Romanick Not All the Way Back, Mauch Says, as Angels Lose, 4-2

As player representative of the Angels, Ron Romanick is a liaison between the union and his teammates. It is a difficult and demanding task for a veteran, let alone a player in only his second year.

Over the last week, of course, the assignment was even tougher, producing a toll reflected on Romanick’s phone bill--and, perhaps, on his performance as play resumed Thursday night.

That, at least, seemed to be the opinion of Manager Gene Mauch after he watched Romanick, 5-0 with a 2.97 earned-run average in July, pitch only three innings, eventually drawing his fifth defeat against 13 wins as Minnesota beat the Angels, 4-2.

“He wasn’t at ease with himself,” Mauch said. “The young man’s had a lot of things of his mind for several days.”

Betrayed some by the fielding of Reggie Jackson as Minnesota broke a 1-1 tie with three runs in the third, Romanick allowed six hits, three walks and four runs in his second shortest stint of an impressive summer.

He disputed the theory that his work as player representative may have disrupted his consistency and concentration, but there was no arguing with the view that the Angels are thankful they will not face Bert Blyleven again this season.

“You’ve got that right,” Mauch said.

In his first Metrodome start since the trade with Cleveland, Blyleven scattered seven hits in 7 innings, beating the Angels for the third time in four decisions this year and for the 22nd time in 34 career decisions.

Doug DeCinces singled in a run in the first and Brian Downing singled in another in the fifth, but Blyleven left to a standing ovation from a crowd of 31,054, who gave no indication of harboring a distaste over the strike.

The Angels, however, may be wishing they were still out. The end of a four game win streak also ended a streak of seven straight wins against the Twins. Combined with Kansas City’s sweep of a doubleheader against Detroit, it also reduced the Angels’ American League West lead over the Royals to 3 1/2 games.

Romanick had not lost since June 30, but he had not pitched in eight days, and that, too, may have been a factor in the sudden loss of form.

“I actually had real good stuff,” he said, “but they’d either foul off my out pitch or break their bats and loop it over the infield.

“You’re talking about an aggressive group of hitters. If you stay out there long enough and throw enough strikes, they’ll eventually get their doubles and legitimate hits.”

Romanick admitted, however, that he was a bit out of sync mentally and that his normal routine of the last week had been interrupted by the requirements as player representative, in addition by the strike itself.

“Time consuming, yes,” he said. “Mentally fatiguing, no. I had seen it coming and felt I was prepared for it.

“I mean, it (being player representative) hasn’t affected my pitching yet, and I’m not going to let it.”

Bob Boone and Doug DeCinces, longtime union activists, recommended Romanick’s appointment as successor to Bruce Kison on the basis of his composure, intelligence and articulate nature.

“I’ve had a lot of help,” Romanick said, “and I take a lot of pride and satisfaction in the job I’ve done. It hasn’t been a lot of fun the last week, but the tough part is over. Now it’s a matter of keeping shop, keeping organized.”

A walk and a pair of singles allowed the Twins to recoup the Angels’ run of the first and tie it, 1-1, in the second.

A bunt single by Kirby Puckett and walk to Roy Smalley led to a two-on, two-out situation in the third, then Mike Stenhouse singled sharply to right. An the onrushing Jackson attempted to short-hop it, only to have the ball kick off his glove and carom behind him.

Puckett scored easily from second, and Smalley also got a go ahead. Jackson said later that Smalley had yet to reach third when he retrieved the ball. “I figured he’d stop there,” said Jackson, who threw to relay man Bobby Grich. A direct throw by Jackson may have nailed Smalley at the plate for the third out, but Grich’s throw was just late. Randy Bush then doubled to drive in the Twins’ fourth run.

Said Mauch: “I don’t know why Reggie overplayed the ball. Smalley wasn’t going to go anywhere unless he kicked it. But that boot comes from trying. He wasn’t laying back. I can’t fault it.”

Jackson was also over-eager on the bases. He was thrown out trying to stretch a single into a double with his team down by three runs in the fourth. Five shutout innings by Luis Sanchez gave the Angels a chance to rally, but only Rod Carew, with a double and single, and Downing, with a pair of singles, hit Blyleven with any consistency.

Said Mauch: “I thought we might make a run at him tonight because it was his first game here, and he’s no different than anyone else. I mean, he can be vulnerable to his emotions.”

Blyleven acknowledged that he was nervous, but he held it together until Pete Filson and Ron Davis retired the final four Angels in order. For Romanick, who recently taped an appearance on “Days of Our Lives,” the recent days in his life may have been costly.

Angel Notes

Dr. Bobby Brown, the American League president, informed Angel General Manager Mike Port that he wants all games canceled by the strike to be made up before the season ends, meaning that the Angels, who lost a pair of games against Seattle in Anaheim, will play doubleheaders in Seattle next Monday and Wednesday. It also means that Oakland will have to play two doubleheaders here next week and that Kansas City and Chicago will have to spend a day off making up games with Detroit and Boston, whom they played in doubleheaders Thursday. . . . Port and Manager Gene Mauch had said Wednesday that it would be unfair to make the Angels play a pair of doubleheaders if the teams behind them were only going to make up one game each. Mauch was also fearful that the Angels would have to play back-to-back doubleheaders on Tuesday and Wednesday because Monday night’s game in Seattle is already a promotional sellout. . . . Mauch’s reaction to the Monday-Wednesday doubleheaders: “I think we can handle it. I didn’t want our guys to have to play them back to back. We can maintain our rest schedule better with a single game in the middle and day off (next Thursday) after the second doubleheader. I still think Chicago and Kansas City have a little edge on Oakland and us because they don’t have to strain their pitching with two doubleheaders in three days. I also realize that Bobby (Brown) had no easy way to handle this. It’s the rub of the green. We got a bad bounce, but a good bounce can turn it around.” . . . The reaction of Angel players, who will receive half a day’s pay for each of the games made up as part of a doubleheader, was mixed. Said Bobby Grich: “It’s the best way. I like it. Everyone will play the same number of games, and guys going for a record or having a good year will get all 162.” Said Doug DeCinces: “It’s not fair to us. I think we should play one doubleheader, and if we have to make up the other (game), then we do it at home at the end of the season. I mean, are we the home team for these games? We better be.” The Angels are not, of course. . . . Mike Witt and Jim Slaton will pitch the Monday night doubleheader. Ron Romanick goes Tuesday, with Kirk McCaskill and Geoff Zahn pitching Wednesday’s afternoon doubleheader. . . . Lisa Witt, wife of the Angel pitcher, gave birth to the couple’s first child Wednesday, a daughter, Kellen Marie. . . . The Twins, attempting to combat any negative reaction to the strike, informed fans attending Thursday night’s game that they can use their stubs to obtain a free ticket to any other Twin game this year. . . . Zahn (2-0) faces Frank Viola (10-9) tonight.