Langston's Debut No Artistic Gem, but Angels Happy

By HELENE ELLIOTT

March 27, 1990 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

YUMA, Ariz. — For posterity, it will be recorded that Mark Langston’s first pitch as an Angel in the team’s exhibition opener against the San Diego Padres was a breaking ball that broke low to shortstop Bip Roberts.

The first hit he yielded was a liner by Roberto Alomar over the glove of third baseman Jack Howell, and he made his first wild pitch on a 2-and-0 count to Mark Parent. Tony Gwynn, who forced Alomar at second base and took third on Fred Lynn’s single to right, became the first runner to score against Langston when a 3-and-2 pitch to Parent skipped past catcher Lance Parrish.

The first earned run Langston allowed came in the second inning, when he gave up a two-out walk to pitcher Bruce Hurst, an infield single by Roberts and a single to left by Alomar.

Consider this, though, before dividing Langston’s $16-million salary by two innings’ work and wondering about the wisdom of such investments: The only regret Langston had about his performance was that in his only at-bat, he grounded into a double play with the bases loaded.

“We’re all frustrated hitters,” Langston said of his fellow pitchers.

That he was not a frustrated pitcher was all that mattered in the Angels’ sloppy 9-2 loss Monday. Despite going only two innings instead of the planned three, Langston thought he accomplished what he intended to do in his first outing and got a measure of his progress. He allowed two runs on four hits, walked two and struck out two while making 41 pitches.

“I’m looking for certain keys,” the 29-year-old left-hander said. “My breaking ball was where I want it, and my off-speed pitch wasn’t bad. My fastball was a little all over the plate, but that was the worst mound I’ve thrown off in my life. It was a sand pit, and I was trying to adjust to that. Every time I’d go to plant my foot, I kept sliding. Other than that, I felt pretty good. . . .

“I could have gone three (innings), but it was a situation where they didn’t want me to throw too many pitches when you’ve got a game situation and you have to turn it up a notch. They didn’t want me to go out and throw useless pitches. I’d thrown 40-something pitches, anyway, and that’s the idea we were looking for. At this stage, you’re just trying to get your work done and concentrate on stuff you need to work on.”

Pitching coach Marcel Lachemann looked for Langston to simply get some game experience, so he was not preoccupied with the score.

“He threw the ball good. I’m not concerned,” Lachemann said. “He threw two innings and two more in the bullpen, and that was enough. I’m not going to rush anybody. I’m not going to push them.”

Parrish, who was catching Langston for the first time, blamed himself for the pair’s first-inning confusion over signs.

“I didn’t help him any,” Parrish said. Then again, Langston can help himself well enough when he’s in top form.

“His breaking ball was breaking well, and he threw the ball well in general,” Parrish said. “I think if anything, with his fastball, he was just trying to get his arm aired out, and when your adrenaline gets going, sometimes you overthrow. I think he was just trying to get the feel back of being in a game situation.”

The Angels may have the feel of being in a game, but not a well-played game. A pair of errors by Donnie Hill, a throwing error by right fielder Claudell Washington and a fielding error caused when center fielder Dante Bichette lost a fly ball in the sun contributed to a four-run fourth for the Padres against Mike Witt.

Although Witt gave up six runs in two innings, only one run--Eddie Williams’ fifth-inning home run--was earned.

“I don’t think any of us have a right to expect anything, given the circumstances; it certainly wasn’t a masterpiece, but it certainly was forgivable, given the situation,” Manager Doug Rader said, referring to the lockout-shortened training camp. “Hopefully, the whole purpose of this today was a practical exercise. That’s why I put so many guys in the game (24), so we could have some degree of comfort. I was hoping for something better, but it’s not anything I’m upset with or discouraged by. The main thing was to get people in a practical exercise, period.”

Witt said he exceeded his expectations for the quantity of work he got in, but not the quality.

“The quality of pitches wasn’t too good,” he said. “I’ve got to work on everything in general. I got 50 pitches in, and that’s plenty--about 20 pitches more than I would have liked to throw.”

Angel center fielder Devon White started the game as the leadoff hitter but left early because of stiffness in the quadriceps muscle in his leg. White, who was one for two Monday and drove in both Angel runs with a single to left field in the second inning, probably will be rested today.

Shortstop Dick Schofield, who sat out Monday’s game because of a hamstring pull, went through a problem-free workout and is expected to play today.

Mike Fetters, Mike Erb, Jeff Richardson and Cliff Young are scheduled to pitch for the Angels in today’s B game. Kirk McCaskill, Jim Abbott, Willie Fraser and Greg Minton are set for the main game.

With major league umpires boycotting spring training games to protest the season being extended, three Triple-A umpires officiated Monday’s game.