Abbott Can’t Control Phoenix Firebirds

Whatever Jim Abbott was looking to rediscover in his first minor league appearance, he didn’t find it in the sweltering heat of Arizona on Saturday night.

Abbott, who was 1-15 with a 7.79 earned-run average before being sent down by the Angels to triple-A Vancouver on Wednesday, looked like a pitcher still searching for his control, his fastball and his confidence.

He wasn’t hit hard in six innings of work against a Phoenix Firebird team that had only one legitimate prospect in the lineup, right fielder Jacob Cruz. He gave up three runs and three hits, two singles and a home run.

Abbott’s velocity was about what it has been this season--anywhere from 83 to 86 mph--but his location was dreadful. He walked five batters, threw two wild pitches and fell behind on 14 of 24 batters. Of his 85 pitches, only 47 were strikes.

Three years ago Abbott was throwing a no-hitter against the Cleveland Indians and five years ago he won 18 games for the Angels, but Saturday he got his first taste of minor league baseball.

On Used Car Night a 1984 Buick La Sabre, one of nine cars being raffled off, received a bigger cheer than Abbott from the crowd of 6,813, the Firebirds’ third largest of the season.