Angels Can’t Get It Together

It doesn’t matter that their training room is as jammed as a rush-hour subway train, or that the clubhouse ice machine can barely keep up with all their ailing appendages.

Pitcher Chuck Finley says there is absolutely no excuse for this sorry statistic: The Angels, who lost to the Cleveland Indians, 5-0, Saturday at Jacobs Field, have gone three consecutive games without back-to-back hits. Not home runs. Hits.

“That’s amazing,” said Finley, who pitched almost well enough to win Saturday but had no chance with such measly support. “But I don’t buy that injuries are the reason we’re not playing well. I’m not a hitting coach, but it doesn’t seem like we’re very aggressive.

“You can’t win in this league by sitting back on your heels and waiting for it to happen.”

Cleveland starter Orel Hershiser (5-4) was struggling with a 6.64 earned-run average before Saturday but found a quick fix in an Angel lineup that was missing four starters--center fielder Jim Edmonds, designated hitter Chili Davis, third baseman Jack Howell and shortstop Gary DiSarcina.

Though he was hardly overpowering, Hershiser breezed through the Angels, giving up four hits in seven innings before reliever Julian Tavarez replaced him to start the eighth.

The Angels have been outscored, 51-13, during their six-game losing streak. They had only eight baserunners Saturday--three in scoring position--and two were wiped out by double plays. After Oakland and Minnesota split a doubleheader Saturday, the Angels are in sole possession of last place in the American League West.

They’re batting .216 (41 for 190) in the past six games and they fell to 27-32, a record Manager Marcel Lachemann described as “ridiculous,” in light of the Angels’ high expectations.

Finley, who gave up four earned runs on nine hits in six innings, seemed almost dumbfounded after the game. How could the Angels win six of nine during a recent home stand against Boston, New York and Baltimore, then go 0-5 on a trip that has stopped in Minnesota and Cleveland so far?

“Trying to figure out this team,” Finley said, “is like trying to figure out a Rubik’s Cube in the dark.”

Lachemann may shine the light on his farm system in a search for answers. He acknowledged that the Angels are considering a recall of third baseman George Arias, who struggled on offense for the first month of the season in Anaheim but is batting .360 at triple-A Vancouver.

That wouldn’t bode well for third baseman Tim Wallach, who is struggling at the plate (.247) and in the field (five errors in his last 12 games). Reserve outfielder Mike Aldrete’s .150 average might also be targeted.

Finley (7-4) believes the Angels have enough depth to win despite their injuries, but it’s obvious they’re not as competitive without Edmonds, their best overall hitter, and Davis, their cleanup batter.

Edmonds, on the disabled list because of groin and abdomen strains, worked out Saturday with Class-A Lake Elsinore and could rejoin the Angels Monday in Kansas City. Davis received a cortisone shot in his strained left hamstring Saturday and will be out at least a few more days.

DiSarcina (mild strain of left hamstring) and Howell (strained left hamstring) are also a few days from returning.

“We have the talent, we have guys who know how to play,” Finley said. “But there’s no tempo to our offense. If our team was a golf swing, we wouldn’t even make the cut.”