Troy Story

With Glaus doing damage from the sixth spot in the lineup, the Angels led the league at week's end in batting average and were sixth in runs, a drastic turnaround from finishing last and next-to-last, respectively, in those categories last season. Still, they've been outscored by opponents largely because of an injury-riddled pitching staff that has already pressed 19 pitchers into service. The net result has been an amazingly consistent level of mediocrity.

Still, says Glaus, "It's like night and day from last year. The two coaching staffs just do things differently. I don't need to be told when I make a mistake. I don't need to be cursed at. I know when I make a mistake, and I'm not trying to make a mistake. These guys are just so positive. Obviously, winning helps."

Let the Angels' 12-5 pasting of the Dodgers last Friday night stand as a good example of how Glaus is sneaking up on stardom. He slammed three hits (including two doubles), stole a base, knocked in or scored a total of five runs and then repaired to the clubhouse weight room for muscle maintenance. He stayed there until all the reporters left without getting even the most innocuous quote from the overlooked star of the game. How does he do it? The answer, he found in March, is simple.