It Is a Rare Opening Day Doubleheader

Looks like a great day today. Let’s watch two.

Hope you went to bed right after “60 Minutes,” or at least after “Murder, She Wrote.” There is a long day ahead because baseball season is here. Maybe it’s a week late but fans in Los Angeles and Orange County did well for themselves.

Dodgers and Padres at 1:30 p.m. Angels and Mariners at 6. It gets no better than this.

Despite the lockout and the shortened spring, the Dodgers are opening the season at home, against San Diego. The twist is that because of the one-week delay, the Angels are also opening at home. That gives Southern California baseball fans a unique opportunity to see two opening-day games. It also will be the first time you can see all three Southern California teams on an opening day.

A National League and American League doubleheader.

OK, it works this way:

No breakfast. It will just get in the way of the hot dogs, peanuts, Cracker Jack, beer (or non-alcoholic beverage of choice) and, for those who must, nachos. Get to Dodger Stadium around noon. It is important to be there plenty early to get parking spaces closest to the exits for a quick getaway. Can’t be tied up in the parking lot when you need to get to Anaheim.

Besides, with opening day comes pomp and circumstance, and no true fan would miss the 500-piece high school honor band that will play 15 minutes from the last 100 years in honor of the Dodgers’ centennial. Or the four-minute musical video salute to the 100 years, on Diamond Vision. Festivities begin at 1 p.m.

Had trouble getting tickets to see “Phantom of the Opera”? Not to worry. The cast is singing the national anthem. Don’t know if Michael Crawford will be performing--he’s been ill lately--but it doesn’t matter. He would be behind a mask anyway.

The Dodger-Padre game is a makeup of one lost last week because of the delay. It also will be the first of a strange four-game series. They play three in San Diego’s Jack Murphy Stadium, beginning Tuesday.

This is also a matchup of teams that could compete for the National League West title. The Padres, after getting off to an unexpected miserable start last year, rebounded strongly in the second half, winning 42 of their final 63 games to finish second, three games behind San Francisco.

The Dodgers struggled to an injury-strewn 77-83 record and fourth place.

Now you see them: Hubie Brooks, from Montreal; and Juan Samuel, from the New York Mets, in the Dodger outfield; and Joe Carter, from Cleveland, in the Padre outfield.

Now you don’t: Ex-Dodgers Mike Marshall, now with the Mets; and Franklin Stubbs, with Houston; and ex-Padre Mark Davis, with Kansas City.

Thought he was still here: Kirk Gibson, on the disabled list, but feeling better every day, he says. Gibson could be activated by mid-April, but more likely in May.

Orel Hershiser will be the opening-day pitcher for the Dodgers. He finished last year with a disappointing 15-15 record, despite the second-best earned-run average in the league, 2.31.

Hershiser was in favor of a temporary rule change that would have allowed pitchers to be credited with a victory if they pitched three complete innings instead of the customary five through April. Although approved during the settlement of the labor dispute, the change was rescinded.

The Padres are opening with Bruce Hurst, who had a 15-11 record and a 2.69 ERA in his first year with San Diego after signing as a free agent from Boston.

It is important to have your hot dogs no later than the third inning. Only two beers allowed, and they must be drunk by the fourth inning. There is a long drive ahead.

It’s 3:20 p.m. and the seventh inning. Hershiser and Hurst are just getting out of showers and we are out of the stadium. It’s the only way to make it to Anaheim for the pregame festival.

A race to the car--that’s why you needed to eat the hot dogs early--and hit the road. Fall in behind the first Mercedes with a vanity plate that reads OC GUY, with the hope that this is a commuter who knows the ropes.

It is imperative to be on the freeway by 3:30. Any later and you’re into the East L.A. four-level interchange, parked in traffic.

Screech into Anaheim Stadium at 5:15, park anywhere and get ready for the nightcap.

Of course, you can listen to Vinnie, Ross and Don describe all the Dodger action during the drive to Anaheim.

The Angels are going to welcome you with a gift--the latest in sportswear, a neon-green Angel cap.

Festivities begin at 5:30, featuring the Santa Ana Winds, the Ambassadors of Music for Orange County. They will be followed by the presentation of postseason awards to a few Angels, the throwing out of the first ball--actually six balls thrown out by youngsters representing charities that some Angel players are involved in.

The day’s second national anthem will be performed by Jack Jones.

There are supposed to be surprises that are being kept top secret by the Angel staff.

More hot dogs, peanuts and beverages. And please, this is a day for true baseball fans. At all costs, avoid the baked potato with broccoli and cheese.

Pitching the Angels into 1990 will be Bert Blyleven. He led the Angels with a 17-5 record as they surprised just about everybody by competing with Oakland until late August. The Angels are in what might be the toughest division in baseball--the American League West--but they are opening against one of the weaker teams in the division.

The Angels could win 90 games again--they won 91 last season--and finish third behind Oakland and Kansas City. Winning fewer could drop them behind Minnesota or Texas.

If they have any hope of being legitimate contenders this season, they need to beat Seattle.

The Mariners are using Brian Holman in the opener. He was 8-10 last year with a 3.44 ERA.

Sorry, have to wait two more days for Mark Langston’s Angel debut against his former team. Langston was traded from Seattle to Montreal last year and then signed by the Angels as a free agent.

Now you see them: Angel pitchers Langston; and Scott Bailes, from Cleveland. Mariner first baseman-designated hitter Pete O’Brien, from Cleveland.

Now you don’t: Angel DH-outfielder Tony Armas, who didn’t show at spring training. Mariner third baseman Jim Presley, to Atlanta.

Angel third baseman Jack Howell is out with a sprained ankle and shortstop Dick Schofield is nursing a pulled hamstring. So, either Kent Anderson or Mark McLemore probably will be at short and either Donnie Hill or Rick Schu will be at third.

Now, for residents of Orange County, the evening should be relaxing. If the game is a bust, tell the people next to you about the Dodger-Padre game you saw. Unless they’re eating baked potato with broccoli and cheese. Then just tell them to move.

Residents of Los Angeles have a longer drive ahead. If you leave early, it’s OK. Just think, leaving a game in the seventh inning twice in one day.