Carter Is Sailing Along as Usual

It’s not Joe Carter’s fault the Toronto Blue Jays managed only one victory against the Angels in the weekend four-game series.

The 12-year veteran, who has raked Angel pitching at a .364 clip this season, was a one-man wrecking crew. Of his five hits, three were home runs--three-run shots Friday and Saturday, and a two-run blast Sunday, his 16th--that sent Toronto on its way to a 6-4 victory.

That’s eight runs batted in in his last three games, 60 this season.

If the 28-40 Blue Jays are going to get back to .500, and make a second-half run in the American League East, Carter’s bat will have to keep doing the major damage.

“Right now Joe and Ed Sprague [who also had a two-run homer Sunday] are swinging the bat well for us,” Toronto Manager Cito Gaston said. “I hope we can now get [John] Olerud and [Carlos] Delgado hot to give them some protection.”

Carter, 36--who played with the Cubs, Indians and Padres before spending the past five years in Canada--agreed it will take more than one person to turn around Toronto’s season.

But he sees some parallels to the young Cleveland team he was part of from 1984-89, which made a push for the AL East title in 1986, winning 84 games and finishing fifth. That was the best team he played on before being a part of two World Series champions in Toronto.

“That team had a little more power, but the pitching is better here,” Carter said. “And when you’re building a team, you start with pitching.

“It will be fun to watch this group mature and learn the game. And it’s nice that the old guy can still produce; that makes me feel younger.”

The “old guy” has been producing after becoming a regular with Cleveland in 1985. Since 1986, Carter has led the majors in home runs (315) and RBIs (1,132).

Sunday’s home run, which gave Toronto a 2-0 lead in the first, was the 343rd of Carter’s career, breaking a tie with Ron Santo for 46th on the all-time list. George Foster is 45th, with 348.

Carter also seems a cinch to hit at least 20 home runs for the 11th consecutive season. The only active player with a similar streak was Baltimore’s Cal Ripken Jr. (1982-91).

And he is in one of his grooves. The home run gave him a nine-game hitting streak, in which he has batted .382 (13 for 34), with four homers and 11 RBIs. Overall he has hit safely in 57 of the Blue Jays’ 68 games, averaging .301.

His home run off Abbott came after fouling off about six consecutive pitches, two that flew in to the Angels’ dugout, scattering players.

“I’m seeing the ball well, and when that happens it usually doesn’t matter what the pitcher throws,” Carter said. “I believe all of the home runs this series came off breaking balls.”

Said Gaston: “Joe can certainly carry a team. George Bell could do it, but he didn’t always handle it well when things weren’t going good. Joe can. He doesn’t dwell on things when they go bad.”

At the moment, the only thing Carter is thinking about is getting Toronto into position to challenge Baltimore and New York.

That will take more than a hot bat. He will have to impose some of his will on his teammates. He and the other veterans, such as Sprague and Charlie O’Brien, have to convince younger teammates there is still time to be a factor in the race.

“Good pitching always stops good hitting,” Carter said. “We have to get some of our arms back healthy. But what I like about this young team is that it doesn’t give up. If you get used to losing early, you’re not going to be around long.”