Rivera Returns to Scene of ‘Shock’

Quick quiz: When the Angels defeated the New York Yankees in the first round of the 2002 playoffs, who started every game in left field for the Yankees?

The answer: Juan Rivera, who returns to Yankee Stadium with the Angels on Tuesday.

Two teams and three years later, Rivera says he understands the Angels simply played better during that series.

At the time, though, he was a youngster who had known no organization other than the Yankees.

“Losing in the first round was quite a shock to all of us,” he said through interpreter Jose Mota. “Everywhere from the owner to the fans and players, losing in a Yankee uniform is a humbling experience.”

Although Rivera was the Yankees’ top prospect in 2002, he started in the playoffs only because New York Manager Joe Torre wanted a good defensive outfielder in place against the Angels’ relentless baserunners. Ultimately, the Yankees raised Rivera as they do almost all their prospects -- as a bargaining chip.

In 2003, the Yankees traded Rivera and two other youngsters to the Montreal Expos for pitcher Javier Vazquez.

One year later, the Yankees shipped Vazquez and two more youngsters to the Arizona Diamondbacks for Randy Johnson.

Rivera says he is not bitter that the Yankees discarded him. He is grateful to them for bringing him to the big leagues -- and for trading their youngsters rather than stashing them in the minors.

“They make you a hot commodity,” he said.

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Closer Francisco Rodriguez taped a Sunday morning newspaper article in his locker so he could stare at this headline: “Rodriguez frustrated over blown save.”

Said Rodriguez: “I’m not frustrated. That reminds me I’m not.”

Rodriguez had his first blown save this season Friday and declined to speak with reporters Friday or Saturday. Manager Mike Scioscia suggested he might have been frustrated at Friday’s result, but Rodriguez said no after he earned the save in Sunday’s 1-0 victory over Oakland.

“I’m not frustrated at all, like a lot of people have been saying,” he said. “You’re going to have your good days. You’re going to have your bad days. You’re going to have your really rough days. You have to put it out of your head and get yourself ready for the next time.”

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Second baseman Adam Kennedy had one hit in five at-bats Sunday in the first game of his rehabilitation assignment at triple-A Salt Lake. First baseman Casey Kotchman, the Angels’ top prospect, went 0 for 4 and is batting .138, with no extra-base hits in 58 at-bats for Salt Lake. ... Second-base prospect Howie Kendrick, who batted .368 and .367 in his first two full minor league seasons, is hitting .405 at Class-A Rancho Cucamonga. ... The weekend series between the Angels and A’s drew 131,605, a three-game attendance record at Angel Stadium. In 1989, when the Rams played in the enormous, enclosed place then called Anaheim Stadium, the Angels and A’s drew a record 175,058 to a three-game series.