Hollins Forced to Take It Easy Off Field

Dave Hollins is a whirlwind on the field, diving for ground balls, going from first to third on most singles, running out every grounder.

But in the clubhouse, the Angel third baseman moves around so gingerly you’d swear he was either hurt or exhausted.

“I have to shut it down and save my energy because of my situation,” Hollins said, alluding to his efforts to cope with diabetes. “I don’t want to do too much before the game because if I work too hard, I’ll be shot. I have to pace myself, get loose and save everything for the game.”

Hollins takes four injections of insulin a day and sticks to a strict daily regimen, eating a full meal about an hour and a half before games.

It took him several months last season to find the correct formula, and he struggled with a .227 average the first three months of 1996. But he rebounded to hit .353 with 25 RBIs in September.

Hollins, a career .255 hitter in April, is off to a good start in ‘97, taking a .354 average into tonight’s game. His only problems have come in the field, where he has committed six errors, but only one cost the Angels a run, and five came in games the Angels won.

“I don’t care about errors unless they cost you the game,” said Hollins.

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Chuck Finley made his 288th start as an Angel on Tuesday night, tying Nolan Ryan’s team record. . . . Center fielder Jim Edmonds, who suffered a jammed left thumb Monday night, was held out of Tuesday’s game for precautionary reasons but is expected to return for tonight’s game at Minnesota. . . . Angel catcher and former Yankee Jim Leyritz, discussing the difference between traditionally passionate Yankee fans and traditionally laid-back Angel fans to New York writers, said playing with Anaheim “is like playing 162 road games.” . . . Jason Dickson, Monday night’s winning pitcher, is the only Angel starter who has pitched into the seventh inning this season.