Fielder Knows Path Angels Are On

There are bad streaks, then there are gantlets.

The Angels had lost 9 of 11 heading into Wednesday night’s game against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. What could be worse? Just ask first baseman Cecil Fielder.

In 1996, a difficult trip for the New York Yankees ended in Oakland. Their meddlesome owner was making roster decisions--George Steinbrenner personally demoted starting pitcher Kenny Rogers to the bullpen. Their 12-game lead had been trimmed to four.

Fielder lived through it all, and has a World Series ring to show for it.

“We had a horrible West Coast swing that September,” Fielder said. “I think we went 1-10 [actually 4-6]. Now that’s a rough patch. Nothing was going right. We just had to weather it.”

A philosophy more Niekro than Nietzsche, but Fielder practiced it Wednesday. He fouled off seven pitches--five with two strikes--before hitting a home run in his fourth-inning at-bat. It was timely.

The Angels returned home Wednesday from a difficult trip that ended in Oakland. Their team president, Tony Tavares, has other meddling to do--trying to hire a hockey coach, for example. Their lead in the American League West Division over the Texas Rangers still held, at one-half game.

Fielder hit .200 on that trip, but broke a 2-2 tie against the Devil Rays with his first home run since June 28. He also singled home a run in the fifth inning.

“You just have to keep playing,” Fielder said. “[In 1996] we got home from that trip, we started getting guys back from injuries and started playing better baseball. That’s how the game works.

“We have guys hurt right now. We need to get them back healthy.”

Of course, the players who returned to the Yankees in 1996 were pitchers David Cone and John Wetteland--the World Series MVP. Allen Watson just returned to the Angels. They are still waiting for Ken Hill and Jack McDowell to come back from injuries.

But any help is welcomed. After a 22-6 June, the Angels have sputtered in July.

“We had a great June,” outfielder Jim Edmonds said. “We had a lot of emotions running through the team that month. It’s tough to keep going like that. Something has to give.”

The Angels, of course, have been through more serious spirals. In 1995, they were a young team and blew an 11-game lead. Last season, they were more savvy, but injuries and distractions--Tony Phillips being arrested for drug possession--took them out of the race.

“Personally, I learned a lot from 1995,” closer Troy Percival said. “You don’t sit around saying, ‘Oh no, we’re on a bad slide.’ It’s a cycle. Right now we’re on a losing streak. When you get on a winning streak, you just try to sustain it longer.”

Said Manager Terry Collins: “This is the time of the year when you’re suppose to be having fun. We’re in a pennant race. We’re in first place. This is what you play for. You just have to play hard and worry about tomorrow tomorrow.”

And forget about yesterday, which is third baseman Dave Hollins’ philosophy.

Hollins played for Philadelphia in 1993, when the Phillies won the National League pennant. But whether they had to weather a losing streak, Hollins wasn’t sure.

“That was five years ago,” Hollins said. “I can’t remember what I did two weeks ago.”