his last eight starts. Washburn occasionally throws a slider but throws fastballs almost exclusively. What makes Washburn tough to hit is that he changes speeds with his fastball, hitting 93 mph at times and dropping it down to about 85 or 86 mph at others. Washburn also has good movement on his fastball and often doesn't know which way it will move. It can cut, sink or tail.... The pitchers have prepared for interleague games in National League parks by hitting soft toss and taking live batting practice. They need the time in the cage to loosen up the muscles in their torsos used when swinging a bat. Washburn, with a .444 (4-for-9) career average, is the best-hitting pitcher on the club.

SEE A DIFFERENT GAME: When the team is on the road and the home team has the potential winning run on third with fewer than two outs in the ninth or in extra innings, manager Mike Scioscia goes to a five-man infield. His reasoning: A fly ball beats you anyway, so why not shrink the infield holes? On May 30, the Twins had the winning run on third base with no outs in the 10th. CF Darin Erstad moved to first base, with 1B Scott Spiezio and 2B Adam Kennedy shifting toward middle infield. The Angels got an out with a grounder to Erstad, who held the runner at third. But the strategy was foiled when the next batter hit a sacrifice fly.--Joe Haakenson

MAY GRADES

OFFENSE: A- Contributions have come from entire lineup; club hit .301 in the month.