Angels Pay Langston $16 Million : A’s Now Are Set for Bushwhacking

Sixteen million dollars! Man, that’s a lot of “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” residuals.

But Cowboy Gene Autry, you done good, pardner.

The Angels have signed Mark Langston, the left-handed gun. They shelled out a whole bunch of money. They emptied Autry’s saddlebags, as they say. But Langstons don’t come cheap; he’s the best left-hander alive today.

Besides, with the kind of money ballclubs are paying for Walt Terrell and Bryn Smith these days, the Angels are lucky they didn’t have to give Langston the deed to the ranch. To the question, “What would it take for California to sign you?” Langston’s agent probably replied: “California.”

Anyhow, bring on them Oakland Athletics, eh, Cowboy Gene? Yippie-ki-ay and ya-hoo! You say Dave Stewart, Mike Moore, Bob Welch and Storm Davis form the best starting rotation anywhere in the big leagues? Friends, we’ll match Langston, Bert Blyleven, Chuck Finley, Kirk McCaskill, Jim Abbott and Mike Witt against them any time, any place, won’t we, Cowboy?

A cry will go up that Witt’s gotta go somewhere else, that he’s washed up, that he can’t even make this rotation anymore. All we know is that you can never have enough pitchers. Sore arms do happen to happen.

But if the Angels believe they can afford to peddle Witt now, then by all means, peddle him. They should be able to get something for a starting pitcher of Witt’s age and background.

The other step the Angels must take is to hang on tight to free-agent Lance Parrish, who handles the staff. Parrish doesn’t want to leave, but everybody needs catchers. Let’s hope there’s some money left over for Lance.

Meantime, the line forms to the left for season tickets. Langston is the kind of pitcher people come out to watch, just to see if this is the night he’ll strike out 20.

Nolan Ryan got away. Bruce Hurst slipped through the cracks. But this time, Autry’s hired hands got their man. Money was no object.

This reminds us of an analogy Bob Costas made about Rickey Henderson during last season’s playoffs. Costas said he could picture Henderson as that character in the Monopoly board game wearing the top hat and carrying the sacks of money marked, “$”. That’s how rich Henderson figured to be--and sure enough, the A’s gave him $3 million a year.

Well, Langston cracked the $ barrier. He got $16 million for five seasons. This salary does not offend me in the least, since $16 million is exactly the same figure I am going to earn in my newspaper career, provided I am still working in the year 2089.

Is Langston worth it? Is anybody worth it? Hey, he’s a human being, he’s fallible and he’s subject to injury, same as anybody else. The man can’t just go out there and wish 20 victories to come true. So, give him some margin for error. He’s a pitcher, not a god.

On the other hand, let’s not forget that this is a guy who once won 19 games for the Seattle Mariners , which is a little like squeezing champagne from a cow.

“I remember stepping up against Mark Langston,” said Don Mattingly late last season, “and I’m glad he’s gone to the National League.”

Sorry about that, Mat. He’s backkkkk . Langston’s stopover in Montreal was a brief one. The poor old Expos ended up making one of those famous 3-for-0 trades you hear so much about, the kind of trade that, uh, doesn’t exactly work out well for both sides.

Langston has worked in California before. He pitched for Bakersfield in 1982. And you know what they say, once you’ve been to Bakersfield, you’ll never want to be anyplace else.

Nevertheless, it took him seven years to work his way back to California. Better late than never.

There has been a lot of talk that Langston wanted to live in this area because his wife is an actress and her opportunities would be greater here. Come on, now. With all the out-of-work actors and actresses in the business, is someone going to get better shots at parts because her husband pitches baseballs in Anaheim? Get real.

Mark Langston didn’t pick the Angels because he wanted his wife to be the co-host of a morning show with Steve Edwards. He made a career move, influenced, certainly, by the fact that he was born in San Diego and schooled in San Jose and fond of California in general.

We’re happy he’s here. The Angels didn’t even have to give up three players for him. This trade instantly makes them no less than co-contenders with a team, Oakland, that has been called by some the best team of the 1980s.

Don’t ask anymore if the A’s are going to have a dynasty. Ask if the A’s are going to win their division.

Bet not.