Reuss Gets Some Friendly Advice : Newest Angel Takes Cue From Sutton and Foils Royals

Don Sutton, the 42-year-old veteran of 22 major league seasons, had some advice for the Angels’ newest pitcher before Sunday’s game.

Now, this newcomer is no rookie--17 summers have passed since Jerry Reuss started in the majors--but the 38-year-old left-hander was making his first appearance in the American League and was battling for his baseball life, so any tip was welcome.

“Don’t tell anybody what you told me before the game,” Reuss said to Sutton.

Sutton, who was a teammate of Reuss’ with the Dodgers in 1979-80, smiled and nodded and then immediately talked.

“I just told him to remember to have fun,” Sutton said.

Reuss went to the mound in Anaheim Stadium and turned in nine fun innings to shut out the Kansas City Royals, 8-0.

“That’s the kind of performance I remember from Jerry Reuss,” Sutton said. “ . . . Staying ahead of the batters, showcasing his breaking ball and the great movement on the fastball.

“He and Boonie (catcher Bob Boone) were great together. It was as good an exhibition of pitch and catch as I’ve seen in a while. It was like watching a clinic.”

Reuss, who was released by the Cincinnati Reds a week ago, said he couldn’t remember a victory that was any more satisfying than Sunday’s. And, if he was willing to credit Sutton merely for reminding him to enjoy himself, than you can imagine what kind of praise he was ready to give Boone.

“I give all the credit to Bob Boone,” Reuss said. “He’s regarded as one of the best catchers in baseball and it’s easy to see why.”

Boone, on the other hand, couldn’t see why Reuss had gone more than 1 1/2 years without a victory. Reuss looked just like the pitcher Boone remembered from the 1970s when Boone was playing in the Philadelphia Phillies.

“He was always so consistent,” Boone said. “He threw a little harder back then, but with the same motion and same movement on the ball. He did an outstanding job today. He moved the fastball both ways (inside and outside) and when he used his breaking ball, it was a quality breaking ball.”

Boone called all the pitches, and Reuss didn’t shake him off often. Sutton may have thought they had combined for an impromptu 2 1/2-hour seminar on pitching, but Boone considered it just another day at the park.

“It wasn’t real difficult,” Boone said. “The way he was moving his fastball on both corners consistently, it almost acts like two different pitches. We’d heard he was having trouble getting his spinner (curveball) over the plate in Cincinnati, but with Jerry, you can go an entire game with just the fastball. Then you throw in the breaking ball and it makes it that much more difficult to hit him.”

The Royals had eight singles Sunday, hitting three in the fourth to load the bases. But Reuss ended the only real threat of the game when he struck out Bo Jackson and got Steve Balboni to ground into a force play.

“It’s been a long, long time since I went into the seventh inning with an eight-run lead,” Reuss said. “I just wanted to remember the fundamentals and challenge the hitters. And there was a certain comfort factor playing here. I feel at home here.”

Relief pitcher Greg Minton, who has been with the Angels for all of 19 days, knows the feeling.

“It’s a fresh start, and that really helps,” said Minton, who played 12 years at San Francisco before he was released and who signed with the Angels June 2. “When you switch leagues after playing in one for so long, you feel like you’re getting to the big leagues for the first time. And working with Boone is a pure pleasure.

“I think this game did a tremendous amount for Jerry’s confidence, but I think this one game will help the Angels even more. It could mean a lot more than just one win down the line for the team. I haven’t wanted the ball as badly as I do now for a long time, and you can bet Jerry just can’t wait for that second start.”

Sutton, a believer in self-motivation, doesn’t know whether Reuss has given his teammates a psychological lift. He’s not predicting a Comeback of the Year award, but he’s glad to see an old friend do well.

“I’m excited for him,” Sutton said. “He’s gone through some unpleasant months, but I admire the way he’s persevered, kept working and never given up. Somebody who works like that will be rewarded.

“And I don’t think this will be his final reward, either.”