BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : ANGELS : Curtis Sits, Watches, but Will He Learn?

Angel Manager Buck Rodgers, annoyed by center fielder Chad Curtis’ lack of discipline at the plate, benched him Monday in hopes he soon will understand his deficiencies.

Curtis is in a four-for-29 skid, hitting only .223 the last five weeks, but Rodgers is more aggravated with Curtis’ approach at the plate than his slump. Although Rodgers never used the word “selfish,” his point was clear.

“His approach has changed considerably,” Rodgers said. “I just don’t like what I see right now. We’re going to give him time to work things out.

“Why he’s changed and is trying to pull every ball, I don’t know. He can’t touch a curveball. He’ll be back in there (tonight), and we’ll see if he’s made any adjustments.”

Curtis, whose average has dropped nearly 60 points to .287, contends that his slump simply is a matter of trying too hard. “It’s just a mental thing,” he says, “nothing physical.”

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While the Boston Red Sox still are seething at Seattle starter Randy Johnson for his errant pitch that hit outfielder Mike Greenwell in the head Sunday afternoon, Rodgers said he has the perfect solution to end any lingering hostilities.

“If you want to stop all of this bull, bring the pitchers back to the plate and end the DH rule,” Rodgers said. “I guarantee you that will stop all of this. . . . How brave do you think the pitchers will be then?

“Let the law of the jungle take care of it.”

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Angel left fielder Luis Polonia on Randy Johnson: “Hey, I never want to face that crazy guy. You see why I sit when we face him. I’m not going to get a hit off him, anyway, so I might as well just sit and watch.”

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There was no one more excited to be at Fenway Park Monday than Angel infielder Rod Correia, who grew up in the New England area. It has been his lifetime dream to play at Fenway, he says, and to celebrate the occasion he left tickets for 50 friends and relatives.

“I spent the whole afternoon taking balls off the Green Monster,” Correia said. “It was awesome. There’s no place like it.

“I just hope I get a chance to play in one of the games.”