For Openers, Angels Short on Answers

The Angels open their 1990 season tonight at Anaheim Stadium, Bert Blyleven will pitch and the Seattle Mariners will oppose. Beyond that, we have questions . . .

If this is really Opening Night, what is Mike Witt doing in the bullpen? Witt used to be a fixture here, opening the last five seasons on the mound for the Angels. From main man to long relief in 12 short months. Has the decline of any other Angel pitcher been so swift?

Given a stay of execution--he wasn’t traded to Cleveland--will Devon White use the opportunity to finally turn promise into production? Patience may be a virtue, but even Angels can’t remain virtuous forever.

How did Dick Schofield go from 27 to 37 overnight? Groin pulls, torn chest muscles, a broken wrist and now a bad hamstring. Having missed 71 games because of injuries last season, Schofield begins this one on the disabled list.

Did Mike Port wait too long to trade a pitcher for an outfielder? Whatever market value Witt still has, it was higher prior to his spring demotion to the bullpen. Now that he’s tipped his hand on Witt, will Port be forced to part with 15-game winner Kirk McCaskill to acquire the type of impact player the Angels want?

Or can the Angels heal themselves with the hand of Dante Bichette? Potentially, Bichette holds the solution to several Angel problems. He’s young, he’s strong and if he hits, the Angels might be able to get by with a right-field platoon of Bichette and Claudell Washington, at least until something better presents itself. If he hits. We already know about the spring. The season that counts is the summer.

Will Brian Downing’s ribs again get in the way of his RBIs?

Can Mark McLemore become the Tony Phillips of the Angels, the ever-valuable spare part who fills in so many places and so often that he winds up with 450 at-bats? That would be enough to make a real contribution and what McLemore can contribute--a leadoff hitter who wants the job--is another thing the Angels need.

Rick Schu?

Donnie Hill?

Is Mark Langston enough to erase last year’s eight-game deficit in the American League West standings? Langston never had a chance to win in Seattle but last season in Montreal, in the midst of his first pennant fight, he went 2-6 down the stretch. And you know what Dick Williams says about him.

Or will Oakland render everything and everyone else moot with full seasons from Jose Canseco and Rickey Henderson? In 1989, the Angels needed lengthy injuries to Canseco, Mark McGwire, Dennis Eckersley and Walt Weiss to stay as close as they did.

Since they took the rabbit out of the ball after 1987, Wally Joyner has averaged 14.5 home runs and 82 RBIs a season. Is that all there is? Can the Angels be satisfied with The Next Keith Hernandez when they once envisioned The Next Don Mattingly?

How will Doug Rader respond to a 180-degree change in scenery? Last year, Rader inherited a can’t-lose situation and thrived. This year, the expectations are as high as they’ve been since 1986--and division rivals Oakland and Kansas City have never fielded better teams. A no-win situation?

If it’s true that no Angel hitter had a “career year” in 1989, who’s going to provide one in 1990? Joyner had his in 1987 (34 home runs, 117 RBIs), Johnny Ray had his in 1988 (.306, 83 RBIs) and vets Washington, Downing and Lance Parrish had theirs long ago. That leaves Chili Davis, Jack Howell, Schofield and White. Do career years by Howell and Schofield win teams pennants?

Will Blyleven ever go 17-5 again?

If he doesn’t, who picks up the slack? Jim Abbott? Abbott and McCaskill own identical rookie records (12-12) but asking Abbott to match McCaskill again--McCaskill went 17-10 in his second season--might be asking too much.

Rader has the right idea, patterning his bullpen after Oakland’s multi-tiered blueprint, but are Bryan Harvey, Greg Minton, Scott Bailes, Mark Eichhorn and Bob McClure the right pieces?

Jimmy Stewart believed in Harvey the rabbit. Do the Angels believe in Harvey the relief ace? In 55 innings last season, Harvey walked 41 batters. By comparison, his Oakland counterpart, Eckersley, walked three men in 57 2/3 innings.

Is John Orton merely biding his time until the starting catcher’s back gives out or will Lance perish the thought?

Is there any way the Angels can improve on their 91-71 record of last season?

It’s not out of the question.

Then again, neither is 81-81.