BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : ANGELS : Salmon Lets Bat Do His Talking

Rookie right fielder Tim Salmon doesn’t read newspapers, couldn’t care less about the accolades, and frankly wonders what all the fuss is about.

So what if USA Today selected Seattle Mariner second baseman Rich Amaral as its first-half rookie of the year, even though his statistics are inferior to Salmon’s?

So what if Salmon finished 25th in the All-Star balloting among American League outfielders, continuing the Angels’ seven-year streak of not having a player selected to start the All-Star game?

Just let him keep stepping to the plate in the ninth inning, Salmon says, and he’ll let everything else take care of itself.

Salmon is batting .273 with 15 homers and 53 runs batted in. Amaral is batting .278 with one homer and 25 RBIs.

“If I don’t win (rookie-of-the-year honors), it won’t take away from what I’ve done this season,” Salmon said. “I’ve got more important things to worry about.”

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American League President Bobby Brown said he has ruled on the dispute involving third baseman Kelly Gruber between the Angels and Toronto Blue Jays, but declined to reveal his decision.

Brown said he mailed his decision to the Angels and Toronto, and that he’ll let the clubs announce the decision, which is likely to come today.

The Angels acquired Gruber from the Blue Jays on Dec. 6, 1992 for infielder Luis Sojo, and the Blue Jays agreed to pay $1.7 million of Gruber’s $4 million salary this season. However, Gruber was diagnosed with a torn rotator cuff and underwent surgery Feb. 17. He was activated June 4, but played only 18 games before returning to the disabled list.

The Angels filed an official protest with the league office asking for the Blue Jays to pay Gruber’s salary while he remains on the disabled list.