Nickle Recalls His Class Act

MESA, Ariz. -- Media criticism comes naturally to baseball players, but only the Angels have a player who has taught a college class on the subject.

He’s Doug Nickle, a pitcher who studied political science at California. His academic record was so impressive that a professor invited him to teach during his senior year, and Nickle devised the curriculum for classes he titled “Newspapers as a Political Medium” and “Political Darwinism: Overcoming the Media Bias.”

Nickle said he considered himself a discussion leader more than a lecturer. He assigned students to analyze coverage of the same event in various media outlets, reporting on differences in how those outlets presented the story and discussing whether the emphasis on certain angles and the omission of others might reflect a political bias.

“I wanted people to understand that what you’re getting in a newspaper might not always be the gospel truth,” he said.

While he encouraged students to draw their own conclusions, he is not shy about sharing his, and they are at odds with Berkeley’s reputation as a liberal haven. Nickle said he detects a conservative slant in the Wall Street Journal and Washington Times and a liberal slant in “pretty much every other paper you could pick up.”

The Angels drafted Nickle out of Cal in 1997, then traded him to the Philadelphia Phillies a year later, in a stretch-drive deal for outfielder Gregg Jefferies. The St. Louis Cardinals acquired him in the Scott Rolen trade last July, the San Diego Padres claimed him on waivers in August, the New York Mets claimed him in October and released him in December, and the Angels signed him as a free agent in January.

Nickle, 28, has two saves and a 2.89 earned-run average this spring. He is expected to start the season at triple-A Salt Lake, but he could develop into a useful major league reliever with better control of his fastball and knuckle-curve.

“He’s got a very good combination to be able to put people away with,” Angel Manager Mike Scioscia said. “This guy has a major league arm. His stuff will play well in the big leagues.”

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As most of his teammates enjoyed a day off Thursday, Jarrod Washburn pitched a minor league exhibition game and got roughed up by the Chicago Cubs’ triple-A team. Washburn threw 59 pitches in three innings, giving up three runs and five hits.

“He’s still working the rust off,” Scioscia said. “But it’s a step forward.”

Washburn, slowed by a sprained left shoulder, reported no pain but said he was “starting to feel tired” in his final inning. The Angels hope he can make about 75 pitches in his next start and perhaps 90 in a final spring start, which would enable him to make his regular-season debut against Oakland on April 4 or 5.

The Angels plan to put their starters in order for the season in the next few days, with John Lackey likely to replace Washburn as the starter in the March 30 opener.

Kevin Appier also is under consideration.

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With Washburn expected to be ready in the first week of April and Aaron Sele expected to follow in early May, the Angels say they have no need for Chuck Finley, the free agent who started his career in Anaheim and would love to finish it there.

General Manager Bill Stoneman refuses to surrender the first-round draft pick he would owe the Cardinals as compensation for signing Finley. However, at this late date, Stoneman probably could sign Finley for less than it will cost to sign that first-round pick.

“But, if you make the right first-round pick, that guy is around for a long time,” Stoneman said, “and he plays his first three seasons at a very reasonable rate.”

After three seasons, players are eligible for salary arbitration.