Angels Arm for The Battle

The Angels acquired the pitcher they coveted for the stretch drive Tuesday and didn’t have to part with one of their talented outfielders to get right-hander Ken Hill from the Texas Rangers.

Catcher Jim Leyritz, whose future with the Angels after this season seemed uncertain because of Todd Greene’s rapid progress, and a player to be determined were sent to Texas.

With Curt Schilling of the Philadelphia Phillies and Kevin Appier of the Kansas City Royals off the trading block, the Angels, who defeated Cleveland, 7-2, Tuesday, believed Hill was their man.

Hill, 31, was 16-10 with a 3.63 earned-run average in 35 starts for Texas last season, but spent time on the disabled list because of a strained shoulder earlier this year. He had a 5-8 record with a 5.19 earned-run average in 19 starts with the Rangers this season.

His most recent start Thursday against the Chicago White Sox was among his strongest this year. Hill gave up two runs and four hits with one strikeout and six walks in 7 2/3 innings.

He will join the Angels today and is scheduled to start against the Indians in the final game of a 10-game, nine-day trip.

“I think we got one of the best arms available on the market,” General Manager Bill Bavasi said. “The reports are that this guy is ready to get back on track.”

Bavasi was uncertain whether he could make another trade before Thursday’s deadline. “We’re essentially done, but I won’t stop calling around,” he said.

Hill joins a rotation of Chuck Finley, Jason Dickson, Allen Watson and Dennis Springer. When Mark Langston completes a rehabilitation assignment at Class-A Lake Elsinore, Springer will probably move to the bullpen or triple-A Vancouver. Langston, who had elbow surgery May 27, is scheduled to make his first start for the Angels on Aug. 9 against Baltimore.

For weeks, conventional wisdom had the Angels willing to part with either left fielder Garret Anderson or center fielder Jim Edmonds to acquire another starter to bolster their staff.

“We never considered moving those guys,” Bavasi said. “Other clubs asked for them. I would have been hard-pressed to move any of the outfield guys, though.”

The Angels also did not swing this deal to get a rent-a-pitcher for the season’s final two months. Hill, making $4.7 million this season, has an option on 1998 worth $4.6 million.

If he rebounds from his shoulder injury and pitches effectively, he figures to give the Angels depth next season.

“Whatever it takes to get it done,” Hill said of his contract status for next season. “If I can work something out, that’s great. I feel good. I’m going to do anything I can to help those guys win.

“This is what we all play for--to go to the playoffs and World Series. That’s what it’s all about.”

Greene’s superb play behind the plate enabled the Angels to part with Leyritz, who tailed off after a strong April. Leyritz, in the first year of a two-year deal with an option on a third season, batted .276 with 11 homers and 50 runs batted in in 84 games with the Angels.

But his last extra-base hit was June 26.

“Jim did a great job for us,” Bavasi said. “But [Greene] made this deal easier. We’re very comfortable with the job Todd is doing.”

Greene, batting .291 with three homers and eight RBIs in 16 games, and Chad Kreuter will share the catching duties. Greene, the minor league player of the year in 1995, also can take an occasional turn as the designated hitter.

Greene, Kreuter and Leyritz had been in a three-man rotation since Greene’s recall from Vancouver on July 3.

Only his destination seemed to take Leyritz by surprise. He said he began to consider a trade a possibility at the start of last week.

“It’s a shock to hear it’s Texas,” said Leyritz, who asked the New York Yankees to trade him after helping them win the World Series title last year. “I knew they had Chad and Todd Greene and that’s the future. I knew they were thinking about signing Mark McGwire next year. It sort of made me expect it.”

Leyritz will provide the Rangers with catching depth in case they can’t meet the contract demands of Ivan Rodriguez and are forced to trade the All-Star catcher.

“I really enjoyed playing here with these guys and for Terry [Collins, Angel manager],” Leyritz said. “That’s my only regret. In New York, we didn’t have this close of a club.”

* FINLEY IS TOPS: Chuck Finley passes Nolan Ryan as Angels’ winningest pitcher. C6

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Hired Gun

This is not the first time Ken Hill has been traded during a division race. He was acquired by Cleveland on July 27, 1995 and helped the Indians reach the World Series. Hill signed with Texas after the 1995 season.

1995 WITH ST. LOUIS

*--*

Inn. H ER BB SO W-L ERA 110 1/3 125 62 45 50 6-7 5.06

*--*

1995 WITH CLEVELAND

REGULAR SEASON

*--*

Inn. H ER BB SO W-L ERA 74 2/3 77 33 32 48 4-1 3.98

*--*

1995 WITH CLEVELAND

POSTSEASON

*--*

Inn. H ER BB SO W-L ERA 14 2/3 13 3 7 9 2-1 1.85

*--*

(Southland Edition) A Look at the Trade

Career statistics of the players involved in the trade between the Texas Rangers and the Anaheim Angels on Tuesday:

TO RANGERS, JIM LEYRITZ REGULAR SEASON

*--*

Year Team AB R H HR RBI Avg 1990 NYY 303 28 78 5 25 .257 1991 NYY 77 8 14 0 4 .182 1992 NYY 144 17 37 7 26 .257 1993 NYY 259 43 80 14 53 .309 1994 NYY 249 47 66 17 58 .265 1995 NYY 264 37 71 7 37 .269 1996 NYY 265 23 70 7 40 .264 1997 Ana 294 47 81 11 50 .276 Totals 1855 250 497 68 293 .268

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DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS

*--*

Year Opp. AB R H HR RBI Avg 1995 Sea 7 1 1 1 2 .143 1996 Tex 3 0 0 0 1 .000 Totals 10 1 1 1 3 .100

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LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

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Year Opp. AB R H HR RBI Avg 1996 Bal 8 1 2 1 2 .250

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WORLD SERIES

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Year Opp. AB R H HR RBI Avg 1996 Atl 8 1 3 1 3 .375

*--*

TO ANGELS, KEN HILL REGULAR SEASON

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Year Team W-L BB SO ERA 1988 StL 0-1 6 6 5.14 1989 StL 7-2 99 112 3.80 1990 StL 5-6 33 58 5.49 1991 StL 11-10 67 121 3.57 1992 Mon 16-9 75 150 2.68 1993 Mon 9-7 74 90 3.23 1994 Mon 16-5 44 85 3.32 1995 StL-Cle 10-8 77 98 3.33 1996 Tex 16-10 95 170 3.63 1997 Tex 5-8 56 68 5.19 Totals 95-79 626 958 3.77

*--*

DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS

*--*

Year Opp W-L BB SO ERA 1995 Bos 1-0 0 2 0.00 1996 NYY 0-0 3 1 4.50 Totals 1-0 3 3 3.68

*--*

LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

*--*

Year Opp W-L BB SO ERA 1995 Sea 1-0 3 6 0.00

*--*

WORLD SERIES

*--*

Year Opp W-L BB SO ERA 1995 Atl 2-0 4 1 4.26

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