For the Angels, It’s the Time of Now and Then : Baseball: Players muse about their future with the club if there are many more games like their 3-0 defeat by Cleveland.

The fear can be seen in their eyes, the anxiety heard in their voices. The tension intensifies every time the Angels endure a game like Saturday’s 3-0 defeat by the Cleveland Indians.

“We all know that if we have many more games like this,” Angel left fielder Luis Polonia said, “things are going to start happening. Some bad things. Things you hate to even think about.”

The Angels were shut out by rookie Jeff Mutis. They managed only four hits in Cleveland’s first complete-game shutout of the season and never reached third base, only once touching second.

“I don’t know what happened,” Angel Manager Buck Rodgers said. “It was either Cy Young out there or we couldn’t hit his weak (stuff), but he sure got us out.”

Mutis (2-2), who changed uniform numbers from 50 to 36 for luck before the game, had never pitched longer than six innings in the major leagues. He struck out only two, but made the Angels looked absolutely helpless.

But in the still of the Angel clubhouse, long after the crowd of 33,402 left Cleveland Stadium, no one was talking about Mutis. Few felt like discussing Cleveland center fielder Kenny Lofton, who terrorized Angel starter Russ Springer (1-4) by stealing three bases and scoring two runs.

On this day, the hot topic of conversation was the future.

The Angels (44-45) have had this wonderful season. They have stayed in the hunt for the American League West title, surprising their fans and stunning the front office.

Their prolonged stay in the race has prompted all sorts of debates on whether the Angels should trade away prospects for a veteran pitcher or No. 5 hitter, or stand pat. Angel management says it will wait and see how the race is in August.

“If we fall out of this thing,” designated hitter Chili Davis said, “watch out. That’s where things start happening.

“You see, when you lose, the front-office starts breaking up the nucleus. It gives them an excuse to start dumping off players and telling guys they don’t want to bring them back.

“When you win, you take that option away.”

Angel players are fearful of what could transpire if they fall out of the race. Will the Angels trade starter Chuck Finley for young pitching? Will they buy out Davis’ contract instead of paying him $2.35 million next season? Will they allow Polonia to leave via free agency?

“Chili and I talk about that all of the time,” Polonia said. “If we go out and win, they really can’t get rid of us. They won’t be able to break up the nucleus without looking stupid.

“But if we start losing, man, they can do whatever the hell they want.”

The Angels, who have gone seven consecutive games without scoring more than four runs, have shown few signs of being a contender lately. They have batted .221 since arriving in Cleveland, scoring in only three of 27 innings.

“It’s not like guys are overpowering us,” Angel first baseman J.T. Snow said. “We’re just getting ourselves out. He just put the ball right over the plate today, and it worked.”

Springer also pitched a four-hitter in his first complete game, but he was victimized by Lofton, who manufactured one run and helped with two others.

The Angels were prepared for Lofton. They talked about him in pregame meetings and instructed third baseman Damion Easley to play nearly even with the pitcher’s mound when Lofton came to the plate. They figured this would take away his bunting opportunities.

So what happened? Lofton opened the game by dropping a perfect bunt onto the grass, quickly stole second and offered a word of advice when he reached third on Wayne Kirby’s groundout

“He told me I was playing too far back on him,” Easley said. “Can you believe it? If I was any closer, I’d be in the batter’s box.”

Lofton scored on Carlos Baerga’s groundout for a 1-0 lead and then raised more havoc in the third inning. He walked with two out and the bases empty, watched the Angels waste time with two pitchouts and then stole second.

Springer, faced with a full count to Kirby, threw a fastball over the heart of the plate. Kirby swung, and the ball drifted into the wind, carrying over the right-field fence for a two-run homer and 3-0 lead.

“That really wasn’t the issue,” Rodgers said. “We were beat by the left-handed pitcher. That was the ballgame.

“It’s hard to win with nine zeros on the scoreboard. I know I’ve never done it.”