Angels Stumble Out of the Gate : It’s Only a (Bad) Game for Them

The Angels had hoped to take the first official step toward healing the memory of last season’s division collapse in their 1996 American League opener Tuesday night. It was more of a pratfall.

Bud Selig’s Milwaukee Brewers, thought to be beyond even revenue-sharing resuscitation this season, bombed Chuck Finley in an eight-run third inning and routed the Angels, 15-9.

It was an embarrassing debut and farewell.

If the Walt Disney Co. didn’t reconsider as the Brewers piled up 22 hits, the demolition represented Gene Autry’s 36th and last opener as controlling owner of the Angels. Michael Eisner and associates are believed to have reached agreement with the city of Anaheim on remodeling of Anaheim Stadium and will soon take the operational reins from the Singing Cowboy, who certainly didn’t feel like singing as he watched the anonymous Brewers deflate the opening night sense of rebirth and hope.

This was to be a healing process that would begin for the Angels--and others--amid a perspective redefined by events of recent months, weeks, hours. They were talking about it throughout the stadium even before the first pitch. They were talking about this business of fun and games, of wins and losses, of how and where it all fits on the list of priorities.

--Veteran American League umpire Jim Evans stood at the entrance to the umpires’ dressing room and talked about the impact of National League umpire John McSherry’s death in Cincinnati on Monday.

“Every member of our fraternity has to have an empty feeling going on the field tonight,” said Evans, beginning his 25th season as a major league umpire, as was McSherry. “There was not a person in our business who loved umpiring more.

“We put a lot of pressure on ourselves, but when you look at the big picture, what we do is pretty miniscule. I mean, John’s death re-prioritizes things. We’ve always worked hard and always will, but maybe the three-and-two pitch isn’t quite as important in the big picture.”

--Angel shortstop Gary DiSarcina stood at his locker and talked about the recent life-saving surgery in which his 1 1/2-year-old daughter, Carlee, had a defective kidney removed.

“Baseball was my world,” DiSarcina said. “It meant everything to me. Then we learned that my daughter needed the surgery and [baseball] became the farthest thing from my mind.

“At the same time, now that she’s doing well, I find I can come back to the game with a different perspective. I find it more enjoyable. I can almost use it as a release to take my mind off everything else.”

--And Angel batting coach Rod Carew stood in a corner of the clubhouse and talked about the courageous struggle of 18-year-old daughter Michelle to survive a fatal form of leukemia.

Opening night priorities. A balancing act for some.

“If I wasn’t doing this I’d have gone nuts by now,” said Carew, who has virtually lived at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Orange since his daughter was diagnosed in September.

“Michelle has always wanted me to keep working. She would be upset if I didn’t.”

The pregame ritual was the same as any other night for Carew. Oversee batting practice. Pitch soft toss. Review Brewer pitchers with Angel batters. Struggle to keep his mind off Michelle, who went on dialysis Monday to help sustain her kidneys 11 days after undergoing an umbilical cord blood transfusion in the hope that it will soon regenerate her white blood cells.

“We’re praying for those cells,” Carew said. “She’s very sick.”

Carew put an arm around another of his three daughters, Stefanie, before the first pitch, took a microphone and thanked the Anaheim Stadium crowd of 27,836 for helping with Michelle’s fight--as well as that of others--by answering his calls for marrow donors, a drive that has produced more than 70,000 responses.

“These young people are the future of the country,” Carew said. “My family and all families who have benefited from your response thank you.”

There seemed to be a lesson in priority and perspective in the blowout that followed, a reminder of the hard reality of the healing process and the long schedule, the possible risk in believing the preseason predictions.

Angel Manager Marcel Lachemann even seemed to be talking about it before the game. Reflecting on past and future, he said of his players: “As long as they remember that you can’t do anything about October in April we’ll be all right. I know it’s a cliche, but you have to prepare for today and play for today. You have to take one at a time.”

For openers, however, this one was a little hard to take.