Angels Turn to Witt to End Pair of Slumps

Losers of four consecutive games, five of their last six, the slumping Angels now place their hopes on the slumping shoulders of Mike Witt, who returns to the mound tonight against the Texas Rangers.

In past seasons, Witt simply would have pulled out his tool box and righted all wrongs with that Mercedes-Benz curveball of his or a fastball that whizzed past the corners of home plates everywhere. It was a sight to behold.

From 1984 through 1987, Witt was the Angels’ sure thing, the stoic constant. Smug looks by Angel management were big on the days Witt stalked onto the field. Witt meant a win.

No longer. Smugness has been replaced by wonder, a sense of nervous anticipation. Sure thing? Hardly.

Witt’s Mercedes-Benz is now a Buick. His fastball whizzes off bats instead of plopping into catcher’s mitts. Something is wrong, but no one--Witt, Manager Doug Rader, pitching coach Marcel Lachemann, teammates--knows exactly what it is.

Now Witt, a disappointing 3-6, finds himself being asked to reattach the wheels to a suddenly suspect Angel bandwagon. The bullpen is giving up game-winning home runs as if it receives commissions for long balls--two in the last two days, including Sunday’s gopher ball to Royal catcher and Angel-killer Bob Boone; the offense, except for the recently revived Wally Joyner, is on extended AWOL and the starting pitching is beginning to falter.

Other than that, all is fine.

The Angels, perhaps by accident, have done what they can to improve Witt’s chances for success. They bumped him back a day in the rotation, choosing to start rookie Jim Abbott Sunday against the Royals. “We just didn’t want two left-handers back-to-back,” said Lachemann of a rotation that would have had Abbott and fellow lefty Chuck Finley pitching on consecutive days.

We’ll buy that. But by tinkering with the rotation, the Angels positioned Witt to face the Rangers, a team he has beaten like a snare drum: 3-0, 1.80 earned-run average against Texas last year, 11-4, 2.99 ERA during his career. Coincidence? Doubtful.

Witt needs a victory worse than the Angels do. He is 19-30 since Aug. 3, 1987. In his last eight starts, Witt is 1-4 with three no-decisions. Opponents are hitting .303 against him. And to complete the statistics barrage, Witt recently has stopped Angel win streaks of five, four, two and two games.

Witt knows all this. He is so accustomed to near perfection that mediocrity offends his sensibilities. By his own admission, he is struggling to re-establish himself and his waning confidence. What a battle that must be.

Kirk McCaskill, maybe Witt’s closest friend on the team, went through it earlier this spring. Nothing would go as planned. Every mistake pitch was lofted over the wall for a homer. Every break went the other way. It was frustration personified, a self-doubtathon.

Now McCaskill watches as Witt attempts to squirm out of similar circumstances. “And it might be a little harder on (Witt) because the expectations on him are possibly greater than anyone else,” McCaskill said.

True enough. You became spoiled watching Witt pitch. You figured 16-20 victories a year, 225 innings or so, 175-plus strikeouts, an ERA in the twos or low threes. At the very least, you figured consistency.

That’s part of the problem, McCaskill said. People forget that Witt’s right arm has been due for a slump, too. Hard to corner the perfection market forever, he said.

“I just think it’s a confidence thing,” McCaskill said. “As soon as there’s a shred of doubt in your mind, you lose your aggressiveness, or whatever they call it.

“It’s just going to take one thing for it to click again. As soon as it does, he’ll be fine.”

The Angels aren’t panicking, at least, not publicly. No Fernando-South is this. Instead, the Angels preach patience. On occasion, they also become a bit testy about the subject of Witt. The less said the better, according to the Rader philosophy.

But how can you ignore the troubles of an opening day starter? You can’t, which is why tonight’s game against the Rangers is so vital for Witt.

Forget that it would stop an Angel losing streak, the longest of the season. Of greater consequence is what it would do for Witt’s self-esteem.

“I think (all starts) are important,” Lachemann said. “But they obviously become a little more important when you’re struggling.”

Witt has watched more videos than Siskel and Ebert, all in hopes of picking up some technical glitch in his delivery. He has replayed pitch after pitch in his mind. Still no true answer.

Lachemann said he thinks the problems are mechanical in nature. An adjustment here, an adjustment there. The goal is to make Witt’s motion as consistent as possible.

“But it’s still a matter of feeling confident, maybe catching a few breaks,” Lachemann said.

If nothing else, Witt will try tonight. Whatever he lacks in social graces, he makes up in blue-flame intensity. It is his trademark.

And whatever the Angels lack in smug looks these days, they make up in hope and crossed fingers. It is fast becoming their trademark.