Brunansky Makes Big Hit When He and Friend Meet

Tom Brunansky remembers how his seven-year friendship with Angel pitcher Mike Witt first got off the ground.

That was in 1978, when Witt was compiling a 14-0 record with Servite High School in Anaheim and Brunansky was setting batting records at West Covina High. The two met in the CIF playoffs that spring and Witt’s first pitch to Brunansky sent the hitter sprawling.

“We faced each other on just one at-bat in high school,” Brunansky recalled, “and he threw one right at my head. It was one of those big curveballs of Mike’s. You just didn’t see curves like that in high school.”

Brunansky didn’t know how to react to it--and he sure wasn’t about to wait around to see if this breaking ball was really going to break--so he bailed out. Brunansky then got up, dusted himself off, dug in and nubbed another Witt curveball for an infield single.

They had succeeded in catching one another’s attention. The respect was mutual and immediate.

Later, they were to become high Angel draft selections, minor league teammates and major league roommates--until a 1982 trade sent Brunansky to what was then regarded as the American League’s answer to Siberia, the Minnesota Twins, supposedly never to be heard from again.

Well, it didn’t exactly work out that way. Times do change, and the Twins did actually contend for a pennant last season. Brunansky was a major reason why, hitting 32 home runs and driving in 85 runs.

Witt, too, encountered some fast times in 1984 at Anaheim. He closed out his best major league season ever with a perfect-game victory over the Texas Rangers on the final day of the regular season.

And so, there was more than a little drama surrounding Brunansky’s confrontation with Witt in the eighth inning of Tuesday’s 1985 opener at Anaheim Stadium. The score was tied, 1-1, and the Twins had two runners on base with two outs.

Witt hadn’t given Brunansky anything to hit through their first three encounters of the evening. Brunansky grounded to shortstop in the first inning, walked in the fourth and struck out in the sixth.

This was one hitter Witt had the book on.

But, in the eighth inning, as Brunansky put it: “Mike made his first mistake of the night.” Witt got a fastball up and in on Brunansky and the buddy system--and the baseball--took a pounding.

Brunansky sent the pitch hooking inside the left-field foul pole for a three-run home run that broke open a game the Twins would eventually win, 6-2.

The earliest of returns are in, and if you’re scoring it, 1985 so far reads: Brunansky 1, Witt 0.

Afterward, Brunansky expressed a little empathy for Witt. But only a little.

“Mike and I go back a long ways,” Brunansky said. “We’re a lot closer than most people think. We were enemies in high school up until we signed with the Angels and then we were roommates for two years.

“We’re still close. But when you step on the white lines, he’s an Angel and I’m a Twin. There will be times when I’ll get him and there’ll be times when he gets me. I knew that in that situation tonight, one of us would wind up consoling the other.”

Of course, when it comes to hitting Angel pitchers, Brunansky doesn’t discriminate. He’ll hit friend and foe alike.

Last year, Brunansky batted .314 with five home runs and 11 RBIs against his former teammates. His home run Tuesday was the ninth of his career against the Angels.

“It’s always exciting to do well here,” Brunansky said. “I’ll always think of Anaheim as home. My family and friends are here, this was my first major league team.

“But I’m with the Twins now and I’m glad I’m a Twin.”

So, to Mike Witt, Brunansky would say it’s nothing personal. Friendships in baseball sometimes go this route.

“Mike and I are still close friends,” Brunansky said. He paused and then broke into a smile. “Well, tomorrow we will be.”