Angel Notebook : Mauch in His Glory at Squad Game

Watch Gene Mauch at work during a spring intrasquad game and you quickly get the impression that if the Angels’ manager had his way, he’d schedule 162 of them every summer.

Seated directly behind home plate, separated from the crouching catcher by only a few feet and a chain link protective screen, Mauch zeroes in on every pitch. He studies the rotation of the baseball, scrutinizes the glove work of the catcher, makes note of every hitch in a batter’s swing.

From behind his screen, Mauch choreographs the entire show. Bases loaded, infield in. OK, now, runners on first and third, one out. All right, let’s start a new inning.

When he’s not shouting instructions, Mauch summons players for quiet advice. Hitters get a second look at pitchers. Pitchers get a different view of a hitter’s stroke.

For Mauch, this may be the best of spring training, the closest he ever gets to maintaining control while the baseball is in play.

“I love those,” Mauch said Tuesday. “They’re selfishly designed. I like to get down, get in there and get a closer read on people.”

Up close, Mauch rendered these observations after his team’s first intrasquad session:

--Rookie pitchers Todd Eggertsen and Ray Chadwick, longshots to make the Angels’ 1986 staff, will have their files kept handy for future use. “Both can pitch in the big leagues if nothing goes wrong (physically),” Mauch said. “And pitch well.”

--Pet project of the spring Darrell Miller is making progress at catcher. “Darrell Miller was very clean behind the plate,” Mauch said. “They bunted on him and he came out there pretty good. He made the plays.

--Rookie outfielder Reggie Montgomery can swing the bat, Mauch said. Montgomery had a double, a deep fly out and a sharp grounder in three at-bats.

The main advantage of these controlled workouts, Mauch said, is getting a first-hand assessment of a pitcher’s talents.

“I don’t have to take a catcher’s word for it,” Mauch said. “I know what kind of stuff it takes to get big league hitters out. This way, I can see it up close and judge for myself.”

Angel Notes

Donnie Moore, experiencing some discomfort on the right side of his rib cage, went for treatment in the trainer’s room after pitching two innings in the intrasquad game. Moore shrugged it off. “Just part of my regular postgame routine after I pitch,” he said. . . . Waiting outside the clubhouse for Moore was his agent, Peter Rose, who stopped by to pay his client a visit while attempting to enlist others during an annual trek through the Cactus League training camps. What is Rose in search of? “Left-handed pitchers,” Rose said. “Especially left-handed relief pitchers. It seems every team needs ‘em.” That includes the Angels, as Rose discovered by flipping through a media guide, looking for prospects of interest. “They don’t have any, either,” Rose said. . . . Along with Reggie Montgomery, utility man Craig Gerber and rookie outfielder Devon White displayed some offensive punch in the intrasquad game. Gerber had a triple and White a double. . . . Ron Romanick, Kirk McCaskill and Carl Willis are among the pitchers scheduled to work in today’s rotation.

The Angels will hold their first-ever “Open House” March 9 at Anaheim Stadium from noon to 4 p.m. Fans will be able to tour the Angel clubhouse, dugout, baseball press box and dining room areas. Admission and parking is free.