Collins Can’t Bear to Not Watch It

Terry Collins disagreed with the severity of his suspension stemming from the brawl-filled game against Kansas City on June 2, an eight-game sentence he began serving Tuesday night, and he hated the fact that he had to leave Bank One Ballpark before the first pitch.

But at least the Angel manager was able to maintain some sense of humor about his predicament.

“I’m going to be in handcuffs when I leave today,” Collins said before the Angel-Diamondback game. “I’m going to be escorted out by five bodyguards.”

The thought of not being with a team he played on or managed for the first time since 1976, when he sat out five minor league games because of a broken jaw, did not sit well with Collins this week.

“I’ve been an absolute jerk the last three or four days, thinking that I’ve got to walk out of here with my team ready to play a game,” Collins said. “I don’t understand it, I’ll never understand it.

“I respect their decision, but to not be able to watch from the press box or a luxury suite or something . . . to not be able to walk into the clubhouse when the game is over doesn’t seem right.”

When Collins received a two-game suspension as the Houston Astros’ manager in 1995 he was able to watch from the press box. But an American League rule prohibits suspended managers from being on the premises.

In Collins’ absence, the Angels were a democracy in action: Third-base Coach Larry Bowa handled the offense, pitching coach Marcel Lachemann the pitchers and bench coach Joe Maddon the defense.

And who had the final say should there be any disagreements? “The biggest, strongest guy,” Collins said.

*

Justin Baughman’s visit to an Anaheim-area emergency room Sunday night turned into a suture-fest for doctors treating the Angel second baseman, who suffered cuts and a slight concussion when he was struck in the face by a line drive.

“Ned [Bergert, Angel trainer] said the doctor stopped counting at 200 stitches,” Collins said. “They want him to take at least four days off to give the swelling a chance to go down.”

The Angels also want to make sure Baughman does not suffer any of the post-concussion symptoms that forced Mighty Duck star Paul Kariya out of action for several months this season.

“Because of what happened with Kariya, they want to be real careful and make sure he’s OK,” Collins said. “He may join us in Texas Friday or Saturday, but he won’t be able to play until at least Sunday or Monday.”

*

The Angels have decided that if catcher Phil Nevin has to serve his three- game suspension this weekend, they will not activate Todd Greene, who is on the disabled list because of a shoulder injury. The likely recall will be triple-A catcher Bret Hemphill.

“How embarrassing would it be for the organization and for Todd Greene for him to be catching, and to have guys steal second and third off him because he can’t throw?” Collins said. “We can’t do that.”

TONIGHT

ANGELS’ KEN HILL (8-4, 4.64 ERA)

vs

DIAMONDBACKS’ OMAR DAAL (1-4, 3.50 ERA)

Bank One Ballpark, Phoenix, 7 p.m.

Radio--KRLA (1110), XPRS (1090), KIK-FM (94.3).

* Update--There was a time this season when reliever Greg Cadaret’s work was confined to mop-up duty, the left-hander’s role limited strictly to the middle innings of blowout losses. But his success in that role has led to more responsibility, and Cadaret showed he was up to the task, striking out Colorado’s Larry Walker in the ninth inning Friday night and John Vander Wal in the ninth inning Sunday night for his first major league win since Aug. 2, 1994. “He pitched well enough for us to use him when the heat is on, and he’s responded,” Collins said. “That strikeout of Walker was huge.”