There’s Not Much There, but There’s a Lot of It

Manager Terry Collins might not have quality starting pitching at the moment, but he certainly has quantity. The performances of Matt Perisho and Kevin Gross this week left the Angels with six starters and a decision to make.

Chuck Finley will start today with Allen Watson going against the Texas Rangers on Monday, followed by Dennis Springer on Tuesday.

“We’ll wait until Monday before deciding who will pitch Wednesday,” Collins said. “We’ll see then how everything matches up.”

Either Springer, Perisho or Gross will be the odd man out. Springer, though, doesn’t appear to be headed to the bullpen.

“He hasn’t had very good success in the bullpen,” Collins said.

The easy move would have been to send Perisho, 22, back to the minors. Until Thursday, that is, when he pitched 6 1/3 innings, giving up two runs.

“I think it got me another chance,” said Perisho, who is 0-2 with a 6.41 earned-run average since being called up from double-A Midland.

“They haven’t said anything to me about their plans, and I’m probably better off not knowing.”

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Collins got an up-close look at Troy Glaus, the Angels’ top draft pick. Glaus, the third player selected, worked out at Anaheim Stadium on Friday and Saturday.

“He’s got legitimate power,” Collins said. “He’s got some juice.”

When Glaus will be using it to help the Angel organization has yet to be determined. Former Angel Doug DeCinces, who is representing Glaus, said the two sides were close.

“But we’ve been close since the day of the draft,” DeCinces said.

Glaus is expected to sign for about $2 million, which will led to a second decision--where to play him? Glaus is projected as a third baseman, but would prefer to remain a shortstop.

“You’re more into the game as a shortstop,” Glaus said. “You have less responsibilities at third base. It’s less intense.

“All I want is the opportunity to play shortstop. Then, if it happens that I end up somewhere else, that’s fine.”

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Garret Anderson has been more than an adequate replacement in center field while Jim Edmonds nurses various injuries.

“Center field was all I played until I got into professional baseball,” said Anderson, who robbed Oakland’s Mark McGwire of a home run Saturday.

“People said I didn’t have the speed to play center field. But it’s not what people say you can’t do at this level, it’s what you do at this level when you get here. I’ve seen a lot of fast center fielders overrun balls.”

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It hasn’t reached epidemic proportions--yet--but the Angel flu bug claimed catcher/first baseman Jim Leyritz, who sat out Saturday night’s game.