Minor League Notebook : Howitt Is Making Big Strides for the A’s : Former Titan Player Seeks Consistency After Disappointing Seasons

He’s a big player--6-feet-5--with a big name: Dann Paul John Howitt. And this season he’s enjoying his biggest year in the Oakland Athletics farm system.

Howitt, who played two years at Michigan State and one at Cal State Fullerton, is hitting .274 with 23 home runs and 93 RBIs at the A’s double-A affiliate in Huntsville, Ala.

It’s a marked improvement from an inconsistent 1988--.254 average and 18 home runs at Huntsville--and worlds away from a disastrous 1987 when he hit just .208 at Class-A Modesto.

“That was a nightmare year,” Howitt said. “I hear every ballplayer has at least one. I hope I’m all through with mine.”

Howitt, who believes hitting is a relatively simple art to understand and practice, explained his improvement: “I think the major difference is that I’m hitting the ball. I wasn’t doing that much before.”

He’s also hitting a significant number out of ballparks. You’d think a guy of his stature would always have been a home run hitter, but Howitt hit only 14 home runs in his first two years as a professional.

His problem was that he was trying to hit home runs.

“I knew I had the power, so I’d swing at every pitch and try to hit everything out,” Howitt said. “Now, I’m trying to make good contact and hit line drives. With my size, if I can make the contact, I have a good chance at driving the ball.”

Problem is that Howitt plays first base and the A’s have a tall first baseman who can drive balls by the name of Mark McGwire.

“You know, I’ve thought about that,” Howitt said. “I’ve played the outfield before. Problem is I usually play right field, and the A’s have a pretty decent guy in right field too.”

His name is Jose Canseco.

Well, there might be another option for Howitt: pitching. For the past couple of seasons, Howitt has been utilized as a pitcher during blowouts. He got 13 innings of work last season.

“We were getting blown out a lot last season,” he said.

This year, he’s made only one appearance, when Huntsville trailed Charlotte by 10 runs. Howitt worked one shutout inning, allowing two hits and striking out one. His ERA is a perfect 0.00.

Howitt says he feels no pressure when he takes the mound.

“It’s the hitters who are in a no-win situation,” he said. “They’re expected to get a hit off an everyday player. If they don’t, they’re in for a lot of kidding.”

You’ve heard that the strikeout is a pitcher’s best friend. Tell that to Len Damian, formerly of Canyon High, who has almost four times as many strikeouts (84) as walks (22) with the Chicago Cubs’ triple-A Iowa affiliate, yet he’s 3-11 this season.

Ruben Gonzalez, formerly of Rancho Santiago, is within reach of the California League triple crown. Gonzales, who plays for the San Bernardino Spirit, leads the league with 24 home runs and 81 RBIs. His .291 average ranks fifth in the league.

Other Orange County players who are league leaders include pitcher Mike Misuraca, formerly of Orange Coast College, who is tied for the Appalachian League lead in victories with seven. Misuraca pitches for the Minnesota Twins’ rookie league affiliate in Elizabethton, Tenn.

Richie Amaral, formerly of Estancia High and UCLA, leads the Southern League with 46 stolen bases.

One of the Angels’ top pitching prospects, Glenn Carter, leads the Midwest League with 157 strikeouts in 137 innings. Carter is 12-5 with an impressive 2.23 ERA.

Hours, days, weeks and months of sitting, waiting and hoping can lead a minor league ballplayer to think about the great issues of life.

Consider this pearl of wisdom from pitcher Mark Zapella of the Quad City Angels, a Class-A affiliate of the Angels:

“The mosquitoes here are brutal. They attack you like little bombers. I’ve tried to reason with them, tell them how ridiculous they are. But it’s like they won’t listen. So then, I kill them.”