Titans Are Now Part of Big Picture

Cal State Fullerton on CBS and other unnatural phenomena that require explanation . . .

* Amazing what three hours of national TV exposure can do for a school that, before Saturday, billed itself as Cal State Media Blackout. Today, all of America knows this much about the Titans: 1) A 3-0 deficit against Stanford doesn’t scare them, it merely focuses their attention; 2) Mark Kotsay can play ; 3) It’s “Cal State Fullerton,” not “Cal-Fullerton” or “UC Fullerton”; 4) It’s not “Fullerton State,” either; 5) Kevin Costner is a Titan; 6) Costner is about to release “Waterworld,” which was filmed with a budget of somewhere between $160 million and one-half the national debt; 7) “Waterworld” does not star Robert Matos or D.C. Olsen, although, judging from early reviews, it could’ve used the help; and 8) If Costner does have a hit this summer, it will be named “Alma Materworld.”

* Photos were taken of Costner taking infield practice with the Titans before Saturday’s College World Series opener against Stanford. Caption should read: “Dances With Grounders.”

* Costner and Fullerton Coach Augie Garrido have become friends and dinner acquaintances since meeting in 1992. Garrido still has an unfinished baseball facility in need of a press box, concession stands, public restrooms and a new playing field. “Kevin Costner Pavilion” does have a certain ring, though no deep-pockets donation has been made to this date. Estimated cost for improvements: $875,000. Coffee and doughnuts for the “Waterworld” crew cost more than that.

* Another solution, of course, would be the solution presently sweeping Orange County: Michael Eisner writes a check. Quips Garrido: “For years, people used to joke about us, calling us ‘Cal State Who’ and ‘Cal State Disneyland.’ Now, I would love to be Cal State Disneyland. Come on, Mike. Buy us. Buy a college team.”

* After Tennessee is rolled today, who joins the Titan bandwagon next? Jack Nicholson? Billy Crystal? Spike Lee? Johnny Majors?

* Kotsay, the Titans’ do-everything outfielder/relief ace/home run and RBI leader/stolen base threat, was named to the 1995 All-American team . . . as a designated hitter. That’s a little like reading in Who’s Who: “Deion Sanders, Motorcyclist.”

* Sunday, the Angels lost to the New York Yankees, 11-3, as Mark Langston was bombed for eight earned runs in a third of an inning and, well, that’s one way to quell those nagging trade rumors.

* I notice Eduardo Perez didn’t make the trip. Former Angel manager Buck Rodgers, who predicted stardom for Perez and couldn’t stand the sight of J.T. Snow in the batting order, evidently had it upside down.

* Meanwhile, Spike Owen has insisted for two years he was an everyday player, not a high-priced utilityman. And there he is now, chained to third base day in and day out, .212 average and all.

* Tony Phillips used to play a pretty fair third base for the Tigers, didn’t he? Just asking.

* This year, the Angels spent their first-round pick on a college outfielder, Darin Erstad, who says he wants to play for them as soon as possible. Maybe sooner than 1997. Probably sooner than 2001. Definitely sooner than McKay Christensen, the outfielder the Angels picked in the first round last year and immediately announced his plans to depart on a Mormon mission. For the Angels, it’s a step in the right direction.

* Horrible news for the Ducks, who had the second-worst record in the NHL this season, who had a chance to move up to No. 1 in the draft via the lottery and wound up Sunday with the fourth selection. You know what that means. Probably no shot at Aki-Petteri Berg now.

* There is no Lindros, Forsberg or Turgeon in this year’s hockey pool, so the Ducks should be able to cope with their slide. At the same time, the Kings could have picked a better year to win the lottery. Then again, they were able to move up to third, and when’s the last time the Kings finished third in anything?

* Barely a month after being fired by the Kings, Cap Raeder found work as top assistant for new Boston Bruins’ Coach Steve Kasper. No surprise there. Raeder survived seven seasons in the maelstrom that is Kings hockey for a reason; Kasper, a former King, calls Raeder the most prepared coach he’s ever played for. Raeder also found a coaching job before Barry Melrose did. No surprise there, either.

* Another Fox TV hockey innovation: Keeping tabs on the amount of sea creatures flung onto the Joe Louis Arena ice by Detroit Red Wings fans. The count after one period: Eight octopi.

* Will calamari chefs in the Detroit area be able to withstand the sudden shortage?

* Game 2 of the Red Wings-Blackhawks series ended with Detroit goalie Mike Vernon prematurely skating out of the crease to celebrate a 3-2 victory and watching as Chicago’s Tony Amonte fired the puck half the length of the rink past him, plunking the far goalpost as the horn sounded. If that puck had skittered in, you know what Detroit Coach Scotty Bowman would have thrown onto the ice. That’s right, backup goalie Chris Osgood.

* ESPN2, running short of beach soccer tournaments and bungee-jumping competitions to cover, filled a few minutes Sunday with, yes, the 68th annual National Spelling Bee Championship. The runner-up bowed out when she was unable to spell the word “cappelletti.” Poor girl, she unfortunately is no fan of Penn State football.