Bootcheck Has a Fulfilling Day

By Mike DiGiovanna

April 12, 2005 12 AM PT

Times Staff Writer

ARLINGTON, Texas — Two weeks ago, Chris Bootcheck was frustrated and dejected, his hopes of breaking camp with the Angels dashed when the team traded for reliever Bret Prinz and sent Bootcheck back to triple-A Salt Lake.

But Bootcheck’s emotions took a 180-degree turn on a whirlwind Monday in which the Angel right-hander threw 1 2/3 scoreless innings of relief, buying time for the offense to cobble together a 7-6, 10-inning victory over the Rangers.

Bootcheck, called up when Prinz was put on the disabled list Sunday because of a shoulder injury, caught a 5:30 a.m. flight from Salt Lake City to Dallas, and his cab dropped him off at Ameriquest Field during pregame introductions.

“I was more anxious than anything, because I didn’t know the circumstances,” Bootcheck said of his mind-set after the call-up. “I just wanted to contribute.”

That he did, replacing struggling starter Jarrod Washburn with two on and one out in the sixth inning and getting No. 3 hitter Michael Young to ground to third, the runners advancing. After intentionally walking Mark Teixeira to load the bases, Bootcheck got Richard Hidalgo to fly to right, ending the inning.

Bootcheck retired the side in order in the seventh before turning the ball over to Scot Shields, who pitched two scoreless innings. The Angels, trailing, 6-2, when Bootcheck entered, rallied for five runs in the last four innings to win.

“What Chris did was huge,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “He gave us big outs when we needed them, and that kept us in the game.” *

On the flip side for the Angels was Washburn, who was rocked for six runs and 12 hits, including solo home runs by Alfonso Soriano, Rod Barajas and Hank Blalock, in 5 1/3 innings.

“It was a good win,” Washburn said. “I wish I could have been a part of it and contributed in some way.”

Starter Kelvim Escobar, on the disabled list because of an elbow sprain, experienced no problems during a pregame bullpen workout and is on course to make a rehabilitation start for Class-A Rancho Cucamonga at Modesto on Thursday.

With no settlement offer from the Angels apparently forthcoming, the Anaheim City Council meets tonight to discuss strategy in the city’s lawsuit against the team.

After an appellate court urged the two sides to discuss settlement, representatives from the two sides met twice with a mediator. No deal is close and a third session has not been scheduled, a source familiar with the discussions said. The discussions focused more on concepts than on potential settlement terms, another source said.

The team floated the idea of retaining the current name, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, a source said. The city rejected the idea.

Times staff writer Bill Shaikin contributed to this report.