Mauch Gives Sutton a New Reason to Succeed

Don Sutton says the last inning of his 300th victory will remain forever in slow motion on his mind’s instant-replay machine.

Little wonder. Those moments marked the realization of a dream he began chasing more than two decades ago, an accomplishment that will forever be his baseball legacy.

Last year, Sutton’s 21st major league season, was one of goal fulfillment for the goal-oriented pitcher. He also reached milestones of 5,000 innings pitched and 700 starts.

This spring, Sutton conceded that he was suffering from the where-do--we-go-from-here syndrome.

“Well,” he said in March, “at least I’m greatly motivated by the fear of embarrassment.”

Angel Manager Gene Mauch had been pondering Sutton’s problem lately and figured he had arrived at an idea that just might help fill the void.

“He absolutely hates picking up balls (during batting practice, a duty the pitchers share),” Mauch explained. “I mean, he hates it. He thinks it’s the worst thing a man can do.”

So, Mauch recently asked Sutton if he remained a man without a mission, and, when the veteran replied that he did, Mauch proposed a new incentive:

“If you win your first four games this year, you’ll never have to pick up another ball . . . even if I have to do it myself.”

A broad smile split Sutton’s face.

“That’s the greatest motivation a man could have,” he said.

Mauch, who watched Sutton stagger to a 2-5 start with a 7.05 earned-run average last season, probably figured it was a safe gamble. And, of course, the Angel manager would be glad to trade a lifetime excuse from picking up balls for four quick victories.

Armed with a renewed sense of purpose, Sutton took the mound Saturday night at Anaheim Stadium to prepare for his quest.

Sutton, who turned 42 Thursday, allowed just one hit in six innings against the Dodgers Saturday in Game 2 of the Freeway Series. He didn’t walk a batter and struck out two.

If he pitches the rest of April as he did against the Dodgers, Mauch may be chasing balls around the Big A this summer while Sutton relaxes in the rocking chair in front of his locker in the clubhouse.

“Don Sutton pitched tonight just like he did last year,” Mauch said, “ . . . make that for the last several years.”

Sutton said he was pleased with his performance, but exhibition games--even ones in front of 61,272--are just exhibition games.

“You know me,” Sutton said. “Spring is spring. I don’t let myself get too high or too low. But I will say that it is awfully hard to bridle my enthusiasm after a night like tonight. I got the ball over the plate and I didn’t walk anybody.”

Sutton has walked just one batter all spring, and he says he wants to file a protest on that one because he knows the pitch was a strike. He threw 76 pitches Saturday, well below his limit.

Mauch, who doesn’t let Sutton throw more than 100 pitches, said he hopes to see the veteran right-hander “get into the 90s about 18 times this year.”

“If that happens,” Mauch said, “it means he’ll have gone well into the game and we’ll probably be ahead.”

Sutton is a numbers guy, but he isn’t crazy about pitch-counting.

“In the fifth, Gene walks by the pitch chart and gives it a quick glance,” Sutton said. “In the sixth, he looks right at it, and in the seventh, he goes like this,” he said, bending over and staring, close up, at the imaginary chart.

Otherwise, though, he likes Mauch’s style just fine. And he adores those added incentives.

“What a wonderful reason to work my butt off,” he said of Mauch’s proposed reward. “I love the idea.”