ANGELS SWING FREELY LINEUP SHOWS LITTLE PATIENCE AT THE PLATE.

Byline: Gabe Lacques Staff Writer

OAKLAND - The Angels are loaded with power and speed and players who are not afraid to take aggressive, early-count swings or risky chances on the bases.

But as they develop an offensive personality with a revamped lineup, the Angels must also strike a tricky balance between embracing their identity and not making it too easy on opposing starting pitchers.

``With Anaheim, their approach means they could hit a few more pitches,'' Texas Rangers starter Ryan Drese said. ``But they could also swing at more bad ones.''

It is early in the season, a time when pitchers often don't last deep into ballgames because they are on shortened pitch counts. But nine games in, the Angels already have seen their share of decent, but not dominant, opposing starters breeze into the late innings.

On Opening Day, Drese needed just 87 pitches to work seven innings. The next night, Kenny Rogers expended just 71 pitches in six innings. Kansas City rookie Denny Bautista rolled through eight innings on 101 pitches, and two days later journeyman left-hander Brian Anderson worked three batters into the seventh inning on just 82 pitches.

The Angels, who lost three of those four games, are aware of this trend. They practically embrace it, as the organization stresses an aggressive offensive approach that's the antithesis of tonight's opponent, the Oakland Athletics, who preach power and patience.

The Angels rank 27th in the major leagues in pitches seen per plate appearance, and they have forced opponents to throw a total of 23,071 pitches, compared to 25,163 for Oakland and 25,621 for Boston, the top two teams in baseball in that category.

The Angels think they can make up the sweat deficit through aggressive baserunning that pressures the opposing club, but they also realize their plate aggressiveness must be monitored.

For a club that finished last season tied for the league lead in batting average but was last in walks, balance often is elusive, a trend that apparently will continue.

``We walk that fine line at times where we don't make the pitchers work enough,'' said Darin Erstad, the first baseman and leadoff hitter. ``It's tough to have the best of both worlds.''

Their offseason moves might have made even more free-swinging. Noted hacker Jose Guillen left the team, but so did third baseman Troy Glaus, one of their more disciplined hitters, who has two 100-walk seasons.

The exchange of David Eckstein for Orlando Cabrera will provide better power and defense at shortstop, but Cabrera also tends to make pitchers work less. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Cabrera sees 180 fewer pitches a year than Eckstein, based on a 600-plate-appearance season.

The season's first week showed the positives and negatives of Cabrera's free-swinging nature. On April 6, Texas closer Francisco Cordero entered the game with the bases loaded and the Angels down a run. After taking a ball, Cabrera swung at the next pitch and popped out, drawing boos from the Angel Stadium crowd.

Five days later, in a tie game in the 10th inning, he jumped on the first pitch from reliever R.A. Dickey and hit a home run.

A fair trade-off?

``You swing early in the count, it's in your zone, that's good hitting,'' Erstad said. ``Orlando got a pitch in the zone and did damage.''

That's just one reason why the Angels won't limit their aggressive style, particularly with free-swinging AL MVP Vladimir Guerrero in the lineup.

``They have their share of disciplined hitters. And they have a lot of free-swingers,'' said Texas shortstop Michael Young. ``But they're mostly just flat-out good hitters. They shouldn't change a thing.''

Gabe Lacques, [phone]

gabe.lacques(at)sgvn.com

CAPTION(S):

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Photo:

Vladimir Guerrero is one of several free-swinging hitters in the Angels' lineup.

Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images

Box:

(1) ANGELS at OAKLAND

- Gabe Lacques

(2) PRACTICING IMPATIENCE

(3) ANGELS at OAKLAND