Angels, DeCinces Have Overcome Uncertainty

Infielder Doug DeCinces of the California Angels is proud of his teammates -- and himself -- for playing so well under a cloud of uncertainty this season.

“To achieve what the team has this year, to win, to produce, to be a team, all these guys, I’m proud of them ... and myself,” the Angels’ third baseman said.

DeCinces is among nine Angels’ veterans playing out the final year of their contracts, and none apparently has been given any assurances he’ll be re-signed. The club’s brass has taken the stance that no talks will be held until after the season, and is not commenting on which players might go or stay.

California Manager Gene Mauch, however, said recently, “They’ll be back, especially if we win. Why clean out a combination of people who help you win? There are guys on our club who have less to worry about than speculation would make it appear.”

One player in the group, Reggie Jackson, said recently he doesn’t expect to be back with the Angels in 1987.

“It’s a great feeling knowing what we’ve overcome,” said DeCinces, whose characteristic late-season hitting spree has helped California pull far ahead in the American League West Division.

“The guys have perservered despite the contract problems.”

The 36-year-old DeCinces, who came to the Angels from Baltimore in a 1982 trade, was hitting .260 going into Thursday night’s game, including a .337 average in August when he hit nine homers and drove in 25 runs while earning AL Player of the Month honors.

He led the club in home runs with 24, and had 90 RBI, second on the team.

Widely acknowledged as one of the league’s best fielding third basemen, DeCinces also has contributed to the Angels with his fielding.

“Basically, I think we’ve been told win or else, and even then we don’t know for sure that we’ll be back,” DeCinces said. “I think I’ve done my job, but it’s still wait and see.

“I wish I’d been told something one way or the other, and I hope this thing doesn’t drag out all winter. I’d like to know where my kids will be going to school next year.”

The other Angels playing out their contracts are infielders Rick Burleson and Bobby Grich, pitchers Don Sutton and Doug Corbett, outfielders Brian Downing and Ruppert Jones, and catcher Bob Boone.

DeCinces said the situation is a constant topic of conversation around the clubhouse.

“We talk about it all the time, either between ourselves or to reporters asking questions,” he said. “Even when I was Player of the Month for August and would have liked to have talked about that with reporters, all the questions were about the contract.”

DeCinces said he wants to play at least two more seasons.