Schoeneweis Has No One to Blame but Himself

Scott Schoeneweis beat himself up so badly after losses in 2000 that by the end of the season, the Angel left-hander looked as if he’d gone 12 rounds with Roy Jones Jr.

A promising 4-0 start in April deteriorated into a series of head-spinning defeats, many of which came down to one or two late-inning pitching mistakes or misplays.

Schoeneweis went 3-10 in his last 21 starts, taking full blame for every loss. His confidence seemed shot after giving up 17 runs on 17 hits in nine innings of his last three starts, and he was so distraught after getting hit hard by Oakland in his last game that Mo Vaughn gave him a 15-minute pep talk in an effort to reduce the emotional scarring on his young teammate.

“I had a little bit of time this winter to think things over,” Schoeneweis said, “and to flush last season down the drain.”

Some of it was worth salvaging, though. Having completed his first full season in the big leagues, Schoeneweis, 27, came away with a much better grasp of the physical and mental demands of a 162-game schedule.

“I wasn’t overwhelmed last year, but I didn’t realize the toll that 35 starts takes on your body and mind,” Schoeneweis said. “I know what to expect now. I know how my body and mind will feel in September and how to get through it.”

First, Schoeneweis has to get to September with the Angels. Though he was a mainstay in the rotation for much of 2000, Schoeneweis is not a lock in 2001. He’s one of five pitchers, along with Pat Rapp, Tim Belcher, Matt Wise and Brian Cooper, competing for the final two spots in the rotation this spring.

But if Schoeneweis, a sinker-ball pitcher who relies on ground-ball outs, emerges as an Angel starter, he has no intention of being any kinder or gentler on himself. He fully intends to put the weight of the world on his shoulders . . . again.

“That’s all right--someone has got to do it,” Schoeneweis said. “It didn’t affect me to the point where I was going to jump out of a hotel window or anything. But with our team last year, we had a good offense and bullpen, so starting pitching was very important.

“When you mess up late in the game--and that happened quite a bit last year--even though it’s a team game, you take the blame. It’s like being the quarterback in football.”

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Closer Troy Percival, who had shoulder surgery before 2000 and acknowledged coming back too soon last season, said his arm is “absolutely pain-free . . . that’s the first time I’ve been able to say that in three or four years.” . . . Paul Pressler, the chairman of Disney’s Parks and Resorts division, has added the Angels and Mighty Ducks to his portfolio. Anaheim Sports President Tony Tavares reported directly to former vice chairman Sandy Litvack. When Litvack retired last Dec. 31, Chairman Michael Eisner directed Tavares to report to Pressler. Tavares characterized the move as nothing more than his reporting to a different executive and said there have been no changes in the daily operations of the teams.

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Staff writer Bill Shaikin contributed to this story.