Erstad Is Set for Ankle Surgery

The Angels will be going on vacation next week. For Darin Erstad, that means going into an operating room.

After dragging an aching ankle around all season, there’s nowhere else he’d rather be if it means finally regaining his mobility.

Erstad, who will be a free agent in November, will undergo surgery next week to repair a torn ligament and shave down a bone spur in his right ankle, an injury that limited him to 40 games this season and could hinder his ability to land a guaranteed major-league contract this winter. The Angels are expected to offer Erstad a minor-league deal with an invitation to spring training.

“I’m not worried about any of that,� Erstad said Friday before the Angels shut out the Oakland Athletics at Angel Stadium for the second straight night, this time 6-0. “I just want to get healthy. Until I do, I can’t answer any of those other questions.

“It’s been so long, really since spring training, since I could run normally that your mind starts playing tricks on you. I’ve had a lot of other injuries in my career, but this was one I could not play through.�

Erstad’s season is over. Manager Mike Scioscia said there is nothing to be gained from sending his first baseman onto the field for this final series.

As for Erstad’s future in Anaheim?

“You’re never sure what the results of surgery will be,� Scioscia said. “If it dramatically helps his ankle, everything else on his body is manageable. We hope he returns.

“It’s been real tough for him. He has shown an incredible amount of dedication. He could have had the surgery a month ago. But he didn’t do it as long as we still had a chance. I wouldn’t expect anything else from Ersty. That’s the way he is.�

Erstad was strictly a late-inning defensive replacement in September. He played in 13 games and the Angels won them all.

Still, Erstad will finish this season with a .221 average, his lowest in his 11 seasons with the Angels. Erstad failed to homer this season, the first time he has come up empty in that category for the Angels, and drove in just five runs.

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The Angels had 12 hits Friday, highlighted by Chone Figgins’ first inside-the-park home run of his career. It came in the eighth inning when Oakland right fielder Hiram Bocachica slipped while trying to run down the elusive ball.

“It was a good rush,� said Figgins.

Angels right-hander Ervin Santana (16-8) shut down Oakland for seven innings, giving up all three Oakland hits. Relievers Brendan Donnelly and J.C. Romero finished with an inning apiece. Esteban Loaiza (11-9) took the loss.

Tim Salmon, stuck on 299 career home runs with retirement looming after this season-ending weekend, had to settle for two singles and a run batted in.

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Angels third base coach Dino Ebel has signed a contract for 2007. He joins the rest of the coaching staff, already returning next season.

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The Angels have named the winners of their minor-league awards. Shortstop Sean Rodriguez is player of the year, Joe Saunders is pitcher of the year and Jeff Mathis is defensive player of the year.

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Oakland Manager Ken Macha named Barry Zito and Loaiza as his starters for Oakland’s first two postseason games.

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Macha, who turned 56 Friday, still laughs about his 42nd birthday, which was also celebrated in Anaheim. Macha was then in his first season as an Angels coach.

“I walked in and there was a big birthday cake,� Macha said, “and I thought this was pretty nice.�

Good thing Macha didn’t blow out the candles. He soon discovered the cake was for someone else who had the same birth date: team owner Gene Autry.

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Times staff writer Mike DiGiovanna contributed to this report.

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