BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : ANGELS : Seles’ Incident Stirs Rodgers’ Memories

The Angels sat stunned in the clubhouse Friday afternoon, watching the report of Monica Seles being stabbed on the tennis court.

They were reminded of their fears, knowing every time they step on the field they are at the mercy of a throng of strangers.

“It’s always in the back of your mind,” Angel Manager Buck Rodgers said. “When you get so many people coming to games, you get a lot of nuts. They’re in the general populace.”

Rodgers, who managed in the Dominican Republic, said there often was so much violence that two guards would stand by the dugouts with submachine guns. “One night a guy threw a bottle of Scotch at me,” Rodgers said. “They were always firing oranges and flicking their cigarettes at you. And when the fans gave up, they’d throw around a live chicken around in the stands until it died.

“I don’t expect that to happen any time soon, but the other stuff is getting bad. Even when I sign autographs, you’ve got so many people sticking pens in your face, I almost had my eye put out.

“I wear glasses now, and the way things are these days, I wouldn’t sign autographs without my glasses on.”

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How impressive are Angel starter Mark Langston’s three complete games?

The only team in the major leagues that has more complete games is the Seattle Mariners. “I just program myself for nine innings,” Langston said, “and so far it’s been working out. I can’t remember ever having more than one complete game in April.”

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Although Red Sox right fielder Andre Dawson had his right knee drained twice in the past two weeks, he insisted that he was sound enough to play the outfield Friday. “That’s what kind of player Andre is,” said Rodgers, who managed him two years in Montreal. “I used to have to fight him constantly because he never wanted out of the lineup. He was a joy to manage. He never cared about his stats, only about winning.”