Angels Have Finally Harvested All of Talented Pitching Crop in Minors

No other farm system has supplied its parent club with more pitchers in the last two years than the Angels’ system.

That simple fact apparently was overlooked the other day when a regular member of the press corps that covers the team criticized Angel management in print for recalling only one pitcher, D.W. Smith, when the roster limit was lifted Sept. 1.

The implication seemed to be that the recall of only one pitcher had contributed significantly to the club’s recent pitching problems.

The theory is without credence, ignoring the fact that the previously productive farm system is now devoid of pitchers who are ready to work at the major league level. It’s tapped out, with apologies to D.W.

The 28-year-old David Wayne Smith, who began using his initials while at Lamar University to avoid confusion with other Dave Smiths, is not the organization’s top prospect. He was simply considered the most experienced and best prepared of those available.

The upward move started with Ron Romanick last year. Then Kirk McCaskill, Stewart Cliburn and Pat Clements came out of the system in April. That’s four.

Then, when Geoff Zahn was put on the disabled list again in August, Urbano Lugo was recalled. That’s five. Then, when Lugo was put on the disabled list after only one appearance, Alan Fowlkes was purchased from Edmonton. That’s six. Then, when Fowlkes was put on the disabled list after only two appearances, Smith was summoned. That’s seven, and does not include the touted Bob Kipper, who became the player to be named later in the August trade with Pittsburgh.

Asked about the lone recall of Smith, pitching coach Marcel Lachemann said: “I talk to (minor league instructor) Joe Coleman almost every week, and he indicates we’ve pretty much stripped the farm system, that there’s still some promising arms, but no one who can help us right now.

“It doesn’t hurt to have numbers, of course, in case of a blowout, but who’s thinking about blowouts? And the other thing is that I’ve always felt it can be detrimental to a kid to bring him up and just use him in mop-up situations.”

The Angels have been experiencing those. Five times in the last 14 games the opposition has scored in double figures. The earned-run average in 28 games since the strike is 4.94. The Angels have had only two complete games in that span. The starting pitcher has failed to go beyond six innings 17 times in the 28 games.

The problem has nothing to do with the Sept. 1 recall of only one pitcher, however.

The pitching is in trouble because:

--At a time when John Candelaria’s stamina does not allow him to go beyond six innings, two other starters are having problems of their own.

Romanick is 0-2 in five starts since the strike and has gone more than four innings only once. McCaskill has lost three straight decisions and has allowed 25 runs in his last 26 innings.

--The lack of distance from the starters has virtually immobilized late-inning stopper Donnie Moore while overtaxing the middle relievers, particularly with Stewart Cliburn sidelined by a pulled muscle on the left side of his rib cage.

Cliburn has been unavailable for the last three games and will not return until late next week at the earliest. That means he will miss the series with Kansas City Monday through Wednesday.

In just the short time Cliburn has been out, the Angels have lost twice to New York after being tied 4-4 in the fifth inning and 3-3 in the sixth, and once to Detroit, when a 5-3 deficit in the fourth ultimately became 14-8.

The bullpen’s depth is expected to be improved tonight with the return of Lugo from the disabled list. Manager Gene Mauch, remembering the rookie right-hander’s 7-1 victory in a complete game against Kansas City June 29, may start him against the Royals in Anaheim.

It is imperative, however, that Romanick, who will pitch against Baltimore tonight, and McCaskill, who is expected to face Kansas City Monday night, regain a groove--as opposed to the current rut.

Detroit Manager Sparky Anderson talked about that the other night, saying that each had seemed to lose some bite off his fastball and that it’s different for young pitchers in September when they go out knowing they have to win.

Said Sparky: “There’s nothing the Angels can do. These are the kids you danced with. You have to pray they can straighten themselves out.”

Said Lachemann: “With all the problems of the last three weeks, we still have the lead and we still have seven games left with the team that’s chasing us. If we can’t handle them, then we don’t deserve to win.”

Doug DeCinces, struggling with back spasms, may return to the lineup this weekend as a designated hitter. Jack Howell, who has started 17 straight games at third in place of DeCinces, is batting .250 with 14 RBIs and 4 home runs in those games.

Said Howell, who has reinforced his status as the third baseman of the future and fueled speculation that DeCinces may move to first base in 1986 to relieve pressure on his fragile back:

“As much as I want to play and like to play, it would be nice to see Doug DeCinces back in the lineup because I think he’s a leader, and it’s hard to lead on the bench. Even if he’s not 100%, it would mean a lot to the team to have him in there.”

Kansas City, which had originally planned to send Bret Saberhagen against Milwaukee Sunday, has juggled its rotation to allow the 17-5 Saberhagen to pitch against the Angels Monday night in Anaheim, where the graduate of Reseda’s Cleveland High will have his own rooting section.

In five starts against the Angels, the 22-year-old Saberhagen is 3-0 and has allowed just 3 earned runs in 36 innings.