Angels Take a Different Type of Hit

ARLINGTON, Texas —  A lack of clutch hitting, power, speed, starting pitching depth and healthy bodies isn’t all that has ailed the Angels this season.

The gritty edge, the kick-some-tail attitude, the aggressive approach that were trademarks of the 1997 and ’98 Angels have been missing in 1999. And so has a sense of unity, a chemistry and cohesiveness that can often lead to success.

“Winning would cure everything, but it’s a very divided clubhouse,” Angel left fielder Darin Erstad said before Wednesday night’s 9-5 loss to the Texas Rangers in front of 35,849 at the Ballpark in Arlington. “It’s a very cliquey team. There’s not a feeling that everyone is in the same corner.

“I’m just telling you what I see compared to the last few years. I don’t know how to fix it. Terry [Collins, Angel manager] likes a gritty team, a team that gets after it, that takes people out hard at second base, that takes the extra base. . . . We have a soft team.”

Erstad, the first player to take a very hard look at the Angels this season, was just getting warmed up.

“No question, winning is not the first priority here,” he said.

Then what is?

“Getting your hits, getting your days in the big leagues, surviving. . . . Not every player [is like this], but a few [are]. That fries me. I confronted a few people early in the season about this stuff and it had no effect. Usually these problems weed themselves out, but there seems to be a group of guys here that doesn’t know what it takes to win.”

The Angels, who have lost six in a row to fall 11 1/2 games behind the Rangers and may now be open to the possibility of trading veteran pitcher Chuck Finley--and maybe others--seem to know what it takes to lose, though.

“There’s a difference between playing and competing,” said third-base coach Larry Bowa, a former All-Star shortstop. “When you play, you put your uniform on, play the game, go home, it’s like punching the clock. When you compete, even if you go 0 for 4, you should be dead tired, mentally and physically exhausted and if you lose, you should be [ticked off].

“You win by competing, by saying you’re going to beat the crap out of someone. It can be moving a runner over, leaning in and letting a pitch hit you, studying a pitcher’s move on video. It’s more than putting the uniform on. I don’t see a sense of urgency here. I’m not saying guys aren’t trying, but games are easily forgotten once they’re over.”

Neither Bowa nor Erstad would point fingers at specific players, but they couldn’t pin this on Jim Edmonds, a lightning rod for criticism by teammates at the bitter end of 1998 but sidelined for all of 1999 so far.

The loss of right fielder Tim Salmon, a strong lead-by-example player and the team’s best all-around hitter, and shortstop Gary DiSarcina, a more vocal and intense leader, for 2 1/2 months to injury had a dramatic--and negative--effect on the team.

And Mo Vaughn, signed in part for his ability to police the clubhouse, has felt uncomfortable taking on a prominent leadership role in his first season, one that has been marred by a major ankle injury, unfulfilled expectations and much frustration.

But Erstad did note the loss of one player--ultra-intense former third baseman Dave Hollins--as having more of an impact than some might think.

“Obviously, Troy [Glaus] is the future at third base, but Dave’s presence has been missed,” Erstad said of Hollins, traded to Toronto during spring training and eventually released by the Blue Jays. “He put the fear of death in people, and it made them do the job right.

“He was borderline over the edge sometimes, but you can’t tell me we weren’t an exciting team to watch when he was here. The clubhouse is a lot more comfortable since he left, and that affects your preparation. When you’re comfortable, you play the game comfortably.”

One thing about Hollins, you could always tell whether the Angels had won or lost by his post-game demeanor. After a loss, he was almost inconsolable and usually unapproachable. After a win, he was merely grumpy.

Not so with this crop of Angels.

“I don’t see too many guys getting ticked off,” Bowa said. “I see a lot of coaches getting ticked off. Maybe the players just keep it inside them. I’ll tell you one thing, I hope they’re ticked off.”

As the Angels fade from view in the American League West, there are many questions to contemplate as the off-season nears: Who is the real Erstad, the one who hit .313 with 18 homers and 59 RBIs in the first half of 1998 or the one who has hit .263 with nine homers and 56 RBIs since?

Is Vaughn going to be susceptible to the long slumps he has endured this season, or is 1999 an aberration?

Is Garret Anderson going to amount to anything more than a .290 hitter whose hits rarely seem to come in key situations?

Can Glaus thrive as a big-league hitter? Can the Angels win with Matt Walbeck as their No. 1 catcher? Can they add some speed and a true leadoff batter? Will Finley and Ken Hill pitch anywhere near their capabilities on a consistent basis? How much longer can they go with erratic knuckleballer Steve Sparks?

The Angels need an infusion of good young pitching--top prospect Ramon Ortiz could help here--but they don’t believe a major overhaul is necessary; they think the main components of a competitive team, with relative good health, are in place.

But the players who are supposed to produce must be more productive than they’ve been this season.

“After a while, it becomes an issue of accountability,” Bowa said. “A lot of guys are making good money. There comes a point in time when you have to step up and earn your money.”

* TROUBLE IN BLUE: As some resignations are rescinded, internal problems are hobbling umpires union. Page 6