McCaskill Had No Curveball; Mauch Too Slow With Hook?

Game 6 of the American League playoffs had just ended, the Angels losing to the Boston Red Sox, 10-4. A group of reporters waited outside the visitors’ clubhouse, seeking admittance.

The door opened and Kirk McCaskill walked out. He was in street clothes and in no mood to answer questions as he hurried to leave Fenway Park. The appearance could only be described as quick and ineffective, which was consistent, at least, with his appearance as the starting and losing pitcher Tuesday night.

Questions?

They were best directed again at Angel Manager Gene Mauch.

Again they stemmed from the handling of his pitching.

He had been accused Sunday of overmanaging, awakening the ghosts of 1964 and 1982 in removing Mike Witt with two out and a 5-4 lead in the ninth inning of Game 5.

The Red Sox ultimately won that game in the 11th inning, 7-6.

There seemed to be a feeling in Game 6 that he may have undermanaged, allowing the Angels to get blown out during a five-run third inning in which McCaskill allowed seven straight batters to reach base, six getting hits.

The game was tied, 2-2, when the inning started. The game was over when it ended.

“I thought it was going to be just like Kirk’s last start here (in Game 2),” Mauch said.

“He had problems early and got himself straightened out. I figured it would happen again, but it didn’t.”

McCaskill went seven innings in that first start, allowing 10 hits and 6 runs, 3 earned.

He went 2 innings in this one, allowing 6 hits and 7 runs, 5 earned.

“He couldn’t get his curve over and was left with only a fastball,” pitching coach Marcel Lachemann said.

“There have been other times when he hasn’t had a curve at the start but finds it as the game progresses. This time, they (Red Sox) didn’t let him stay around long enough to get it.”

Spike Owen opened the third with a line single to center. Wade Boggs singled to right. Marty Barrett doubled to center. Bill Buckner singled to center. Jim Rice grounded into a force play. Don Baylor singled to right. Dwight Evans singled to center.

The dugout finally stirred. Lachemann came to the mound and summoned Gary Lucas, who struck out Rich Gedman and got Dave Henderson to pop up for the third out.

Was Mauch just waiting to give Lucas another shot at Gedman?

It had been Lucas who hit Gedman with a pitch after replacing Witt on Sunday, setting the stage for Henderson’s home run off Donnie Moore.

Lucas has struck out Gedman three of the four times they have faced each other.

Mauch shook his head Tuesday night and said: “I don’t know how many years I have left but I would have gladly given two of them if Lucas had gotten the same results Sunday.”

Lachemann blamed himself for McCaskill’s roblems.

The Angels batted for 24 minutes in the top of the first inning, scoring two runs off Dennis (Oil Can) Boyd. McCaskill waited in the dugout during this period, having made the long walk from the right-field bullpen after completing his pregame warmups.

“He had good stuff warming up, but he seemed to lose it during that long inning,” Lachemann said. “I screwed up by not keeping him out there (in the bullpen while Boyd pitched the top half of the first). There’s no way to get back out there once you’re in the dugout. It was a mistake and I’ll take the blame.”

Said Mauch: “Lach would rather take the blame than have his pitcher take it. It can be precarious to leave the bullpen, but he’s making too much out of it. We were alloted a few more warmups (when McCaskill went out to pitch the home half of the first), but maybe it wasn’t enough.”

McCaskill walked the first two batters he faced and both scored, taking advantage of a passed ball and two ground outs. A flawless second preceded a flawed third.

The 17-game winner is 0-2 in the playoffs, having allowed 16 hits and 13 runs in 9 innings. And he has a career record of 1-4 at Fenway Park, McCaskill’s home away from home.

Was he too up-tight, perhaps? Too nervous?

Catcher Bob Boone said he wasn’t sure.

“When you don’t have it together you can look nervous--spring training or whenever,” Boone said. “In reality, you’re just struggling to find a groove. Kirk was out of sync with his fastball, couldn’t get his curve over and didn’t have good mechanics.”

He wasn’t very talkative, either.