Even in Top Form, Winless Morris Can’t Buy Himself a Victory : Angered Over Story, Right-Hander as Quiet as Tiger Bats

The winningest pitcher of the 1980s remains the losingest pitcher of April 1989. Jack Morris--Detroit Tiger legend, all-star, hard-luck case--can’t catch a break, to say nothing of a victory.

Morris took his un-Morris-like 0-4 record into Anaheim Stadium Wednesday evening and left 0-5, despite allowing just one run--Brian Downing’s second-inning homer--and four hits. Problem was, the Tiger offense provided Morris with plenty of hits, but nothing else. In essence, the Tigers teased him by putting 13 runners on base . . . and leaving them there.

“It’s tough when you pitch like that and you don’t score no runs,” said Detroit Manager Sparky Anderson, puffing on his postgame pipe. “He’s lost, 2-1 (against Milwaukee last Friday), and 1-0. That’s pretty hard. He got beat in Texas, 4-1, and they didn’t even hit it hard.”

Turns out that logic and runs both have escaped Morris’ reach. For instance, who would have guessed that Morris would be winless after five starts? Or that the Tigers wouldn’t be able to provide him with a single lead? Or that Morris, angered by a recent story, would issue his own gag order, meaning no more chats with the media?

It has happened, though--all of it, much to the surprise of those who know him best.

“He still throws the same stuff he threw when I caught him,” said former batterymate Lance Parrish, who went zero for three against his pal. “I thought he pitched a heck of a ballgame. Those are games that you expect to win.”

Morris had to sit and watch the Tigers put runners on base in each inning. Then he had to watch them stay there. Especially frustrating must have been the fifth inning, when Detroit had men on first and second with no outs; the sixth, when the Tigers again put two more men on; and the eighth, when they loaded the bases. Each time . . . nothing.

Except for the outcome, it was a vintage Morris performance. He pitched a complete game, struck out seven and at one point, retired 15 of 17 batters. A single Downing swing turned out to be his downfall.

“I can see what his problem was: He was having trouble getting his forkball and slider over,” said Angel Manager Doug Rader. “But as the game progressed, there were fewer and fewer good pitches to hit. He’s tough. I’ve never seen the guy pitch bad.”

With that, Rader glanced at an Angel schedule taped to his office wall and began counting the games until the Angels travel to Detroit. The reason: to see if his team would have to face Morris. As the rotation would have it, the Angels are likely to be spared.

Rader glanced heavenward and then made the sign of the cross on his chest. “Looks like we’ll miss him,” he said.

No one was panicking in the Tiger clubhouse, certainly not the eternal optimist, Anderson. By Anderson’s way of thinking, the problem isn’t with Morris’ arm, but with Tiger bats.

“I’m not concerned with him not throwing good,” Anderson said. “I’d like to see us score some runs.”

So desperate was Anderson for something other than zeroes, that he OK’d a sacrifice bunt in the ninth inning to move Pat Sheridan from first to second. It worked, but cost the Tigers an out. Two batters later, the game was over.

“Just trying to score,” Anderson said.

The Tigers, of course, are aware of Morris’ record. In a way, they feel responsible.

“I know that in his five starts Jack has had this year, we haven’t scored much for him,” third baseman Chris Brown said. “If I was him, I would feel a little down. But it’s a long season. I know he’s going to keep pitching good and we’re going to score some runs.”

The prediction is seconded by Parrish, who may know better than almost anyone.

“It’s just a matter of time before he comes around,” Parrish said. “Just because he’s 0-5 doesn’t reflect on the pitcher he is.

“You can’t throw a ball much better than he did tonight.”

Maybe you can, but the way things are going for Morris these days, it probably wouldn’t matter.