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Erstad for MVP? Angels vouch for left fielder's all-around value
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -- Quietly, Darin Erstad goes about his daily chores: piling up hits, driving in runs, stealing bases and making spectacular catches. "He's at that level where he's one of the best all-around players in the game," Anaheim teammate Mo Vaughn says. Angels manager Mike Scioscia thinks Erstad is having an MVP season. "I know he's not going to get a lot of ink back East, and if you look at pure numbers, there are some guys with better numbers," he said. "But when you talk about the whole package, and what a guy's done over the course of a season and what he's meant to a ballclub, Darin Erstad is head and shoulders above any other candidate." Entering Thursday, Erstad led the majors with 216 hits. He was third in AL batting at .355 with 106 runs and 27 stolen bases. He had 23 homers and, despite hitting leadoff, had 94 RBIs to give him a chance to become the first leadoff hitter in major league history to drive in 100 runs. In his fourth full season, the 26-year-old outfielder has a shot at rewriting a string of Angels' records, including hits, average and total bases. He also has a chance to become the first in club history to total more than 200 hits, 100 runs and 100 RBIs in a year. His outstanding season has helped the pitching-strapped Angels contend in the AL West. "I think what he's accomplishing has been remarkable," Scioscia said. "It certainly shows the level he can play at, and what can happen when an athlete applies himself as much as Darin has over the last three or four years. "He's one of those guys who makes a lineup go and makes everyone around him better." Erstad, 6-foot-2 and 212 pounds, was a kicker on the Nebraska football team that won the 1994 national title. He was an Academic All-Big Eight in football and baseball. "There aren't many players who put together his athletic ability with his drive to succeed. When you do, you get a special player," Scioscia said. This intensity started early. "My parents tell stories about how much I hated to lose when I was a kid. I would cry and throw tantrums," said Erstad, smiling as he sat in front of his locker. "I always hated to lose, regardless of what it was, even when the family was playing Yahtzee. "I've gotten better about it, but I don't think there's any danger of my ever becoming complacent about losing." Scioscia points to a new level of confidence and patience in Erstad. "I think he understands that every play does not turn out to be life and death," he said. "He can be intense, but he also is able to let things go." And he's also considerably more outgoing. "He's learned to talk and play at the same time," Vaughn said. "That's when you can enjoy what you're doing. The first three or four years up here, you're just trying to make your name and do what you have to do. "But then, once you learn to be consistent, you can enjoy it and smile and have fun with it. So he's going to get better at that as he gets older. By the time he's a 10-year veteran, he'll probably be the team comedian - and a great player at the same time.' Erstad made his second All-Star appearance this year. But he insists he still works just as hard. He also remains humble, often mentioning he hit .253 in 1999. "This is a guy who really worked hard in the offseason and tried to develop some things," Angels hitting coach Mickey Hatcher said. "What he did in spring training and what he told me that he wanted to do, he accomplished." Then there's his fielding, often overshadowed by his bat. "I can guarantee you there's nobody in this league who doesn't think Darin Erstad's the best left fielder in the league," Scioscia said. Adds Vaughn: "If it's in the ballpark, he's going to catch it." Erstad reminds Scioscia of another player from not long ago -- Kirk Gibson. "That blend of talent, with an intense drive to succeed that goes beyond what most players possess," the Angels' manager said. And if Erstad hasn't got full recognition, Vaughn predicts that will change. "He's going to start getting his due," he said.
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