Ortiz Has Plenty to Ponder

When Ramon Ortiz reflects on his 2003 season, the only number worth savoring will be his career-high 16 victories. Almost every other number reflects a slight regression.

Ortiz compiled a 5.20 earned-run average after giving up three runs over five innings Saturday during the Angels’ 12-3 loss to the Texas Rangers at Edison Field. The right-hander’s ERA increased significantly from the 3.77 mark he posted in 2002, when he won 15 games but was plagued by the home run ball.

Catcher Gerald Laird smacked an Ortiz pitch to straightaway center field in the fourth inning for his first major league homer. It was the 28th homer surrendered this season by Ortiz, a marked improvement over the major league-high 40 he gave up in 2002.

But Ortiz threw fewer innings (180 compared to 217 1/3) and struck out fewer batters (95 to 162) while recording almost as many walks (61 to 68).

Ortiz had an outside chance to win 20 games when he picked up his 15th victory Aug. 22, but won only one of his last five starts to finish 16-13. Ortiz had a 6-7 record after the All-Star break, mirroring the Angels’ second-half collapse.

“Any time a starter can pitch the whole year and come away with 16 wins and be three games over .500, you have to look at it as a plus,” Manager Mike Scioscia said.

“He had a good season, [but] I don’t think he threw the ball as consistently this season as he did last season.”

Scioscia said Ortiz, who left the clubhouse without speaking to reporters, needs to improve his command of his fastball and throw a more effective slider to curtail the command problems that plagued him this season.

“He uses every bit of energy to throw the ball as hard as he does,” Scioscia said, “and sometimes that leads to some mechanical flaws that he battles.”

The Rangers, who led, 3-2, after five innings, blew the game open with four runs against reliever Greg Jones in the sixth and five against Gary Glover in the seventh. Neither player is expected to return next season.

The only constant the Angels hope to retain in 2004 is the fan support.

Saturday’s crowd of 43,218 -- the 24th sellout this season -- pushed the Angels over 3-million attendance for the first time. With today’s season finale remaining, the Angels have drawn 3,018,296.

Adam Kennedy suffered a broken left hand in the third inning when he was hit by a pitch and is scheduled to be examined Monday by Dr. Norman Zemel, a hand and wrist specialist.