Carew Not Happy About His Release

Rod Carew said he resents the way the Angels let him go and that in some respects it feels like 1985 all over again.

Carew, the Angel hitting coach for the last eight seasons, was not re-signed by the club during an awkward time when it changed general managers and field managers.

He returned Thursday as hitting coach for the Milwaukee Brewers, as part of Davey Lopes’ staff. After hugging a few of his former players and making some dinner plans, Carew made it clear he hasn’t forgotten the slight and that he blames General Manager Bill Stoneman.

“One of the things that bothered me was the way Stoneman went about doing it,” he said. “Like when they retired me in 1985, like it was no big deal. That’s the only thing that bothered me.

“I had to call to find out what was going on. They didn’t give me the courtesy of a call. The least they could have done is given me that respect. But that’s water under the bridge.”

Stoneman said he did telephone Carew and tried to keep Carew informed. Stoneman wasn’t hired until Nov. 1, and he hired Mike Scioscia on Nov. 18. Five days later, Carew accepted Lopes’ offer.

Still, it seems Carew’s love-hate relationship with the Angels has turned sour again.

“I don’t know if there’s ever an easy way to say goodbye to somebody,” Stoneman said. “I’m sorry if there are hard feelings. I certainly don’t harbor any. If he does, I’m sorry for that.”

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Mo Vaughn returned to the lineup Thursday after a day off to tend to the abrasion on his left cornea. He had a single, a run batted in and an unlikely stolen base, climaxed by a violent belly flop into second base.

“It’s fine, everything’s all right,” Vaughn said of his eye, which apparently will require no further treatment.

He said particles from a ceiling fell into his eye while he slept Tuesday night. “When I woke up,” he said, “I just rubbed it and scratched the heck out of it.”

Vaughn stole second in the first inning, then was awarded the base in a mock ceremony in the dugout.

The Angels defeated the Brewers, 7-6.

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Left-handed pitcher Jarrod Washburn, suffering from a strained muscle in his right side, predicted a quicker recovery but the same injury last season put him on the disabled list for seven weeks.

Washburn said it could be a month before he resumes a throwing routine. Before the injury, Washburn was a decent bet to make the starting rotation.

“It’s very disappointing,” he said. “You can’t make a team hurt.”