Angels Throw a Change at Texas

Attention, American League hitters: Before your team faces Scott Schoeneweis for the first time this season, your batting coach will haul out a video of the Angel starter from last season so you can be prepared.

Don’t bother. It will be a waste of time.

Schoeneweis is a different pitcher this season, and apparently a much better one, as the Texas Rangers discovered to their dismay Friday. Schoeneweis stifled one of the most potent lineups in baseball, giving up five hits and coming within two outs of a complete game.

With the timely assistance of Troy Glaus, who delivered the game-winning home run in the seventh inning, Schoeneweis and the Angels posted a 3-1 victory before a sellout crowd of 49,617 at the Rangers’ home opener.

The Angels almost suffered the indignity of losing to Ismael Valdes, the talented but blister-prone pitcher they discarded after last season. Although the Angels’ heralded newcomers, Kevin Appier and Aaron Sele, struggled in their first starts, Valdes carried a two-hit shutout into the seventh. But Tim Salmon doubled and, one out later, Glaus hit the Angels’ first home run of the season.

“That was the first pitch he threw me that wasn’t on a corner somewhere,” Glaus said.

Angel catcher Bengie Molina, who singled home an insurance run in the ninth inning, said Valdes pitched with the same sharp fastball he had last season. “Probably the only different thing,” Molina said with a smile, “might be the [lack of] blisters.”

As Valdes fed the Angels a steady diet of fastballs--”His fastball command was as good as I’ve ever seen it,” Angel Manager Mike Scioscia said--Schoeneweis confounded the Rangers by making a mockery of their scouting reports.

Last season, Schoeneweis did not pitch inside or throw his changeup effectively. He vowed to do both this season, worked diligently on both in spring training, and followed through on his promise Friday.

Schoeneweis very nearly threw a shutout. The Rangers scored their run in the second inning, on a sacrifice fly, with center fielder Darin Erstad’s throw arriving in time, but it was a few feet too far up the third-base line to get Juan Gonzalez.

Schoeneweis very nearly threw a complete game. He made 92 pitches through eight innings. Gabe Kapler doubled to start the ninth. With the tying run at the plate, Scioscia allowed Schoeneweis to pitch to Alex Rodriguez--and strike him out for the third time--and then replaced him with Al Levine.

Levine got Gonzalez to ground out, then Rafael Palmeiro flied out. Levine had his first save, in place of injured Troy Percival. Schoeneweis had his first victory, in his first start of a season he has dedicated to developing beyond a .500 pitcher with a 5.00 earned-run average.

The numbers Friday were far more impressive--81/3 innings, five hits, one walk, six strikeouts, 99 pitches.

“He can be that good every time he goes out,” Molina said.

That is because of another impressive number: 20. That’s how many changeups he threw Friday. Last season, he abandoned the pitch as soon as it got hit. This season, he intends to stay the course, so that opposing hitters have to worry about something besides a fastball away and a sinker.

And the Angels appeared tickled that Schoeneweis stuck to his game plan--and succeeded--against a lineup that included Carl Everett batting seventh. There’s no room for him in the heart of this order, not with Alex Rodriguez and Gonzalez and Palmeiro and Ivan Rodriguez there.

“Those guys are hall of famers,” Schoeneweis said. “To have them back-to-back-to-back-to-back is a chore.”

The quartet went two for 14, with four strikeouts. With results such as those, the change is a welcome pitch indeed.

“I want it someday to be my second-best pitch,” he said, “if not my best pitch.”