From Small Things, Big Things One Day Come

The tiny town of Ebensburg, Pa., gave Mike Holtz the red-carpet treatment last fall, proclaiming Oct. 26 “Mike Holtz Day” and honoring the Angel reliever and hometown hero with a parade and party.

“I got to ride in a fire engine and ring the bell,” Holtz said Tuesday as fellow relievers Troy Percival and Mike James chuckled. “I needed a booster seat.”

Holtz, a 5-foot-8, 174-pound left-hander, can joke about his size--”Hey, it could be worse, I could be 5-7,” he said--and teammates love teasing him about it.

But there was nothing small about his contribution in 1996. Called up from double-A Midland on July 11, he went 3-3 with a 2.45 ERA in 30 appearances.

Holtz allowed only six of 29 inherited runners to score and retired 19 of the 30 first batters he faced. Opponents hit .204 against him. He gave up one home run and had a 13-inning scoreless streak.

The Angels are counting on Holtz to be a significant part of what figures to be one of the league’s better bullpens.

“I even have my own locker this year,” he said. “Last year, I had to share one with two guys. . . . It’s nice to know where you stand.”

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Jinx? Manager Terry Collins said Tuesday that, barring problems, veteran left-hander Chuck Finley would be the opening-night starter when the Angels play the Boston Red Sox in Anaheim Stadium April 2. An hour later, the Angels reported that Finley was experiencing slight inflammation of his left shoulder, had been given medication and will be held out of throwing drills for several days.

The first full-squad workout will be Friday, and the team will have two intrasquad games next Tuesday and Wednesday before opening the exhibition season Feb. 27.