Baughman Prepared for Majors This Time

Justin Baughman couldn’t put his finger on it. It wasn’t the uniform switch, from No. 13 the last time he was in the big leagues to No. 8 Saturday. It wasn’t the position switch, from second base in 1998 to shortstop, where he probably will split time with Benji Gil after being recalled from triple-A Edmonton on Friday night to replace the injured Kevin Stocker.

“It’s different this time around,” Baughman said. “I don’t know how yet; it just doesn’t feel the same. But I think I’m ready.”

Perhaps that’s it. Baughman feels more mentally prepared now than he did in 1998, when he was a wide-eyed 23-year-old feeling his way through the big leagues, and this past spring, when he struggled with his confidence after sitting out a year and a half because of a broken leg.

Baughman entered camp as one of the leading candidates to win the second-base job, and the speedster showed early in spring that his lower left leg, broken in five places in a nasty Mexican Winter League collision with an outfielder, was sound.

His head needed some work, though. Baughman booted a couple of routine grounders in the first week of Cactus League games and seemed a bit frazzled. His timing was off, on offense and defense.

It was so obvious to Angel coaches that Baughman was too rusty to win the job that he was sent to minor league camp even before the Angels traded for second baseman Adam Kennedy.

“The hardest part,” Baughman admitted, “was figuring out you could do this again.”

But after playing every day for 2 1/2 months in the minor leagues, including 37 games at shortstop for Edmonton, where he hit .245 with 16 stolen bases, the Angels are convinced Baughman is ready this time around.

“Garry Templeton [Edmonton manager] is a pretty good barometer, being an all-star shortstop,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “He saw where Justin was in spring training, he knew where he needed to get to, and he said he’s playing with the confidence we’re all looking for.”

Scioscia has a hard time believing Baughman is even playing again after needing two operations to repair his broken leg.

“That injury, I can’t even think about it,” Scioscia said, almost wincing. “But in spring training you could see the leg was healthy enough to give him a chance to compete. It’s a remarkable story.”

*

Pitcher Jason Dickson will undergo surgery Tuesday to repair a frayed labrum in his throwing shoulder, a procedure that will end his season and is almost identical to the one that sidelined him for the entire 1999 season.

Dickson has been on the disabled list twice this season. He had the option of trying to rest and rehabilitate the shoulder.

*

The tendinitis in his left knee that sent Stocker to the disabled list is unrelated to the knee surgery he had in 1999 and the strained left hip that sidelined him for five games this month. It actually dates back to an injury he had with Tampa Bay in April.

“It comes and goes--the problem is, it’s not going right now,” Stocker said. “I didn’t say anything when I was hurt [in Tampa Bay] because I didn’t want to come out of the lineup. Sometimes we’re our own worst enemies. I guess I’m paying the price now.”

TONIGHT

ANGELS’ BRIAN COOPER

(2-2, 3.60 ERA)

vs.

TWINS’ MARK REDMAN

(4-3, 4.57 ERA)

Edison Field, 5 p.m.

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

* Update--Cooper beat the Twins in his 2000 debut, giving up four runs on five hits in six innings of a 7-4 win on May 23. Redman is a rookie left-hander with an excellent changeup, which could pose problems for the Angels, who have not fared well against lefties with good off-speed stuff. The Angels had 11 hits in six innings but scored only three runs against Redman in a 6-5 victory May 24. Angel center fielder Garret Anderson has 19 home runs, two short of his career-high 21 in 1999.

* Tickets--(714) 663-9000.