ANGEL NOTEBOOK : This Time, Bichette Vows to Outlast Spring

The towels spread out on the hill behind the left-field fence might have had bull’s-eyes printed on them, so accurately did Dante Bichette hit the terry cloth targets.

Blast after blast came off his bat and traveled 350 feet or more, scattering the fans who had gathered to soak up the sun and watch the Angels take batting practice Sunday. All they saw was the results of the winter weightlifting program that added nine pounds to the 26-year-old outfielder’s already muscular frame. They didn’t know that his display had as much to do with muscular strength as with mental strength, the assurance he has been gaining as spring training goes on.

Bichette was the sensation of spring training a year ago, when he batted .388 with a club-leading four home runs and 17 runs batted in. He was in the starting lineup in right field on opening day, and for the first month he maintained his spring pace. He was hitting .324 (11 for 34) with five RBIs on April 27, but in his next 50 at-bats he had only seven hits. By June 19, he was demoted to triple-A Edmonton, where he remained until Sept. 1.

“I wasn’t playing every day. I never had to come off the bench and pinch-hit before,” said the 6-foot-3, 212-pound Floridian. “Of course, you don’t make it in the minors doing that, so I had no experience, and I found it difficult to do. I was disappointed when I went down, but I got it together and came back in September.”

He came back to training camp this year determined to prove that his performance last spring is the true indication of his talent, and he has almost certainly earned a spot on the 24-player roster as the fourth outfielder. After going one for two Sunday with an RBI-single in the Angels’ 12-4 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers, Bichette is tied for the team lead with two home runs and is among the leaders with seven RBIs.

He hit both home runs and drove in five runs Saturday against Cleveland.

“I’ve had the flu ever since I’ve been here and that was the first day my energy was back to normal,” Bichette said.

His .267 batting average isn’t as gaudy as the numbers he posted last spring, but he is better able to cope with the pressure he is sure to face once the season starts.

“Last year, I didn’t know what the big leagues were about and how I compared with big-league players, but this year I know I can play in the big leagues,” he said.

“Last year, I came to camp in great shape, swinging the bat good, but this year I came in with the right mental attitude, and that’s a big difference. Just getting a feeling for what the major leagues was has helped me. You think, ‘The major leagues, wow,’ if you don’t know better, but they’re just another bunch of humans, just at a different level.”

Having Manager Doug Rader show confidence in him also helped.

“When I went down to Edmonton last year, I went to him and said, ‘Thanks for the chance,’ and he said, ‘Don’t thank me. You earned it,’ ” Bichette said. “He said he knew I’d be back. He’s a motivator. He really inspires you.”

Rader believes Bichette can inspire the Angels’ offense, which finished 12th in the American League in runs scored and 11th in team batting average last season.

“It’s important to us that he does well and stays on the ballclub,” Rader said. “Last year, he never really had an understanding of the nature of his swing. He’s got all the natural ability in the world regarding his swing. But until this year, he had to have somebody with him to remind him. Not a whole lot for him was automatic.

“Part of the difficulty of being a big league player is learning how to use your ability. He’s heading in the right direction. He’s made a lot of progress.”

Enough to stay with the Angels all season?

“I hope they plan on me doing something to help the offense here, because I plan on doing something,” Bichette said. “I can’t really set goals yet because I don’t know how much playing time I’m going to get, but I know I can help.”

Bert Blyleven gave up four hits and no runs in four innings and the Brewers’ infield committed four of Milwaukee’s five errors at Compadre Stadium in the Angels’ Arizona exhibition finale. The Angels are 6-3 as they head to Palm Springs for a four-game series with the San Diego Padres, starting today.

“I’m looking forward to getting the season started,” said Blyleven, who made 67 pitches Sunday and threw an extra inning in the bullpen after coming out. “With everything that’s happened, the lockout, getting down here and all the traveling we’ve already done, it’ll be nice to be home.”

Mark McLemore left the game as a precautionary measure after experiencing tightness in both hamstrings while rounding second base in the fourth inning.

Milwaukee General Manager Harry Dalton, after watching his team commit two errors in the first inning: “We’ve got the Venus de Milo infield. They all have only one arm.”

Chuck Finley (on three days’ rest), Rich Monteleone and Mike Smithson will pitch against the Padres today. Mark Langston and Mike Witt are scheduled to pitch Tuesday, Kirk McCaskill and Jim Abbott on Wednesday and Blyleven on Thursday.

The Angels are batting .324 in exhibitions, but Rader refuses to get excited. The Angels batted .277 last spring but only .256 during the season.

“I don’t remember anything about our hitting from last spring. I can tell you about last summer,” he said. “I can’t tell you who won the Cactus League. I’m not saying I’m not pleased, but you need to treat it just as what it is. The thing I’m most pleased with is the approach and the rhythm that’s been involved with the swings.”

Rader also said he was pleased with Abbott’s four innings Saturday against the Indians after being concerned about the young left-hander’s arm strength. “He threw breaking balls over the plate and change-ups over the plate. The guy has a very amazing aptitude. He wasn’t able to get the ball inside to right-handed hitters, but he could very easily have gone a full stint.”

Monteleone has an 87.75 earned-run average after giving up 13 earned runs in 1 1/3 innings. Scott Bailes, Mark Eichhorn, Finley and Bob McClure have yet to give up an earned run.

Leading the hitters is Rick Schu, who was one for four Sunday and is six for 10 (.600). John Orton, who was two for three, is eight for 14 overall (.571).