ANGELS NOTEBOOK: SCIOSCIA DENIES CLAIMS ANGELS ARE STEALING SIGNS.

Byline: Joe Haakenson Staff Writer

ANAHEIM - Angels manager Mike Scioscia responded Sunday to accusations by Toronto Blue Jays manager Carlos Tosca that Angels baserunners on second base were stealing signs from Blue Jays catcher Greg Myers during Saturday night's game.

Tosca specifically noted the seventh and eighth innings, when the Blue Jays had Kelvim Escobar pitching. Escobar repeatedly shook off signs from Myers, prompting a few meetings on the mound.

At various times in the seventh and eighth innings, the Angels had Troy Glaus, Adam Kennedy and David Eckstein on second base.

``There are teams around the league, and this team (Angels) is probably one of them, that is trying to steal signs from second base,'' Tosca said.

Scioscia seemed to take the claim as a compliment.

``Sign stealing's been in this game for 150 years, as long as we've been playing this game,'' he said. ``I don't think it's an issue. We're not getting anything from those guys, but if they would like to give us something, we'll certainly take it.''

As a former big-league catcher himself, Scioscia said it's the catcher's responsibility to make sure he isn't tipping off anything to the baserunner on second base, who can relay that information to the batter.

``As a catcher, you have the whole vision of what the runner at second is doing,'' he said. ``The biggest thing you want to do is avoid giving away location by moving too early. You have to be creative with your signals, especially with all the videotape nowadays. You're always going to need to be flexible and change up your signs.

``If a team is stealing signs from second base, you always have your sensors out to see if it's happening. The bottom line is that it's part of the game and if a team's going to give you something, you should take it.''

--Progress: Center fielder Darin Erstad did some running in the outfield before Sunday's game, though not at full speed. Erstad has been out since April 19 with tendinitis in his lower-right hamstring tendon.

``He picked it up today and it felt good,'' Scioscia said. ``He moved it up as far as from what he did the other day, so that's good.''

Erstad will go with the team on the upcoming trip to New York and Boston, but he isn't expected to be activated from the disabled list to play in any of the games. It's more a case of putting him in a better situation to increase his baseball-related workouts.

There is no timetable for Erstad's return.

``It's been three weeks (since Erstad played last),'' Scioscia said. ``We're getting to a point where we should be able to find out soon (when Erstad can play again).''

--Odds and ends: Reliever Scot Shields left the team to be with family in Florida after the death of his grandfather. Shields is expected to rejoin the team Tuesday in New York. ... Reliever Brendan Donnelly threw a scoreless ninth inning Sunday, running his scoreless-innings streak to start the season to 20 innings, breaking the club record set by Lee Smith (19 1/3 innings) in 1995. ... Third baseman Troy Glaus hurt his left shoulder diving to his left for a line drive hit by Dave Berg in the fourth inning Sunday. Glaus stayed in the game after he was checked out on the field by trainer Ned Bergert. ... The Angels are off today, then will begin a six-game trip to New York and Boston starting Tuesday. Last year on the road against those teams in the regular season the Angels were 1-2 against the Yankees and 2-2 against the Red Sox. The Angels split two games in Yankee Stadium in the American League Division Series.