Angel Notebook : Joyner Is Doing His Best (.437) to Make Bosses Look Good

Jim Slaton was standing in the runway that leads to the Angels’ dugout, discussing the five scoreless innings he pitched Saturday, when a roar went up from the crowd outside.

“Joyner just went deep,” someone said.

Home run for Wally Joyner. It was the third hit of the day for the rookie--and the 12th hit in his last 16 at-bats.

Slaton shook his head.

“Amazing,” he said quietly. “What’s he hitting now--.500?”

Close. Joyner was up to .449 after the home run. Flyouts in his last two at-bats leveled him off at .437 by afternoon’s end.

“I can never remember a rookie having a better spring,” said Slaton, a major league veteran of 14 years. “Even when he hits it softly, it falls in there somewhere.”

Around the Angels’ clubhouse, the suspicion is growing that the kid is no fluke. From locker stall to locker stall, teammates joined in with Slaton on the chorus.

The word on Wally:

“When he makes an out, you wonder, ‘What’s going on?’ ” infielder Rob Wilfong said. “I once saw Kent Hrbek hit 10 home runs in one spring, but I’ve never seen anybody hit the ball like that.”

Reggie Jackson: “I don’t want to be unfair to him and put pressure on him, but he reminds me of (George) Brett. I haven’t seen a guy show so much so early. He can flat-out hit.”

Donnie Moore: “He’s got a magic wand. Awesome. It’s going to be exciting to watch him hit all summer.”

Moore has pitched with five major league teams. He was asked if he ever saw a hitter ride out a similar spring tear.

“Yeah,” Moore said. “Wally Joyner. Last spring.”

Last spring, Joyner batted .370 in his first major league training camp. But with Rod Carew still at first base, chasing 3,000 hits, and Juan Beniquez in reserve, all .370 got Joyner was a ticket to Edmonton.

“He could have hit .450 last spring and it wouldn’t have made a difference,” Manager Gene Mauch said when the Angels’ 1986 camp opened. “But let’s see him try it this year.”

This year, Carew is gone. He may not be forgotten--not yet--but Joyner has made the Angels’ decision to make a switch at first base appear, if anything, overdue.

Even Joyner is taken aback by such spring numbers: 31 hits in 22 games, 10 runs batted in, only 2 strikeouts in 71 at-bats.

“I don’t think anyone can ask for this,” Joyner said. “My job this spring was just to come here and earn the first base position.

“Hopefully, I have.”

Joyner speaks with the modesty of a typical rookie, but don’t let that fool you. The past three weeks have indicated that he is anything but.

Angel Notes

The Reggie Jackson-Autry talks were held Friday, with Jackson visiting the Palm Springs home of Gene and Jackie Autry for a 30-minute meeting. “I was absolutely pleased,” Jackson said. “Mr. Autry made some very special comments. He wants to preserve our relationship, and that’s the main thing I want.” Said General Manager Mike Port, who sat in on the meeting: “We all re-established a wavelength of friendship.” Contrary to some reports, the meeting did not produce a signed contract. “That’s news to me,” Jackson said. But progress toward an agreement was made, according to Jackson. “I thought an understanding was reached,” he said. . . .

A triple, a double, a single and two RBIs in four at-bats earned Rob Wilfong an audience around his locker following the Angels’ 8-2 exhibition victory over Seattle. “Look at this, Bobaloo,” Wilfong said to bullpen coach Bob Clear. “Writers!” Wilfong was glad to receive the company. His last summer was a lonely one. Utilitymen who bat .189 don’t attract many crowds. “I know I’m a better player than that,” Wilfong said. “I would have hated for that to be my last year.” That was a possibility if Wilfong didn’t produce this spring. Entering camp, the main thing Wilfong had in his favor was a guaranteed contract for the next two years. But Wilfong is producing. His spring average is .327 (17 for 52). He has 7 RBIs. “I don’t think anybody was going to take my job; I was going to have to lose it,” Wilfong said. “I went to work this off-season on a new stance. I worked out regularly with the Mets’ Tim Corcoran and he helped me get the new stroke down. Mentally, I felt good going into this spring.” . . .

Jim Slaton made his first start of the spring and earned his first victory in impressive fashion, yielding just two hits while striking out five. That made Slaton, who is fighting for a position on the Angels’ pitching staff, feel good. So did getting the word that Manager Gene Mauch is planning to operate with a 10-man staff this season. “I didn’t know that,” Slaton said. “Now, I feel a lot more comfortable.” . . . Donnie Moore allowed two runs and four hits, including a mammoth home run by Danny Tartabull, in two innings. “I still don’t have any idea where the ball is going,” Moore said, “but my arm keeps improving. I was up to 91 (m.p.h.) on the gun. I’m getting the zip back. Now, it’s time to work on control and get my mechanics down.” . . . A neurologist’s examination showed no nerve damage in Gary Lucas’ back, but Lucas threw for 10 minutes on the sidelines Saturday and still experienced some discomfort. He will continue with similar workouts every other day.