Rodgers Happy Discovering New Frontiers

Buck Rodgers describes his duties with the Mission Viejo Vigilantes as part owner, director of baseball operations, manager, groundskeeper, pitching coach and “sometimes I even make the coffee.” It’s hard to understand why major league clubs haven’t been hammering on his door since his inexplicable firing as Angel manager in 1994--he made the mistake of saying publicly that his recycled pitching staff included recycled pitchers--but he says, “I’m having fun with this right now.”

Rodgers stepped up his involvement with the Vigilantes to a part ownership role after managing the independent team last year, after it had moved from Long Beach to Mission Viejo with the promise of a city-built stadium that is still more blueprint than reality. The Vigilantes will continue to play in a temporary facility at Saddleback College, though the city continues to beef up the infrastructure with the aim of completing the stadium in ’99.

Up the freeway, the Angels hope to involve more of their former players--Rodgers was there at the beginning as the durable and productive catcher--in community and stadium functions. Reggie Jackson, Rod Carew, Jim Fregosi and Bobby Grich (who is the Vigilantes’ assistant general manager) participated in opening-night ceremonies. Nolan Ryan was invited but had a business conflict. Bobby Knoop rejected an invitation, resenting his firing as a longtime coach.

Rodgers wasn’t invited but said he had no problem with that, since the group that was invited had more impact on the Angels and Anaheim.

“I’m fine with the Angels,” he said. “I’ve talked with Tim Mead, Bill Bavasi and Tony Tavares. I haven’t asked for anything and they haven’t offered anything, but there’s no problem with the relationship. The only guy I had problems with is gone.”

He referred to former club president Richard Brown.

So Rodgers, having recently returned from Hong Kong and China where he has a beer distributorship, is preparing for his second Western League season in the distant shadows of Edison Field. The Vigilantes open spring training May 9 and begin the season May 23.

Several of last year’s players found positions in established systems, including former major league infielder Bret Barberie, who resurrected his career with the Vigilantes and is now with the Texas Rangers’ triple-A team. This year’s shortstop will be Ryan Grebeck, the brother of big league infielder Craig Grebeck.

It’s a grass-roots feeding ground and proving ground, with Rodgers, who shouldn’t have anything to prove, the club’s most versatile performer.

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The Seattle Mariners entered Saturday with a 3-6 record. Their suspect bullpen continues to take a pounding--from the opposition and media. Relievers had a 8.13 earned-run average, giving up 51 baserunners on 29 hits and 22 walks in 27 2/3 innings.

“We should be [undefeated] for all the runs we score,” admitted Tony Fossas, Seattle’s new left-handed specialist. “The bottom line is, if [the bullpen] doesn’t do the job, we’re not going to win. You can have nine [Ken] Griffeys. Games are won from the seventh through the ninth innings. We’re [the relievers] going to be the targets all year long.”