Homecoming for Hershiser

Cleveland right-hander Orel Hershiser-- Cleveland’s Orel Hershiser?--will be pitching tonight in Anaheim, the first time he has chucked a baseball in Southern California for somebody other than the Dodgers.

“See? They had to go all the way to Japan to replace me,” Hershiser says with a smile, sitting inside the visitors’ clubhouse in a state where he now must be classified as a visitor.

“Too bad only 18,000 will see you pitch,” a wise guy tells Hershiser, alluding to the Angels’ puny attendance Sunday.

“Eighteen thousand and 70,” Hershiser replies. “I bought 70 tickets myself.”

That’s because he barely had time to say goodby on his way out of Los Angeles in the spring, when the Dodgers decided that Hideo Nomo was the future and Orel Hershiser IV was the past. Hershiser spent most of his day Monday with movers and packers at his old house, because it was the first chance he’d had.

“To me,” Hershiser says, sitting in a Cleveland jersey that still looks as odd on him as a Halloween costume, “home is still 40 miles away.”

No complaints, though. Cleveland couldn’t have worked out any better, with Hershiser breezing along on Lake Erie with a record of 7-4 on a team with the top record in baseball.

He and his wife are looking for a home to lease in Florida, convenient to Cleveland’s spring camp. They intend to spend an extra week in Los Angeles during the off-season, simply to have dinner with some of the friends and neighbors they missed because of the way they had to rush out of town.

Before then, the pitcher was consumed with baseball’s strike business. Then came the truce, followed by the search for a new employer.

“I looked up Cleveland from last year and saw they were scoring 7 1/2 runs a game or whatever,” Hershiser says. “And as a pitcher, that interested me. I said: ‘I want to see that for myself!’ ”

As opposed to the Dodgers, who scored . . . what, 7 1/2 runs last month ?

“No, I don’t know about that,” Hershiser replies, “but I do feel sorry for Tom Candiotti. His ERA is so low and they just don’t get him any runs.”

Cleveland gets runs.

“Oh, man. You give up four runs over here and it doesn’t matter. You hold the other team to four runs and you’re probably going to win the game.

“There’s no tail end to this order. Our 6-7-8 hitters are better than the 3-4-5 hitters in some places.”

When he checked out Cleveland, Hershiser was confident about the hitting. He wasn’t so sure about the pitching.

“You see they’ve got a certain guy [ Jose Mesa ] as their closer, and you wonder about that. Then he goes out and saves 23 of 23, or whatever. I wondered about the bullpen, but the bullpen’s the best in the AL and maybe the best in the big leagues.

“The pitching staff’s got the best mix of young and old pitchers you could want. The hitters are second in runs scored , behind the Angels , and first in average. What’s not to like?”

Hershiser reported to spring camp, anxiously.

“My first day there, I’ve got three photographers shooting me getting dressed . I only let them photograph me from the top, by the way.

“Then I had to adjust to the American League. Like now, I look and my ERA’s not in the top 25 and I’m unhappy. Then somebody will say, ‘Orel, your ERA’s under four. In this league, that means you’re doing a heck of a job.’ ”

One of the first batters Hershiser faced in spring training was Kirk Gibson of the Detroit Tigers, not exactly a stranger. He faced Gibson again in the actual season in his first start for Cleveland, which occurred at Tiger Stadium, near Orel’s old childhood home.

“Gibby hit one out,” Hershiser recalls. “I got him out in spring training, and he got me when it counted. That’s Gibby for you. That guy should have retired four years ago, when he was supposed to!”

At Tiger Stadium, he watched outfielders backpedal for routine fly balls that sailed out of the park. That amazed Hershiser. And so did Milwaukee’s ballpark, for other reasons.

“Worst in the majors. By far. Hands down. There are triple-A and double-A facilities better than Milwaukee’s, and some A-ball places too, matter of fact. Even the people there said they hoped opposing players would rip on their park, so they could get a new one.”

All part of Orel Hershiser’s American League adventure.

“That’s why I’m happy to be here in Anaheim,” he says, recalling Freeway Series of old. “At least, I’ve been in this place before.”