Leyritz May Have Answer to Problem

There’s trouble lurking in the shadows of Anaheim Stadium. Just ask catcher Jim Leyritz, who has a baseball-sized bruise and lump on his left arm to prove it.

Monday night in the ninth inning, Leyritz walked to the mound and told reliever Mike James he wanted a curveball on the next pitch. James proceeded to let loose a fastball that left it’s imprint on Leyritz’ arm.

“[James] said when I went back and gave him the signal, he thought he saw one finger and figured I had switched,” Leyritz said. “All the guys are having trouble seeing the signs. They say there are shadows by the plate.”

This is the second time Leyritz has been hurt when his signals got crossed. Shigetoshi Hasegawa, who later said he thought he saw two fingers instead of one, threw a curveball that fooled Leyritz and hit him on the wrist during the opening homestand.

“You just can’t see the signs sometimes,” left-hander Chuck McElroy said. “The lights are different somehow. It seems brighter but there are shadows.”

Kevin Uhlich, director of stadium operations, said only the outfield lights have changed during the renovation of the stadium.

“This is the first I’ve heard of a problem,” Uhlich said. “Nothing has changed with the banks that light the infield and home plate area. I don’t see how it could be any different.”

Leyritz is taking matters into his own hands, however, and thinks he may have found an illuminating solution.

“I know guys who have put tape on their fingers, but I don’t like to do that because it affects your grip on the ball,” he said. “So I’m just painting my fingers with white-out before the game.”

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The Angels’ trip to New York last week reminded former Yankee Leyritz how loud it is in Yankee Stadium . . . and how quiet it is in Anaheim Stadium.

“I’d rather get booed than hear nobody,” Leyritz said, “but we have to be patient. If we start winning, people will come out. Right now, though, playing here is an adjustment.

“When you come to the park in New York, you have that pressure of knowing that if you [mess] up, you’ll have to answer for it, to the media and to the fans. The fans will be all over you. They’re fanatics. Here, it seems like people take the games with more of an entertainment attitude.”

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The most important at-bat during the Angels’ come-from-behind victory over Toronto Monday night? Leyritz’ two-out, two-strike single that tied the game in the ninth? Darin Erstad’s high bouncing fielder’s choice that drove in the winning run?

Manager Terry Collins votes for Orlando Palmeiro’s pinch-hit single leading off the ninth.

“He fouls off [three] balls with two strikes and gets that hit against [Blue Jay closer Mike] Timlin and you can feel the whole bench pick up,” Collins said. “He’s a pleasure to have on your team. He can do so many things to help you win.”