Scioscia Is Not Caught Up in Trend

By Mike DiGiovanna

Aug. 3, 2004 12 AM PT

Times Staff Writer

Mike Scioscia is not a big fan of the “personal catcher,” a term that may have originated with backup Tim McCarver catching Hall of Fame left-hander Steve Carlton in Philadelphia during the 1970s and was popularized recently by Greg Maddux, who almost always threw to reserve Eddie Perez for Atlanta.

To Scioscia, the Angel manager and former Dodger catcher, the term implies that one catcher is better at handling a certain pitcher, usually the staff ace, and he doesn’t want to demean the other catchers on the club.

But Scioscia is not about to mess with a formula that clearly works, so even as he downplays the connection between pitcher Bartolo Colon’s resurgence and backup catcher Jose Molina -- “There’s no personal-catcher scenario right now,” Scioscia said -- you can expect Jose Molina, the brother of starting catcher Bengie Molina, to be behind the plate the next time Colon pitches.

Colon, 2-7 with an 8.19 earned-run average in 13 games from April 28 to July 3, won his fifth consecutive start Sunday, limiting Seattle to two runs and eight hits in six innings. Jose Molina has caught every one of the five. Of Colon’s 10 victories, Jose Molina has been the starting catcher in eight.

“He’s played a big factor because he seems to be thinking ahead of me,” Colon, through an interpreter, said of Jose Molina. “Every time I think of a pitch, he’s calling it ahead of me.”

Is there a connection between Colon’s success and Jose Molina? Scioscia couldn’t have tap-danced around the question any better had he been in the cast of “42nd Street,” so mindful was he of not offending Bengie Molina, a two-time Gold Glove Award winner, or Josh Paul, the Angels’ No. 3 catcher.

“With our catching situation, all three guys are terrific, so [a personal catcher] shouldn’t be an issue,” Scioscia said. “But at the same time, some guys feel more comfortable with some catchers. The bottom line is production. If a pitcher is executing his pitches better with some catchers, it’s going to reflect in performance, and you have to look at that.”

Asked why he has clicked with Colon, one word immediately came to Jose Molina’s mind.

“Trust,” he said. “Maybe there’s more confidence from his point. He pitches to Bengie, to me, to Josh, and he was just struggling early. That was the problem. Now, he’s pitching much better, he has his confidence back, and he’s throwing all the pitches he has. I’m just trying to call a good game for him, keep him focused, make sure he doesn’t lose his concentration. He feels comfortable with me.”

Colon, who has given up seven earned runs in 33 innings of his last five starts (1.91 ERA) to lower his ERA from 6.57 on July 3 to 5.39, has recovered from a left ankle injury that affected his landing foot, and his velocity is up -- he struck out Scott Spiezio with a 95-mph fastball with the bases loaded to end the fifth inning Sunday.

But the biggest adjustment he has made, Colon said, is “going to my breaking ball, and not necessarily in breaking-ball counts, and throwing more changeups to right-handed batters. Every pitch is working now.”

Robb Quinlan’s recent tear -- the utility player is batting .489 (23 for 47) with three home runs, five doubles and 13 runs batted in during his last 13 games and Monday was selected American League rookie of the month for July -- could cost third baseman Chone Figgins some playing time.

Figgins is in a 4-for-33 slump that has dropped his average from .314 on July 24 to .297. Although the speedy Figgins has been productive in the No. 2 spot, with 53 runs, 13 triples and 21 stolen bases, he ranks second on the team with 63 strikeouts in 370 at-bats, high for a player who relies more on contact than power.

No. 9 batter Adam Kennedy leads the team with 71 strikeouts. Because Garret Anderson, Vladimir Guerrero and Jose Guillen don’t strike out as often as most power hitters, the Angels have the third-fewest strikeouts in the American League, 617. But they also have 276 walks, the fewest in the league.

Third baseman Troy Glaus, who underwent shoulder surgery in May, is expected to start swinging a bat this week in Arizona, but the chances of his returning as a designated hitter this season are remote.

“There’s still a lot of challenges in getting the shoulder where we want it to be before we consider him playing this year,” Scioscia said. “You don’t want to put his career at risk.”

ON DECK

Opponent -- Minnesota Twins, three games.

Site -- Metrodome, Minneapolis.

TV -- Channel 30 tonight, Channel 56 Thursday.

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

Records -- Angels 57-48, Twins 59-45.

Record vs. Twins -- 2-1.

Tonight, 5 PDT -- John Lackey (9-9, 4.92) vs. Carlos Silva (9-7, 4.52).

Wednesday, 5 p.m. -- Aaron Sele (6-0, 4.66) vs. Kyle Lohse (4-8, 5.21).

Thursday, 10 a.m. -- Ramon Ortiz (3-6, 3.94) vs. Brad Radke (7-6, 3.77).

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

Among the Best

Angel starter Bartolo Colon has been one of the top starters in baseball the last few seasons. A look at the most wins and innings pitched in the major leagues over the last six seasons, not including 2004:

MOST WINS

Randy Johnson...106

Greg Maddux...105

Pedro Martinez...101

Tom Glavine...98

Andy Pettitte...98

Roger Clemens...97

Bartolo Colon...96

Jamie Moyer...96

MOST INNINGS PITCHED

Randy Johnson...1,388 1/3

Greg Maddux...1,370 1/3