Change Does Buckner Some Good

Friday night, just a little more than a month after the Angels sent him packing, Bill Buckner strode back into Anaheim Stadium wearing the baby blue uniform of the Kansas City Royals and a much better attitude than he had when he left.

That was on May 6. The day the Angels released Buckner from a guaranteed contract just nine months after they had signed it.

At the time of his release, Buckner called the move “a slap in the face.”

Turns out, that slap was just what he needed.

Though the Royals lost to Buckner’s former teammates Friday, 1-0, Buckner is enjoying his new club.

“I’m having a lot of fun now,” Buckner said. “I don’t think the Angels were trying to do me any big favors. But they did me about as big a favor as you can do.”

What the Angels did was release him from a team that is at the bottom of the American League West and make him available to any other interested team.

New teams are getting to be routine for Buckner. He has been riding the American League merry-go-round, playing for three teams in the past 11 months.

For a while it looked as if Buckner’s amusement ride would stop at Anaheim. On July 28, after the Boston Red Sox released Buckner, the Angels offered him what looked like a place he could finish his career.

Buckner signed a contract guaranteed through 1988 and said at the time that this season with the Angels would be his last in the majors.

But the Angels decided that Buckner, who batted .306 and drove in 32 runs with the Angels last season, should retire a little earlier. Like one month into this season.

“I was surprised,” Buckner said. “They didn’t have a lot of left-handed hitting in the lineup. But I don’t think (Manager) Cookie (Rojas) really wanted me on the team.”

At the time of Buckner’s release, Rojas said he needed more flexibility on the bench.

Kansas City picked up Buckner a few days after he left the Angels and have used him regularly as a designated hitter.

His first day as a Royal, Buckner hit two home runs. Since then he has batted .273 with 8 RBIs.

“He’s been very consistent,” Kansas City hitting coach Mike Lum said. “He’s hitting over .300 off right-handers.”

The switch in teams has given Buckner a chance to play on a regular basis, though he may be platooned now with recently acquired Pat Tabler. But more than anything, it has given him a new opportunity.

“It’s like night and day,” Buckner said of the difference between the Angels and the Royals.

Buckner said he isn’t sure now if he’s going to retire after this season. His ever troublesome ankles are holding up and he’s feeling good.

“I’m just trying to have fun,” he said.