FROM ST. PETERSBURG, FLA. — Last Friday, between Lakers series, I stopped by Dodger Stadium and had a chat with Andre Ethier.
I whispered a challenge to him, told him it was time to deliver or he'd be throwing away the Dodgers' great start, and so later that night he won the game, the next day hitting two home runs to win another game, then adding two more homers Tuesday night.
Ethier takes instruction very well.
It's just what I do as the Athlete Whisperer -- back in the day when it was still fun talking to Kobe Bryant, telling him the mother of the 7-Eleven Kid could shoot threes better than he could, later that night Kobe accepting the challenge and setting the NBA record for most threes in game.
I sat down a few years back with Shawn Green, who had more strikeouts than hits, challenged him, and he set the Major League Baseball record that week for total bases in a single game with four home runs and a double.
I whispered to Manny last year it was time for a home run, and while it might have been steroids, the Drug Man came through.
So that brings me to Wednesday, a sweltering day here between Lakers playoff games, and what a downer.
One night at a Lakers game, the next with the Angels, and a king-size challenge for the Athlete Whisperer.
The Lakers two wins from a championship, the Angels a flop, and embarrassingly dreadful against the Rays in Tropicana Field.
The Angels have scored 269 runs, the opposition 280, and remember when the Angels could be counted on for being really good?
They are one game above .500, a team that won 100 games a year ago, but now curling up into a ball every time the call goes down to the bullpen.
Juan Pierre has a better arm than most of the guys the Angels have in relief.
"Who is your eighth-inning pitcher?" I asked, and Manager Mike Scioscia was stumped. Not a good sign.
I thought about whispering to one of the Angels' relievers, but most of them probably won't be here in the coming weeks.
If the Angels are going to be any good, they're going to have to start swapping out stiffs for lottery tickets in hopes they hit it big with a reliever acquired from elsewhere.
They've already sent Jose Arredondo, the next Frankie Rodriguez, off to the minors to bring up one of the Jetsons, or maybe it was Jepsen -- whatever, he doesn't figure to be around that long.
