Gary Pettis

In the top of the sixth inning Thursday night, just moments after the Angels had mounted a serious rally to draw within one run of the Detroit Tigers, who should come zipping across the plate to score an insurance run for the Tigers but the Angels' former teammate, Gary Pettis? There Pettis was, doing all those things the Angels wished he had done for them last season. Getting a sharp single to center. Stealing second. Tagging up and advancing to third on a fly ball.

Chone Figgins is only the fourth Angel player to steal 50 bases in a season. A look at the top season base stealers in team history: *--* Player SB Year Mickey Rivers 70 1975 Gary Pettis 56 1985 Luis Polonia 55 1993 Luis Polonia 51 1992 Gary Pettis 50 1986 Chone Figgins 50 2005 Chad Curtis 48 1993 Gary Pettis 48 1984 Luis Polonia 48 1991 Devon White 44 1989 *--*

Padre pitcher Andy Benes walked out of the clubhouse minutes before game time Tuesday, looked at awaiting reporters in the hallway, raised his eyebrows and laughed aloud. "I just want to know one thing," he said. "Why does everything always have to happen on the days I pitch?" On a day when the Padres shook up their roster by signing free-agent outfielder Gary Pettis and trading away Thomas Howard--creating confusion and bewilderment in the clubhouse--Benes was left unfazed.

Gary Pettis looked up, suddenly, wondering if he was dressed OK. "Blue warm-ups for infield?" he asked Padre first base coach Rob Picciolo. So far, so good. He was wearing his blue warm-up jersey. "What time is infield?" Pettis asked. Yes, Pettis was in the right place--the Padre dugout--at the right time. Still on track. This coming-to-a-new-team stuff is never easy.

Gary Pettis looked up, suddenly, wondering if he was dressed OK. "Blue warm-ups for infield?" he asked Padre first base coach Rob Picciolo. So far, so good. He was wearing his blue warm-up jersey. "What time is infield?" Pettis asked. Yes, Pettis was in the right place--the Padre dugout--at the right time. Still on track. This coming-to-a-new-team stuff is never easy.

Chone Figgins is only the fourth Angel player to steal 50 bases in a season. A look at the top season base stealers in team history: *--* Player SB Year Mickey Rivers 70 1975 Gary Pettis 56 1985 Luis Polonia 55 1993 Luis Polonia 51 1992 Gary Pettis 50 1986 Chone Figgins 50 2005 Chad Curtis 48 1993 Gary Pettis 48 1984 Luis Polonia 48 1991 Devon White 44 1989 *--*

Slumping Gary Pettis hit his first homer in almost a year in the third inning, and Rob Wilfong singled in the decisive run in the eighth inning as the California Angels defeated the Boston Red Sox 6-2 today. In the fourth inning Pettis collided with Brian Downing and was carried off the field suffering a muscle bruise.

Outfielder Gary Pettis, a 10-year veteran who spent six with the Angels (1982-87), was signed by the San Diego Padres. Pettis was released by the Texas Rangers during spring training. The Padres also also acquired infielder Jason Hardke from Cleveland in exchange for outfielder Thomas Howard. . . . Baltimore first baseman Glenn Davis was placed on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to April 7, because of a rib cage strain suffered opening day.

Suffering through watching Gary Pettis of the Angels at bat makes one cry out for a new category to be used in baseball lineups: The DK, designated strikeout. Being a switch-hitter, he is a threat to strike out either left- or right-handed. Perhaps a trade with the Dodgers can be arranged. Lasorda could really use the best center fielder in professional baseball. Manny Mota can surely teach Pettis what all batting instructors know: How to hit a round ball with a round bat, squarely.

Gary Pettis will receive a guaranteed $2.66 million under the three-year contract he agreed to Friday with the Texas Rangers. Pettis, a 31-year-old outfielder who began his career with the Angels, will get a $160,000 signing bonus, $650,000 in 1990, $850,000 in 1991 and $1 million in 1992.

Gary Pettis looked up, suddenly, wondering if he was dressed OK. "Blue warm-ups for infield?" he asked Padre first base coach Rob Picciolo. So far, so good. He was wearing his blue warm-up jersey. "What time is infield?" Pettis asked. Yes, Pettis was in the right place--the Padre dugout--at the right time. Still on track. This coming-to-a-new-team stuff is never easy.

Padre pitcher Andy Benes walked out of the clubhouse minutes before game time Tuesday, looked at awaiting reporters in the hallway, raised his eyebrows and laughed aloud. "I just want to know one thing," he said. "Why does everything always have to happen on the days I pitch?" On a day when the Padres shook up their roster by signing free-agent outfielder Gary Pettis and trading away Thomas Howard--creating confusion and bewilderment in the clubhouse--Benes was left unfazed.

Outfielder Gary Pettis, a 10-year veteran who spent six with the Angels (1982-87), was signed by the San Diego Padres. Pettis was released by the Texas Rangers during spring training. The Padres also also acquired infielder Jason Hardke from Cleveland in exchange for outfielder Thomas Howard. . . . Baltimore first baseman Glenn Davis was placed on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to April 7, because of a rib cage strain suffered opening day.

You say batter. They call him bateador. You know them as outfielders. To them, they are jardineros. You jump from your seat with a home run. They see it as a cuadrangular. But no matter the language, the message remains the same in the game of baseball, or beisbol, when described by Ulpiano Cos Villa and Ruben Valentin.

Mark Langston was ever so mindful of Gary Pettis. Not that it mattered. One minute, Pettis was taking a lead off of first, in front of Langston. The next, he was dancing off of second behind Langston. "It's Gary Pettis," Langston said Sunday after Pettis stole second three times in the Angels' 2-1 loss to Texas. "What are you going to do?"

Gary Pettis will receive a guaranteed $2.66 million under the three-year contract he agreed to Friday with the Texas Rangers. Pettis, a 31-year-old outfielder who began his career with the Angels, will get a $160,000 signing bonus, $650,000 in 1990, $850,000 in 1991 and $1 million in 1992.

Mark Langston was ever so mindful of Gary Pettis. Not that it mattered. One minute, Pettis was taking a lead off of first, in front of Langston. The next, he was dancing off of second behind Langston. "It's Gary Pettis," Langston said Sunday after Pettis stole second three times in the Angels' 2-1 loss to Texas. "What are you going to do?"

Whenever they talk about knockdown pitchers, the name of Don Drysdale is sure to surface, but Ralph Kiner doesn't rate him No. 1. "Ewell Blackwell of Cincinnati was easily the meanest I ever saw," Kiner told Richie Ashburn of the Philadelphia Daily News. "He had this sidearm delivery, and he could throw the hell out of the ball. The greatest knockdown pitch I ever saw--if there is such a thing--was thrown by Blackwell in Pittsburgh.