American League : Carew Is Still a Sure Vote-Getter

An artist in the batters’ box, Rod Carew’s touch still extends to the ballot box.

The Angel first baseman is the first to admit, however, that he doesn’t deserve to be leading the All-Star voting at his position.

Neither does he deserve criticism for the fact that he is.

His apparent election for a 19th term on the American League All-Star team is simply a measure of his enduring popularity--and another indication that the All-Star process is just that: a popularity contest.

This year, at least, the fans aren’t doing too badly.

Their apparent selections at second base (Lou Whitaker of the Detroit Tigers), shortstop (Cal Ripken of the Baltimore Orioles), third base (George Brett of the Kansas City Royals) and catcher (Lance Parrish of the Tigers) are the right ones.

They are off at first base, where Don Mattingly of the New York Yankees should be the choice ahead of Carew, and in the outfield, where Rickey Henderson of the Yankees, Kirk Gibson of the Tigers and Phil Bradley of the Seattle Mariners should be elected ahead of current fan leaders Dave Winfield of the Yankees, Reggie Jackson of the Angels and Jim Rice of the Boston Red Sox.

In a year in which Ron Guidry of the Yankees and Dave Stieb of the Toronto Blue Jays have been the only consistently dominant starting pitchers, Manager Sparky Anderson’s eight-man staff should include four relief pitchers--Donnie Moore of the Angels, Jay Howell of the Oakland A’s, Willie Hernandez of the Tigers and Bob James of the Chicago White Sox.

It is believed, however, that Anderson intends to take only three relievers--Moore, Howell and either Hernandez or Dave Righetti of the Yankees. His five starters are expected to be Guidry, Stieb, Bert Blyleven of the Cleveland Indians, Tom Seaver of the White Sox and a choice from among his Tigers--Jack Morris, Dan Petry or Walt Terrell.

The tide is not all that’s up in Seattle.

Consider the fervor--or fever?--of Mariner Manager Chuck Cottier, who said the other day:

“I can now openly declare that Seattle not only is a contender, but if the team can avoid injuries, there is no reason to believe we can’t finish in first place.”

Cottier’s enthusiasm should be excused.

A 16-11 June was the best in club history. An eight-game win streak set a club record. The latest that the Mariners had been over .500 in a nine-year history is Aug. 4, 1982. In eight other seasons, they had not been over .500 later than May 13.

The Mariners have too many weaknesses to seriously challenge the Angels, A’s or Royals, but the job Cottier has done with his pitching will enable him to rate consideration, along with the Angels’ Gene Mauch as Manager of the Year.

Six Seattle pitchers have gone on the disabled list. Three starters remain there--Mark Langston, Jim Beattie and Mike Morgan. Cottier has had to break in three rookies--Bill Swift, Brian Snyder and Bill Wilkinson.

Add Seattle: Outfielder Phil Bradley, whose All-Star candidacy has been hindered because his name is not on the ballot, played in 76 of the Mariners’ first 78 games and was hitless in just 15, which proved costly to the next game’s opposing pitcher. Bradley, a former Missouri quarterback, came back from those hitless games to bat .397, going 23 for 58 in the ones that followed.

The two hitters who lead the American League in strikeouts are diametrical opposites.

As of Friday, Steve Balboni, the Royal first baseman, had 81 strikeouts in 288 at-bats. Gary Pettis, the Angel center fielder who is on the disabled list, has 74 in 227.

As a ponderous power hitter, Balboni’s ratio of a strikeout every 3.56 at-bats is understandable. As a would-be contact hitter who is among the league’s fastest runners, Pettis’ 3.07 ratio is not.

Question: Why isn’t Angel left fielder Brian Downing talking to the print media?

Answer: He isn’t talking, so it’s hard to know.

Opinion: There is no reasonable excuse for the silence. A dedicated, self-made player, Downing has consistently received the respect of the Angel press corps. He has been written about only in a positive vein. Even during his 1985 slump, when his average has hovered between .195 and .220, he has been more ignored than criticized. If Downing’s weightlifting has finally strained his thinking process, it’s time he gave up the bench press and spent time again dealing with the print press.

How’s business at C.J. Brett’s, George Brett’s new restaurant and bar in Hermosa Beach?

“I should have opened it five years ago,” Brett said. “I would have been retired by now.”

Third baseman Buddy Bell has not hit less than .277 in six seasons with the Texas Rangers. He’s been a class act in a series of bad productions. Now, batting .254 after a .202 June, Bell is being accused of surrendering to the mediocrity that again surrounds him. A Dallas columnist called him a “lifeless lump.”

Bell is not happy with his slump, but he’s less enamored of the criticism.

“Who has the nerve . . . who is that much above and beyond me to even judge?” Bell said in the Dallas Morning News. “I haven’t changed from the first day I got here. I don’t think anybody can say I have ever gone out there and given anything less than 100%.

“I had one of the best years I ever had last year, and nothing was said about that. I hit .315 and won the Gold Glove (for the sixth straight year) again. I led the league in hitting with runners in scoring position. Nothing was said about that. Now, I go into a month of not doing very well, and now suddenly, I’m a jerk.

“Ever since the team hasn’t done very well, I have been the one to take the brunt of the abuse. I’ll take a lot of the blame. I feel like I am to blame. But I’m not Superman. . . . I have as much confidence in myself as I’ve ever had. I have as much range in the field, but I’m concerned with everything, not just me. Everybody on this team wants to win. You get tired of the Ranger jokes. You get tired of the people who are critical of you and don’t ever come to the ballpark.”

A subject of consistent trade rumors, including those involving the Dodgers, Bell has never asked to be traded, but he now said he might.

“I want things to happen here,” he added. “I want to win in the worst way.