Calls Were Unbelievable

Infielder Keith Johnson was in his Edmonton hotel room Monday night when he got calls from Darrell Miller, player development director, and Tony Reagins, baseball operations manager, informing him the Angels had recalled him from triple-A to replace shortstop Gary DiSarcina on the roster.

“I thought someone was playing a game on me, a mean game,” said Johnson, who tasted the big leagues for the first time Tuesday after eight years in the minors. “Darrell and Tony put me on a speaker phone, and I still thought it was a joke. It took a 10-minute conversation before I finally believed it.”

No wonder. Edmonton had played only two games this season--its next four were snowed out--and Johnson, who spent seven years in the Dodger organization and one in the Arizona Diamondbacks’ system, did not play in either. Johnson was not even invited to major league spring training.

Keith Luuloa, who was in big league camp all spring, was Edmonton’s starting shortstop and seemed to be the logical choice for recall, but he’s more utility player than natural shortstop.

Angel Manager Mike Scioscia said he wanted someone with more experience at shortstop, so Johnson, a career .253 hitter with decent power and a steady glove, a 28-year-old who played for current Angel third base coach Ron Roenicke for three seasons in the Dodger organization, got the call.

“This is my ninth season, and it was most definitely worth the wait,” Johnson said. “I haven’t even begun [playing], but it’s already been a whirlwind.”

*

Doctors poked and prodded DiSarcina’s bruised left thumb. They stretched it out. They did an X-ray and a CT scan. But the most definitive measure of DiSarcina’s health was in the shortstop’s head, not his hand.

“I know it hurts, that’s the bottom line,” said DiSarcina, who was put on the 15-day disabled list Monday. “You can go through all the tests you want, but we’re all the best judges of what we’re dealing with. To me, this wasn’t a day-to-day pain, and I couldn’t act like it was. It would hamstring Mike [Scioscia]. They need a player.”

When doctors told DiSarcina the thumb wouldn’t heal for at least a week, DiSarcina figured it would be best to go on the DL for the fourth time in his career.

For DiSarcina, who missed five weeks of 1993 because of a broken right thumb, six weeks of 1995 because of torn ligaments in his left thumb and 2 1/2 months of 1999 because of a broken left forearm, the presence of infielder Benji Gil sealed his decision.

“I’ve been down this road with two thumbs and a forearm, and I know the importance of doing it right,” DiSarcina said. “I came back too soon in 1995 and ‘99, and it doesn’t make sense to push it. Having Benji, who is so capable, makes it easier. It’s not like I have to rush back because we have four or five guys playing out of position.”

TONIGHT

ANGELS’

JASON DICKSON

(1-0, 2.70 ERA)

vs.

BLUE JAYS’

FRANK CASTILLO

(0-1, 15.00 ERA)

Edison Field, 7 p.m.

Radio--KLAC (570), XPRS (1090).

* Update--Dickson’s return from a yearlong absence because of shoulder surgery was a smashing success. The right-hander gave up two runs on four hits in 6 2/3 innings of a 7-3 win over the Red Sox Friday. The 2000 debut of Castillo, who claimed the fifth rotation spot when Joey Hamilton went on the disabled list, was nowhere near as successful. Castillo couldn’t hold a 4-0 lead, giving up five runs on four hits and five walks in three innings of an 11-5 loss to Texas Friday.

* Tickets: (714) 663-9000