American League / Ross Newhan : Beniquez’s Batting Stance Is a Hit With Grich

Having hit .305 and .336 during the last two seasons, Juan Beniquez has said that he sometimes wonders what it will take to play regularly for the Angels.

Recently, however, Beniquez has at least been getting some vicarious satisfaction out of the work of Bobby Grich.

It has been chronicled how Grich, discouraged with his .217 batting average and impressed with the way Beniquez was making consistent contact, decided between games of a doubleheader last Aug. 14 in Detroit to dump his own stance and adopt the style used by Beniquez.

Grich has since been among the game’s most consistent and successful hitters.

He batted .323 and drove in 30 runs in 43 games after making the adjustment last year, he hit .481 in spring training, and has opened the new season by going 5 for 17, that’s .294.

Playing a numbers game, Grich has hit .361 (73 for 202) in 68 games since making the change. He has driven in 39 runs and struck out only 29 times or once every seven at-bats.

The six-time All-Star, 36, said he is seeing the ball better than ever and that his confidence may be at an all-time high.

“As far as a percentage stroke, this is probably the best I’ve ever had, and the best I’ve ever felt,” he said.

“I can’t use it to hit with the power I did in ’74 (when he hit 19 home runs) or ’79 (when he had a career-high 30) or the second half of ’81 (when he hit 16), but I really feel I have a chance to make good contact every time. I’m not striking out. I’m not fouling off many pitches.

“The balls I am fouling off are the pitchers’ pitches that I would probably have missed entirely before.”

Grich has changed batting stances frequently during a 14-year career. He may take a patent on this one, though. The inventor doesn’t get to use it that often.

The litigants in the bitter battle between the Angels and city of Anaheim over proposed changes in the parking area at Anaheim Stadium may ultimately have to get the opinion of Tom Brunansky, Minnesota right fielder, since he owns the Big A.

In 20 games there since the Angels traded him to the Twins for Doug Corbett and Rob Wilfong May 11, 1982, Brunansky has batted .316 on 24 hits in 76 at-bats. He has scored 16 runs in the 20 games, hit 7 homers and driven in 19 runs.

Brunansky lives in nearby Walnut and attended West Covina High. He said the chance to play before family and friends--and the opportunity to remind the Angels that they may have made a mistake--tends to accelerate his adrenaline flow.

“It’s tough for me to control my excitement when I play in Anaheim,” he said.

“I have to constantly tell myself to relax, that I can’t try to over-achieve.”

He is obviously not getting the message.

Brunansky was not the only Twin excited by his return to the Big A.

Rookie left-hander Curt Wardle, 24, jumped to the Twins’ bullpen after compiling a 6-1 record with 17 saves last season at Double-A Orlando. Wardle, who attended Norco High and UC Riverside, said he sat with a friend in the Anaheim Stadium parking lot for 30 minutes before the Tuesday night season opener.

“I couldn’t believe I really made it, that I was really in the big leagues,” Wardle told Rick Weinberg of the Riverside Press-Enterprise.

“It was really an unbelievable feeling, looking at the stadium and realizing I wasn’t paying to see the players, that people were paying to see me.

“I remember coming here as a kid a hundred times. The Angels were my team. I loved watching (Frank) Tanana. It doesn’t seem too long ago that my buddies and I came here, went up to the top tier, pounded down some beer and yelled and screamed.”

Wardle shook off his excitement and made two impressive appearances against the Angels.

If he can help Ron Davis with some of his relief load, he may ultimately pound down some champagne.

Tom Seaver’s Opening-Day victory for the Chicago White Sox represented a change of pace. Seaver presented the White Sox bullpen with six leads and a tie last year. The bullpen blew them all.

This one--Seaver’s 289th victory--was saved by Bob James, acquired in the winter from Montreal. Seaver, 40, was thrilled until he heard James, 26, say:

“It’s just a pleasure to be pitching behind a guy who was my idol when I went to high school. In pickup games I’d say, ‘I’m Tom Seaver.’ ”

James went to Verdugo Hills High. He’s a 6-4, 230-pound right-hander who has seven wins in 16 decisions. Asked if he, too, thought he could reach 300, James said, “Sure. Him 300 wins. Me 300 pounds.”

Kansas City’s signing of Dan Quisenberry and Willie Wilson to lifetime contracts last week prompted co-owner Ewing Kauffman to observe that if the Royals draw 1.8 million in attendance this year they’ll only lose $1.5 million.

Ray Burris told it as it proved to be after pitching Milwaukee to a win over Chicago Thursday night.

“This game wasn’t any easier for me than it will be for you to write the story,” he told reporters. “Especially when you have to come over here and talk to me and I’m tired and irritable.”

In predominantly Irish-Catholic Boston, former Angel manager John Francis McNamara has been inundated by calls, cards and letters from people with the same name. A recent Boston Globe story in which McNamara said his father had come to Boston from Ireland prompted the onslaught. Said McNamara: “I believe I may have found a long lost uncle.”

Add McNamara: The Boston manager borrowed a page from Gene Mauch’s Little Ball book in helping produce a seven run second inning against New York Wednesday.

He ordered consecutive bunts by Marty Barrett and Jackie Gutierrez, an unusual early-game strategy for McNamara when blessed with a powerful lineup.

Barrett’s bunt was fielded by catcher Butch Wynegar, who threw it into center field. Gutierrez’ bunt was fielded by pitcher Ed Whitson, who threw it into left field.

It took Yankee owner George Steinbrenner only two games to decide his pitching leaves something to be desired. And he’s apparently trying to do something about it. He’s reported to be talking to Montreal about the availability of Steve Rogers, and to Pittsburgh about John Candelaria.

Steinbrenner probably should be talking to himself.

He signed free agent Ed Whitson, 14-8 with San Diego last year, to a five-year, $4.5-million contract. Whitson, in his first 1985 start against Boston Wednesday and his last 1984 start against Detroit in Game 2 of the World Series, has gotten a total of seven outs and given up 12 runs.

Now Whitson is nursing a sore back reportedly suffered while removing his socks.