Angel Notebook : Sutton Is Pleased He’s Pitching More Innings

For Don Sutton, everything is going according to schedule. For Donnie Moore, it’s gotten to the point where he doesn’t even have a schedule anymore.

Sutton, who is throwing more pitches this spring than he has in 21 years in the majors, turned in five good innings Friday at Angels Stadium. He allowed two earned runs to the Cleveland Indians but yielded just three hits and struck out six. Even so, Phil Niekro came out on top of this battle of graying 300-game winners as the Indians won, 3-1.

Moore, who has been eased onto the mound very slowly this spring, was supposed to pitch Friday. But he developed tenderness on his right side and spent the day in the training room.

Moore says the slight discomfort wouldn’t keep him from pitching and that no one told him he was supposed to pitch Friday, anyway.

Angel Manager Gene Mauch says he isn’t concerned.

But even a slight soreness in Moore’s rib cage is cause for worry. He had a similar problem last spring that quickly became a major concern. While attempting to throw despite the pain in his ribs, his mechanics broke down and he wound up with a sore shoulder that hindered his performance all season.

“It’s just a little tender,” Moore finally admitted. “And we learned our lesson from last year.

“Maybe I’ll pitch tomorrow or Sunday,” Moore said. “I’m a relief pitcher. I never know when I’m going to pitch.”

Mauch is more concerned with how than when.

“I want him to get in four or five more quality outings,” Mauch said. “It doesn’t matter when they are.”

Sutton’s timetable is considerably more rigid. He’s been spending his spring thinking about one day: April 9. That’s his personal season opener--against Seattle at Anaheim Stadium--and he doesn’t want to get off to the kind of start he did in 1986, when he was pounded in the early going.

“Lach (pitching coach Marcel Lachemann) thought that if I could get in a few more innings this spring, I could eliminate that first-three-game start that was so hard to get over,” Sutton said. “And I totally agree.

“I could conceivably end up with seven starts before the season opens. We may even work up to 90 or 100 pitches.”

Sutton says he was generally pleased with the outing, although he was disappointed about giving up his first walk of the spring.

He felt so good, in fact, he could make light of Brook Jacoby’s solo home run in the fifth inning.

“You saw how far Jacoby hit that ball,” Sutton said, smiling. “I guess you could say I was in midseason form in that department.”

Angel Notes It didn’t take long for the fans in Angels Stadium to get a glimpse of the club’s new emphasis on speed. Right fielder Devon White and second baseman Mark McLemore both made flashy running catches in the second inning. White, McLemore and center fielder Gary Pettis each stole a base. White and Pettis went 2 for 4. . . . They don’t release any official numbers on the Angels’ annual Mesa-to-Palm Springs traffic ticket derby, but at least half a dozen Angels were cited for speeding during the trek across the desert from their Arizona camp to the Palm Springs facility. Third baseman Doug DeCinces was the unofficial winner after being caught doing a reported 90 m.p.h. Manager Gene Mauch, who was nabbed last year, said he played it smart this time. “When you’re rich and drive those Mercedes and Porsches like our players, they get a kick out of catching you,” he said. “This year, my car was so dirty, you couldn’t tell what it was.” Don Sutton, to a crowded locker room: “There’s a fuzz buster (radar detection device) franchise for sale in Mesa right now.”

Dr. Lewis Yocum will examine Gary Lucas’ sore shoulder today. . . . Joe Tripoli Jr. was named Friday to replace Shay Torrent as the Angels’ organist. Tripoli, 26, has entertained at The Forum for the Lakers, Kings and Aztecs. . . . Former Angel Bobby Grich, one of those rare players who loved spring training, may not be missing it too much this year. He’s skiing in Aspen, Colo. . . . Speaking of pleasant springs, shortstop Dick Schofield is feeling more relaxed these days. “It’s a good feeling when you wake up knowing you don’t have to hit .350 in the spring to be the opening day shortstop,” he said. “But we’ve got Gus Polidor here and he’s a good ballplayer so I still have to do the job.” . . . The Angels established a record for single-day season-ticket sales Friday, 18,080. That brought the presale to almost 1.5 million.