THE BASEBALL PLAYOFFS : California vs. Boston; New York vs. Houston : American League Playoff Notebook : Because of Television, the Sun Shines in All the Wrong Places for Angels

Angel second baseman Bobby Grich, who was charged with one error and also lost a fly ball in the sun, said network television is partly responsible for some of the offensive and defensive inconsistencies during Wednesday’s game. The game, scheduled for daytime television, was played as shadows crept across the field.

Grich, while saying he understood television’s role in the postseason games, added, “I wish we could just play the playoffs under the same conditions we play during the season.”

Meaning: no day games.

“Today it was extremely difficult to see for the right fielder and second baseman,” he said. “And it appeared (Red Sox starter Bruce) Hurst was throwing out of a camouflage in center field. How I got two hits, I’ll never know.

“You have no idea about the perspective until you’re down on the field,” Grich said. “It’s really difficult to play under those conditions.”

Bad news for Grich. Friday and Saturday’s game will begin in the late afternoon, when the shadows make their move across the Anaheim Stadium field. Sunday’s game begins at noon.

Said Red Sox designated hitter Don Baylor: “When I played out there, I was always glad to be on Nolan Ryan’s club. It’s definitely hard to pick up the ball. You hope it gets dark in a hurry.”

Shortstop Dick Schofield had a good view of Grich’s misplay of Dwight Evans’ fly ball in the fifth inning. The Red Sox took a 3-2 lead in the inning as Bill Buckner scored on the hit.

“I saw it all the way. Bobby flipped down his glasses and we kind of looked at each other like, ‘Somebody take it.’ I said, ‘Bobby, you got it.’ But by then it was too late.

“Looking back, I should have taken it. I saw it all the way.”

The three Angel errors in the seventh inning tied a league championship series record for most errors in an inning. The only other time it has happened was on Oct. 4, 1975 at Fenway Park. The Oakland A’s were the guilty party. The A’s and Red Sox combined for seven errors that day to set an league championship series record for most errors by both teams.

Wally Joyner’s fifth-inning homer was the first ever by a rookie in league championship play. It was Joyner’s first home run since Aug. 5.

Short, Not Sweet: Angel Manager Gene Mauch was the first scheduled speaker in the postgame interview room. The moderator announced to the assemblage that Mauch would answer a few questions.

“One or two,” Mauch grumbled.

He was asked for his impressions on the game.

“McCaskill,” Mauch began. “In my 45 years in the game, I have never seen a pitcher any (tougher) than McCaskill was today. Six of the first seven batters hit the ball hard and then no others.

“It’s no use for me to discuss the other things that went on out there because I don’t understand it. You don’t understand it, either, but you’ll still discuss it.”

Mauch was asked about the sun.

“Bad. Terrible on ground balls,” he said.

Mauch was asked about third-base coach Moose Stubing’s failure to stop runner Bobby Grich in the sixth inning.

“Bye,” said Mauch. “See you later.” He then walked away from the podium and out of the interview room.

So much for great moments in Meet The Press.

McCaskill was growing testy with questions about the ball he dropped in the second inning--a chopper by Wade Boggs to the left of the mound that McCaskill said he lost in the sun.

He said it once . . . twice . . . three times . . . and then some.

Finally, McCaskill cut off a questioner.

“It seems irrelevant to me,” McCaskill said. “It didn’t cost us a run.

“Sure, I was bothered by the sun. The sun was in the Red Sox’s eyes, too. Ask Doug DeCinces. Has he ever lost a ball in the sun?”

The reporters pressed onward. The next question: Where was the ball when McCaskill lost sight of it?

McCaskill shook his head and looked up. “Two-and-three-quarter inches from its apex,” he said.

And, now, for a word from Doug DeCinces:

“Every break went against us. What else can you say? It was one weird thing after another. A bad-hop that sails over Schofield’s head would have been an automatic double play, the ball Kirk lost in the sun, the ball Bobby (Grich) lost in the sun. What else do you want me to say? It wasn’t our day.”

Hurst, Wednesday’s winning pitcher, enjoyed his best season after Boston had turned down a four for one winter offer from the St. Louis Cardinals. The Red Sox reportedly rejected pitchers Joaquin Andujar, Jeff Lahti, Rickey Horton and Kurt Kepshire, though Hurst was a modest 11-13 last year.

Manager John McNamara wouldn’t explain the Red Sox thinking, but it’s suspected that he didn’t want to trade another left-handed starter, having already traded Bob Ojeda to the Mets.

On his role Wednesday as the cutoff man on the sixth-inning play in which Grich was tagged out at third base and then exploded at coach Moose Stubing, Boston’s Wade Boggs said:

“It’s a judgment play on my part. When I saw him (Grich) touch the base I jumped for the throw (from left fielder Jim Rice).

“I knew he would be at least 10 to 15 feet off the bag and I heard Stubing yell, ‘Get back, get back, get back.’ I felt we had him no matter which way he went.”

On the erratic play of the Angels, Baylor said: “The wheels fell off for some players who are too good to let it happen again. Guys like Grich and (Doug) DeCinces don’t make errors like that two days in a row. They forget it and come back.”

Angel utility player Darrell Miller allegedly sold two playoff tickets at face value to a pair of fans outside the Marriott Copley Place Hotel before Wednesday’s game.

While team officials said Miller’s action was “not too cool,” American League President Bobby Brown said he did not violate any league rules. Players must buy series tickets from the team. The league does not give out complimentary tickets.

“I’m quite positive there is no rule saying fellow who buys his tickets can’t sell his tickets,” Brown said. “I think I’ve sold to my friends maybe $1,200 to $1,500 worth.”

Boston Police spokesman Thomas Santry said Miller probably did not commit a crime because the $40 he received did not include any profit. However, Santry said it is illegal to sell tickets in a public place without a license.

Jim Lefebvre, the ex-Dodger who managed the Giants’ Phoenix farm club last year, is reportedly one of four candidates for the Minnesota Twins’ managerial position. The others are Jim Frey, Joe Altobelli and Joe Torre.

Times staff writers Mike Penner and Ross Newhan contributed to this story.