Patient Escobar Stays Calm

After each game that he has pitched well enough to win, only to get a loss or no-decision, and after each game that his teammates have failed to provide run support, Angel right-hander Kelvim Escobar has been a picture of placidity.

He has not lashed out at Angel hitters. He has not blown off reporters. There have been no extreme displays of frustration, not even after he threw “the best game of my career” Wednesday night, an eight-inning, five-hit, 12-strikeout effort that was wasted in a 1-0 loss to the Blue Jays.

Escobar knows better.

“You have to be smart and understand the game and learn from experience, because I remember when I couldn’t get anyone out,” said Escobar, an eight-year veteran and former Blue Jay. “I got my ... kicked my first few years, because I had no idea how to pitch; I just threw the ball.”

He’s much more than a thrower now. Escobar, 27, has a 3.97 earned-run average in 28 games, the lowest of any Angel starter, and he leads the team with 162 strikeouts, a career high, and 177 innings pitched.

He has been the Angels’ most consistent starter all season, a fact not reflected by his 9-10 record. The Angels have averaged 3.86 runs in Escobar’s games, the lowest support for any Angel starter. They have been shut out seven times this season, four of them in games Escobar pitched.

“That’s baseball -- it’s a crazy game, you can’t really do anything about it,” Escobar said. “Maybe next year I’ll go 20-5. I won 14 games [in 1999] with a [5.69] ERA, you know? You can’t complain. In this game, you have to do your work and keep your mouth shut.”

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There should be some managerial jobs available this winter -- Toronto, Seattle, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and the New York Mets are among the expected openings -- and Angel bench coach Joe Maddon is being mentioned as a candidate in several cities.

Maddon, a finalist for the Boston job that went to Terry Francona last winter, has close ties to Mariner General Manager Bill Bavasi, a former Angel executive; he grew up in Pennsylvania, and he has the strong backing of Angel Manager Mike Scioscia.

“I think he’s going to be a heck of a manager,” Scioscia said. “It’s such a jigsaw puzzle how everything falls into place -- it’s a matter of timing, what direction certain organizations are going in, some GMs have strong philosophies on strategies that might impact what they’re looking for.

“I don’t think Joe’s philosophy is in or out of vogue. His style is very progressive, he has a lot of common sense, and he relates to people.”

Maddon, 50, is in his 30th year in the Angel organization.

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ON DECK

Opponent -- Chicago White Sox, three games.

Site -- Angel Stadium.

TV -- Fox Sports Net tonight, Channel 9 Saturday night, KDOC 56 Sunday.

Radio -- KSPN (710), KTNQ (1020).

Records -- Angels 79-60, White Sox 71-68.

Record vs. White Sox -- 3-3.

Tonight, 7 -- John Lackey (12-11, 4.89) vs. Jon Garland (10-10, 5.01).

Saturday, 7 p.m. -- Aaron Sele (8-2, 4.77) vs. Jason Grilli (1-1, 6.48).

Sunday, 1 p.m. -- Bartolo Colon (14-11, 5.33) vs. Jose Contreras (12-8, 5.55).