Pettis Is Front-Runner in Angels’ New Attack : Outfielder Has Three Hits, Scores Three Runs in 7-1 Opening Day Victory

In most of their previous seasons, speed seemed as alien to the Angels as a liberal in Orange County.

There was the September of 1983, for example, when Gary Pettis arrived from Edmonton, stole eight bases in 22 games and emerged as the club leader in that category.

Now embarking on his fourth season, Pettis is just one member of a sprint relay team that may enable the Angels to become known as Intimidation, Inc.

The new concept, in Pettis’ mind, at least, was a significant factor Tuesday as the Angels opened defense of the American League’s Western Division title with a 7-1 victory over Seattle at Anaheim Stadium.

“I have the feeling that they (the Mariners) came in knowing we had a lot of guys capable of running and it put pressure on their defense,” the Angel center fielder said.

“It used to be that clubs could sit back and relax until I came to bat. Then the infield had to cheat in some. Now we have a lineup where every other guy can run and the infield always has to be moving, which creates problems for the defense and works to our advantage.

“Now we can score in just about every way a club can score. You saw some of the things we’re capable of doing today.

“If we continue to play that way, the way we’re capable of, there’s no reason we shouldn’t repeat as Western Division champions.”

Will Mark McLemore and Devon White, the new second baseman and right fielder, hit enough so that their speed becomes a consistent weapon? Time will tell.

Even Pettis came to a standstill during spring training, when he hit .227.

Tuesday, however, was literally a new season.

Pettis slashed two singles and a double. He scored three runs and seemed to lure pitcher Mark Huismann into a wild pickoff attempt after the double in the eighth.

The intimidation continued when McLemore, the ensuing hitter, grounded back to Huismann, who looked at Pettis dancing off third, looked back at McLemore speeding down the line, and threw wildly to first for his second error of the inning.

Pettis reflected on his 3 for 4 and said: “Maybe I just found a bat that I had left around from the playoffs.”

Pettis, it will be recalled, batted .346 in those seven games with the Boston Red Sox and probably would have won the playoff series’ most valuable player award if the Angels had held on to win.

“One of the things that tore me up so badly is to have had Pettis and Dick Schofield play the way they did and then not bring it home,” Manager Gene Mauch said Tuesday.

Mauch then reflected on his center fielder’s slow spring and said that Pettis may be the type of player who needs something on the line, who may need the games to mean something before he gears up.

In other words, Tuesday’s opening bell may have struck a chord.

“There are a lot of players like that,” Mauch said, “and why I think about it in Gary’s case is because the way he played in the playoffs went far beyond anything he had done before.”

It was a different spring for Pettis in that it started amid memory of his loss to the Angels in arbitration and wound down amid speculation he was being pursued by the Dodgers.

Pettis, however, said that neither issue was a factor in his March struggle.

“There were a few days when I hit well and a few days when I didn’t,” he said. “I got concerned about it and couldn’t relax. Then right before spring training ended, I got that relaxed feeling again. I looked on the season as a new start. I’ve put spring training behind me.”

That new season had yet to begin when Pettis was presented with his second straight Gold Glove in pregame ceremonies. He then rekindled those October memories with a performance illustrative of his catalytic capability, of the Angels’ persistent demands that he employ the entire field in a bid to reduce his strikeouts.

He singled sharply to center in the fifth and then scored the Angels’ first run. He singled sharply to left in the sixth to help trigger a three-run inning as the Angels snapped a 1-1 tie. He doubled to left center in the eighth, helping ignite another three-run inning.

None of the hits were on the ground, which the Angels’ believe should be part of Pettis’ game plan, but Mauch now contends that a satisfactory amount of tutoring has rubbed off.

“No matter what we do with him,” the manager said, “70% of his hits are still going to be in the air. That’s his swing. But in the process of trying to hit it on the ground, he’s developed a more productive swing.”

In each of his three full seasons, Pettis has experienced an increase in strikeouts, but he has also gone from .227 to .257 to .258. Last year, he drove in a career-high 58 runs.

“I’m not going to try and compare what I do this year to what I did in the playoffs,” he said. “I just want to improve on what I’ve done before and have the best year of my career.

“Maybe some people still feel I don’t belong, but I do. As long as Gene Mauch puts me in the lineup, it reinforces my thinking. I’d still like to bat leadoff, that would be my choice, but I’ve learned not to expect it from Gene. I only expect to be in the lineup.”

Pettis batted eighth Tuesday, just ahead of McLemore, who singled, scored twice, sacrificed and helped turn two brilliant double plays.

Said Pettis, the Angels’ trend setter in the area of speed:

“The four years have really gone fast. I remember when I was in the same shoes as Mark McLemore and Devon White.

“I think they’re going to handle it just fine.”