ANGELS : Parrish Seeks to Keep His Game on Track

He could have gotten by on his catching ability alone, but Lance Parrish wasn’t willing to settle for that.

Healthy and happily adjusted to the Angels’ organization, Parrish reversed his offensive decline in 1990 and produced his finest season since 1985. With a .268 average, 24 home runs and 70 runs batted in, Parrish showed his toughest critic that his skills hadn’t eroded.

“I proved something to myself,” Parrish said.

Effective as ever behind the plate, Parrish threw out 55 of 117 runners attempting to steal second base, or 47%. He hit 24 home runs, tying for 10th in the American League and giving him a career total of 285, fifth among catchers in major league history. In becoming an all-star for the eighth time, Parrish became the first Angel catcher selected to the team since Bob Boone in 1983.

All of that in contrast to 1988, when he hit a career-low .215 for the Phillies, and 1989, when knee and rib injuries he sustained in a home plate collision resulted in a .238 batting average.

“I proved that I’m still capable of being productive offensively and doing a good job defensively,” said Parrish, who will turn 35 in June. “I never really doubted that I was able to do the job--it’s just taken me a couple of years to get my game back together.

“It’s a lot easier to perform when you’re in an organization you feel comfortable in and you’re healthy. I feel very comfortable being here. I’m adjusted to being on this ballclub and I feel I should be able to play at this level a few more years.”

And this season?

“We’re looking as strong as any pitching staff I’ve seen or worked with,” Parrish said. “The biggest problem we had last year was offensive contributions, and this year we have some more pop.”

Two days into his catching career, Jack Howell is starting to enjoy his new job.

Jack Howell, who is being considered for an emergency catching role, caught batting practice Sunday in addition to taking grounders at second base and third base. He played third base in Sunday’s Desert Samaritan pro-am game, in which Angel players and local businessmen played an informal contest to benefit the cancer fund at Desert Samaritan Hospital in Mesa. “I’m staying busy,” Howell said. “I’m starting to get a feel for catching.” Sunday’s game raised about $20,000.

In four years, the Angels have helped raise more than $100,000 for the construction of a family care center at the hospital.

Officials of Cactus League clubs met last week in Scottsdale to discuss the league’s future. The Angels are investigating spring training sites in Florida and expect to leave Mesa by the spring of 1993. The Cleveland Indians will leave Tucson for Citrus County, Fla., after 1992 and the Seattle Mariners might leave Tempe if they can’t agree on a new contract with that city.

“The bottom line is everybody is in limbo, as we are, and is pretty frustrated. Improvements need to be made but it’s hard to come up with the dollars,” said Kevin Uhlich, the Angels’ director of stadium operations.

“No definitive plans have been made, other than to set up a meeting with the new governor (Fife Symington) and let him know we have concerns about the state’s involvement.”

Good weather and productive practices Sunday allowed the Angels to compensate for the two days they lost to rain earlier in the week. “Overall, we’re pretty close to schedule,” Manager Doug Rader said.

Rader and his staff haven’t decided whether Lee Stevens is best suited to play first base or the outfield, but they’ve decided that barring an injury to Wally Joyner, Stevens will start the season with triple-A Edmonton. Stevens is being evaluated in left and center field.

Pitchers for Tuesday’s first intrasquad game are Chuck Finley, Mike Fetters, Scott Bailes, Bryan Harvey, Matt Keough, Tim Burcham, Chris Beasley and Rafael Montalvo.