A Man Who Still Gets Around, at His Own Pace

I didn’t see it, only hearing about it later, which is like missing Halley’s Comet, probably forced now to wait another 76 years before I get the chance to see Garret Anderson run really fast from first all the way home.

There’s no cheering allowed in the press box, but as I told Anderson on Saturday, I would’ve come to my feet screaming had I seen him running that hard Tuesday, considering it a sure-fire sign the Angels remain serious about winning games.

I had to wonder there for a while, what with General Manager Bill Stoneman freezing up again at the trading deadline and, as a result, the Angels going into a funk. In fact, now that I think about it, Stoneman might be the only one in baseball to move slower than Anderson at times.

Anderson has an excuse, of course, although he’s not one to use it much -- playing on a flat tire, and waiting for off-season surgery to take away the constant pain in his foot, which forces him to jog to first base now more than usual.

“I haven’t been able to run since February,” he said, when I asked him to describe his Halley’s Comet-like dash to beat the A’s, 3-2. “I told my trainer when I rounded third, there was nothing shaking. I was just happy everything on my body stayed together.”

Then he laughed -- pleased, I guess, that he was allowed to poke fun at himself before I could, and that’s how far we’ve come.

Now I wouldn’t miss a visit to Angel Stadium without checking in with Anderson, considering it both a treat and an education talking baseball with someone almost as old as I am. (Is he still smiling?)

On Saturday, Anderson had two more hits, good for three RBIs in a 10-3 win over Texas. But rather than talk about his obvious value to the Angels, I wanted his thoughts on Juan Rivera’s improvement and my theory that Rivera might be the big bat the Angels so desperately need.

“It’s no big deal hitting when you’re up or down by eight runs, but he’s hitting meaningful home runs,” Anderson said. “The one the other night to tie the game was huge, and when he put us up today 7-0 [with a three-run shot], it put a stamp on the game.”

The Rangers walked Vladimir Guerrero four times, challenging Rivera to beat them, and so he did. Rivera, who has 13 home runs in his last 28 games and 45 RBIs in the last 44, had a pair of hits and four RBIs.

“Ever since I was in the minors, I was a slow starter,” Rivera said through interpreter Jose Mota. “But it’s not how I start, it’s how I finish. ... When we got to July, I had a little talk with myself and decided I wanted to be the best player on the team.”

I said he might want to have that chat earlier next season, and while I can’t say whether Mota told him I was a big goof or relayed exactly what I said, Rivera found it amusing.

“There’s nothing you can say to get to me,” he said. “My dad yells at me every day, even when I get two hits.”

If Rivera is hitting with power, though, the Angels are a different team, and probably capable of slipping into the playoffs. Then they might get the Yankees, and oh well, it’ll be time again to go after Stoneman.

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BASEBALL AT its petty worst: It’s amazing anyone can sleep at night, left to wonder if Greg Maddux will be able to wear his favorite number, the one already occupied by Brad Penny. My question is, why would anyone want to wear a shirt already stretched to its limits by Penny?

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AND BASEBALL at its absolute best: It begins with a family story, Jorge and Lisa Field writing on their web page: “On Nov. 23, 2005, after having an MRI, our pediatrician informed us that our 10-year-old son, Jacob, had an unidentified mass in his brain. ... And so began his unbelievable journey in the world of brain tumor survival.”

Jacob’s family -- Jorge, Lisa, Nick and Danielle -- continued to update the site (www.caringbridge.org/visit/jacobfield), recently describing the dream trip to Oakland to visit the A’s, Jacob’s favorite team.

The A’s, hearing about Jacob, had responded with an immediate invite, catcher Jason Kendall even paying for a chartered plane to return the family to L.A.

When Jake was taken to the field, the A’s came by, one by one, to introduce themselves, Mark Kotsay, Jay Payton and Eric Chavez each giving the youngster a bat to take home.

“We were even treated to a show by Rich Harden who was playing with his Samurai sword [in the clubhouse],” Jorge, an L.A. Homeland Security supervisor, wrote before delivering the punch line. “Jason said Harden’s roommates told him he is not allowed to take the sword home.”

Kendall put the family in a suite for the game, “and Jake had his nachos and some cotton candy,” Jorge wrote. “Jake lasted about half the game before he got really tired, but in the suite he was able to lie on the couch. ... This was an experience neither Jake nor the rest of us will ever forget.”

Jacob’s brother, Nick, who plays football at West Covina High, told the Whittier Daily News the trip “was the best day of my life because Jacob was happy.”

Nine days later, Lisa wrote, “Our baby boy is beginning to slip away. ... We told him we love him, we are proud of him and he can go when he is ready. We told him God is waiting for him.”

On Friday -- less than two weeks after shaking hands with each of the A’s -- the family wrote, “At 5:00 today, our Little Warrior, Jacob Thomas Field won his battle and is resting in the arms of Jesus; completely and fully restored.”

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T.J. Simers can be reached at t.j.simers@latimes.com. To read previous columns by Simers, go to latimes.com/simers.