Erstad's Struggles Take Him Out of Leadoff Spot

Summary

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There's no shortage of dead spots in the Angels lineup right now, as the club entered Monday's game averaging just 3.2 runs in its past 13 games. But Monday, manager Mike Scioscia went straight to the top in an attempt to shake his club's offensive doldrums, removing Darin Erstad as the leadoff hitter in exchange for speedy Chone Figgins.

While No. 5 Steve Finley is hitting just .187, Erstad's recent struggles have mirrored the Angels'. He had just four hits in his past 28 at- bats before Monday's game and 11 in his past 49. His batting average had fallen from .296 on April 21 to .256 entering Monday.

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Erstad's Struggles Take Him Out of Leadoff Spot

Without runners to drive in, the heart of any lineup is bound to be impotent.

"Getting guys into scoring position is where...

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