May 10, 2006

Chigaco, Ill. - Former Citadel baseball standout Dallas McPherson was recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake to the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday after the Major-League club placed Casey Kotchman on the 15-day disabled list. McPherson started at first base on Tuesday against the Chicago White Sox, marking the fifth different player at the position for the Angels this season and McPherson's first appearance at first base at the Major-League level.

McPherson has played first five times this season at Salt Lake and played once there this spring, but he was not called up for his defense. McPherson recently put together a streak in which he homered in four straight games with the Triple-A club. And despite McPherson's 49 strikeouts in 102 Minor League at-bats, the club is looking for someone to add punch to a lineup that was hitting .205 on its current road trip entering Tuesday.

"We need to generate some offense," manager Mike Scioscia said. "We'll definitely give Mac a look and see if he is going to carry what he's been doing in the Minor Leagues up here." McPherson is realistic about his return to the Angels. He struggled at times last season and has yet to consistently show the power at the big-league level that prompted the Angels to let Troy Glaus go via free agency after the 2004 season.

He's been looking at video of his swing from the 2004 season, when he hit 40 homers in two Minor League stops, to unlock some answers.

"I have to keep my strikeouts down and keep my walks up, but it is going to be a challenge," McPherson said. "I don't think I'm expected to be the savior of the team and I don't expect to be. I'll bat the ball around a little bit and let everything take care of itself. I'll just try to get back to some basic fundamentals with my swing."

McPherson was first called up to the Angels on Sept. 6, 2004 and made his Major-League debut on Sept. 10, 2004 versus the White Sox as a pinch-runner in the seventh inning. His first Major-League start came at third base on Sept. 20 against the Seattle Mariners where he batted 3-for-3 with a double and an RBI. McPherson played in 16 games with the club in 2004, including the Angels' three postseason contests against Boston. He tallied a .279 average, including a double, three home runs and six RBI.

In 2005, injuries limited McPherson to only 61 games. He opened the season in Salt Lake and was called up on April 18. In his 61 contests with the Angels, McPherson hit .244 (50/205) with eight home runs and 22 RBI, while 18 of his last 31 hits were for extra-bases. McPherson was placed on the 15-day disabled list on July 8 and had a short rehab stint at single-A Rancho Cucamonga (Aug. 3- 7), before opting for surgery on his left hip.

McPherson is currently listed second on the Angels' active depth chart at first behind Robb Quinlan. The Angels will play game two of their three-game series against the White Sox on Wednesday, May 10 at 8:05 p.m. in Chicago.