Let’s Go to the Big Red Juror in the Sky

Before Thursday’s jury verdict that allows the Angels to call themselves the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Don Sutton appeared at a recent Big League Dreams promotional function in Pasadena and was asked for his opinion on the issue.

Sutton, who pitched for the Dodgers and Angels, said, “I feel strongly both ways. Whoever wins the battle, I’m on that side.

“I learned that from Tommy Lasorda.”

Trivia time: How many games did Sutton win during his 23-year, Hall of Fame career?

In another world: Also at the Pasadena function to take part in a panel discussion was former Angel Wally Joyner.

Asked for his opinion on the Angels’ legal name-change battle, Joyner said, “I don’t understand it. When I was with the Angels, Los Angeles was where we went to play the Dodgers.”

In other words, Los Angeles was not part of Wally’s World.

All in good fun: Besides Sutton and Joyner, others on the panel were former Dodgers Bill Russell, Maury Wills and Jay Johnstone, along with Jason and Jeremy Giambi. The Giambi brothers and their father, John, are minority owners of Big League Dreams, a company that builds recreational sports complexes featuring replicas of major league ballparks. The majority owners are Ron, Rick and Jeff Odekirk.

Moderating the panel discussion were The Times’ Bill Plaschke and Rick Odekirk.

Plaschke asked Russell, who was fired as the Dodgers’ manager on June 21, 1998, if he had been given a fair chance. Plaschke also admitted he was among the media members who had initially been critical of Russell.

Before Russell could answer, Jason Giambi jokingly suggested: “Why don’t you just take him outside and kick his [rear]?”

Tough times: Russell, who said being fired was tough, also said he had a tough time early in his playing career.

Russell, who replaced team captain Wills at shortstop in 1972, was originally an outfielder but was asked by Walt Alston to play shortstop.

“It was very tough,” Russell said. “I had no minor league experience at shortstop, no high school experience at shortstop, and there I was out there in front of 55,000 people playing shortstop. I didn’t get standing ovations, I got standing boos.”

A little project: Sutton, who is from a rural area of Alabama, told the gathering that his father was 17 and his mother 14 when he was born.

“Most kids at that age had 4-H projects,” Sutton said. “My mother had me.”

A good excuse: Sutton introduced longtime Dodger batting practice pitcher Pete Bonfils, who was in the audience.

“He’s one guy who has given up more home runs than I did,” Sutton said.

Said Bonfils: “Yeah, but I get paid to give up home runs.”

Trivia answer: 324.

And finally: Sutton, in talking about his friend and former teammate, Tommy John, said, “I never want to be alive and have a surgery named after me.”

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Larry Stewart can be reached at larry.stewart@latimes.com.