Candelaria Back With Angels, Set to Make New Start

Having completed a 28-day program as a patient in a counseling center, John Candelaria rejoined the Angels here Friday, saying he is ready for a new start.

“Maybe in my life, this may be a new start,” Candelaria said in a morning press conference at the Angels’ hotel in Dearborn. “I know I feel a lot better about myself now. A lot of people assume that since you play this game, you should be happy. Sometimes it’s not that way.

“We’re all humans and we all have our problems--regardless.”

Candelaria’s problems, stemming from depression over the 1985 death of his 2-year-old son, John Robert, manifested themselves this season in what doctors consider a common form of escape: alcohol.

He was arrested twice in a month for suspicion of driving while intoxicated. He was put on the disabled list May 15 so he could get psychiatric therapy. He was reactivated May 29.

Then, in early June, the Angels learned that Candelaria had discontinued counseling. The club returned him to the disabled list June 19, this time checking him into the treatment center.

In a prepared statement, Candelaria described this treatment as “intense counseling sessions that have addressed a number of personal problems which were affecting my personal life and certainly my ability to play baseball to the best of my capabilities.”

The statement continued: “There are certain things that occur to an individual which ultimately require outside assistance. I have been under the guidance and instruction of personnel who have worked diligently with me in understanding and coping with certain problems.

“During my absence from baseball, I have taken the necessary time to better handle things which have troubled me recently. My course prior to placement on the disabled list has been properly altered.”

During his half-hour meeting with the media, which the Angels specified would deal “only with baseball,” Candelaria touched briefly upon his experience in the treatment center.

“It hasn’t been easy, but it has been for the best,” he said. “I feel a lot better about myself than I did five months ago or a year ago.

“Being away (from baseball) was the best thing. I had a lot of support and that was nice. It wasn’t easy but it was nice.

“I still feel kind of like I let not only myself down, but the guys (on the team) and the people in the front office. But it’s good that this was resolved. I just have to work on it more, that’s all.”

Candelaria was asked if he had missed baseball during his month on the disabled list.

“Truthfully, I didn’t miss it at all,” he said. “Because at the time, it was secondary to what I needed to get done.”

Candelaria is still not ready to pitch. He rejoined the team 10 pounds lighter--”The food there wasn’t that great,” he said--and won’t be activated until he can pitch. Candelaria estimated that it would take him a week to 10 days to get in shape.

“I haven’t worked out much,” he said. “I threw a couple of times while I was there but that’s about it. And I haven’t done any running. My legs are not ready.”

So why come back to the Angels now?

“Let’s just say it’s my job,” Candelaria said. “I have a contract to play baseball.

“I had to come back sooner or later. I am ready to resume my baseball career. The Angels put no pressure on me. They were great about the whole thing. It was just time to come back.”

Candelaria’s wife and daughter are now staying in his Atlanta home, rather than at Laguna Hills, and he said that also entered into his decision.

“I could’ve waited, (but) my family is in Atlanta. I didn’t think the house would be the greatest place for me to be,” Candelaria said. “I wanted to get back into the environment of baseball. I had to face it sooner or later.”

How much longer Candelaria plans to face it, he doesn’t know. Candelaria is in the final year of his contract and has dropped hints during the season that he may retire in October.

“I still don’t know if I’m going to play next year,” he said. “It really depends on these next two months. We’re going to find out if the fire’s still burning. If it’s there, I would begin to think about continuing.

“I’m sure I’ll enjoy the last two months, if that’s the way it’s going to be.”