Veterans Have Plenty of Power Left

He has veterans lining his bench this year, so Manager Marcel Lachemann figures he might as well use them as much as possible. Lachemann gave Rex Hudler, Tim Wallach and Don Slaught a chance to start against the Chicago White Sox on Sunday. Hudler played second base, Wallach first and Slaught went behind the plate, giving Randy Velarde, J.T. Snow and Jorge Fabregas a break.

The results were extraordinary. Hudler, Wallach and Slaught each homered and fielded their positions flawlessly. Hudler also singled and doubled. Wallach’s homer was his first in the American League after hitting 248 in the NL. Slaught’s homer was his first since June 1994 as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

“That’s what it’s all about,” Lachemann said. “You want to get them involved as much as possible. You don’t want Wallach and those people to be sitting for a week to 10 days. To be realistic, if you expect them to contribute you have to play them.”

Hudler has been helping Wallach learn the ropes as a utility player.

“I don’t have my teaching credential, but I’ve been tutoring him,” Hudler said. “He’s a rookie in terms of being a role player. He’s going to be a great, great addition. It’s an honor to tutor a potential Hall of Famer like him.

“Everybody is an ‘A’ player on this team. There are no ‘B’ players. You’ve got Tim Wallach and Jack Howell, who’ve played every day for years. I don’t see us missing a beat.”

*

Front-office personnel are scheduled to meet with Tony Tavares, president of Disney Sports Enterprises, and his transition team today. Staff members also have been told to prepare resumes and a job description for individual interviews, which have been scheduled for Wednesday.

Tavares has promised swift action and sweeping changes when the Walt Disney Co. assumes control of the club next month. The sales and marketing departments figure to be among those targeted by Tavares, who last week expressed disappointment in the Angels’ past efforts.

*

The Angels are off today, then begin an eight-game trip to Toronto, Detroit and Seattle on Tuesday.