Anonymity Is Welcomed by Hasegawa

If this spring training was any more relaxing for pitcher Shigetoshi Hasegawa, the Japanese right-hander might doze off in the Tempe Diablo Stadium clubhouse.

Hasegawa knows how to read bench coach Joe Maddon’s daily practice schedules, which can be more confusing than calculus to the uninitiated, and he knows how to perform all of Manager Terry Collins’ drills. He has many friends on the team and has greater command of the English language.

But the best part about no longer being a rookie? Only three or four Japanese reporters and photographers have been in camp following Hasegawa, an intimate gathering compared to the media mob that swelled to 50-60 last spring to cover his first Angel camp.

“I don’t miss them,” Hasegawa said. “Last year was ridiculous. This year is nice. That [the intense 1997 coverage] is the Japanese style and I understand it, but things are a lot simpler this year.”

There are no camera crews chasing Hasegawa from his car to the clubhouse, and to the practice fields and back. No daily news conferences.

And, much to Collins’ pleasure, no daily questions about whether Hasegawa will be a starter or a reliever. Any doubts about his role were put to rest in 1997, when he was 3-7 with a 3.93 ERA in 50 games as a long reliever.

Hasegawa, who has gained seven or eight pounds since last season and hopes to push his fastball into the 90-m.p.h. bracket, probably will get several exhibition-game starts, but only because Collins likes to stretch out his long relievers with multiple-inning outings in spring training.

Though he started seven games in 1997, including three in the final two weeks of the season, Hasegawa has virtually no chance at getting in the rotation because there are seven others competing for the five starting spots.

“I still hope to be a starter some day,” Hasegawa said, “but I’m happy to do this.”

Young pitchers have a tendency to overdo things during the first week of their first major league camp, and that may be why youngsters Ramon Ortiz (tender elbow) and Jarrod Washburn (fatigue) were ordered Sunday not to throw for a few days. “I don’t think it’s anything serious,” Collins said, “but these guys are such good prospects we don’t want to risk anything.”