Players Say They’d Fight if Needed

Hall of Fame outfielder Ted Williams lost nearly five of his prime baseball-playing years serving the U.S. in World War II and the Korean conflict, depriving him of a chance to hit 700 home runs.

Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Feller lost four years of his career fighting in World War II.

Would today’s baseball players be willing to make the same sacrifice if their country called on them?

If a small sampling of the Angel clubhouse is any indication, the answer is a resounding yes.

“No question, I’d go,” center fielder Darin Erstad, 27, said. “I wouldn’t even analyze it. That’s just the way it would be. I can’t imagine it would come to that, but if it did ....

“Baseball is such a small part of life. Everything has been given to us because of what people fought for in the past. I would want my kids and their kids to have the same opportunities I did.”

Shortstop David Eckstein, 26, has two good friends in the service, one a Navy SEAL and one an Army captain.

Although he hasn’t given much thought to the possibility of the U.S. reinstituting the draft in the wake of last week’s terrorist attacks, Eckstein said he would do whatever was necessary to defend the country.

“It would definitely be tough, but I would go,” Eckstein said.

The mere thought of such a possibility has given players more appreciation for Williams, Feller and the many others who served the country during World War II and in Korea.

“You kind of took for granted what those guys did, but now that it’s hit home, it’s something we think about more, their patriotism,” pitcher Matt Wise, 25, said.

“The thought of a draft has crossed my mind. I would definitely go. I think it’s every citizen’s duty. There’s really no choice in the matter.”

Seattle Manager Lou Piniella said he will use a four-man rotation of Freddy Garcia, Jamie Moyer, Aaron Sele and Paul Abbott in the postseason.

Piniella said he considered going with a three-man rotation, but decided against it.

“If you look at the history of guys starting on three days rest in the playoffs, it’s not very good,” he said. “So I think we’ll go with four.”

Cleveland starters Bartolo Colon and Charles Nagy were shelled on three days rest in Games 4 and 5 of the 1999 division series against Boston, a decision that contributed to former Indian Manager Mike Hargrove’s firing after that season.

Angel utility player Shawn Wooten, who batted .312 with eight homers and 32 runs batted in this season, had surgery Tuesday to clean out damaged cartilage in his left wrist.

The wrist will remain in a splint for seven to 10 days.

Wooten is expected to return at full strength in about three months.