Kyle Abbott

Kyle Abbott couldn't wait for tonight's All-Star game. Not that the Philadelphia Phillie rookie left-hander will play in it. Heck, he probably won't even watch it on television or listen to it on the radio. Nope. What Abbott wants out of this three-day break in the major league schedule is to catch a break himself, a brief respite from the miserable season he has endured thus far. Abbott, once a top prospect in the Angels' organization, is living a pitcher's nightmare.

Kyle Abbott couldn't wait for the All-Star break. Not that the Philadelphia Phillie rookie left-hander had a lot of interest in the game itself. What Abbott wanted was a brief respite from the miserable season he has endured thus far. Abbott, once a top prospect in the Angel organization, has been living a pitcher's nightmare. The former Mission Viejo High star has an 0-11 record with a 5.15 earned-run average for the Phillies, who are last in the National League East.

The Angels reached an agreement Tuesday with Cal State Long Beach left-hander Kyle Abbott, their top selection in the summer free-agent baseball draft. Abbott, represented by Alan Meersand, will receive a $190,000 signing bonus, which is the high, to date, for the 1989 draft. Jim Abbott, the Angels' first-round selection of last year, received a signing bonus of $207,500.

Kyle Abbott couldn't wait for tonight's All-Star game. Not that the Philadelphia Phillie rookie left-hander will play in it. Heck, he probably won't even watch it on television or listen to it on the radio. Nope. What Abbott wants out of this three-day break in the major league schedule is to catch a break himself, a brief respite from the miserable season he has endured thus far. Abbott, once a top prospect in the Angels' organization, is living a pitcher's nightmare.

Touted as the organization's top pitching prospect, Kyle Abbott will make his second start today, against the Chicago White Sox at Anaheim Stadium. In his debut Tuesday, Abbott gave up two runs in six innings in a 6-1 loss to the Texas Rangers. "He's impressive. He's poised and he's grown up a lot since spring training," pitching coach Marcel Lachemann said. "Max (Oliveras) and Gary Ruby (Edmonton's manager and pitching coach, respectively) did a very fine job with him."

In acquiring Von Hayes from the Phillies Sunday, Whitey Herzog opened the winter meetings with a salvo of unmistakable messages. Trading pitching prospect Kyle Abbott and outfielder Ruben Amaro in the first transaction here signaled the Angels' senior vice president's eagerness to deal. That extends to trading Chuck Finley if the Angels can't sign the left-hander to a long-term contract.

Charlie Hough had completed two seasons in the Dodgers' minor league system before Kyle Abbott was born. That Hough would still be pitching 23 years later--and pitching well enough to prevail over Abbott Sunday--amused the 43-year-old knuckleballer after Chicago's 9-2 rout of the Angels at Anaheim Stadium. "It's amazing, with no talent," Hough said of his longevity. "I was really lucky ever to get to the big leagues."

The low buzz of the crowd of 20,835 at Anaheim Stadium on Tuesday night was punctuated by shouts of encouragement from those who have known Kyle Abbott for years. A sign on the right-field terrace--probably hung by his cousin, Abbott said--put it simply: GO KYLE. The 23-year-old left-hander who graduated from Mission Viejo High School and led Cal State Long Beach to the College World Series in 1989 was making his major league debut.

Cal State Fullerton's David Staton was named a second-team All-American Thursday by Baseball America. Staton, who made the team as a designated hitter, batted .371 with 18 home runs and 77 runs batted in. Fullerton finished with a 30-27 record, failing to make the National Collegiate Athletic Assn. tournament after making it to the College World Series last year. Staton, a junior, led the Big West Conference in RBIs and was first team all-conference. His slugging percentage of .756 broke Tim Wallach's 1978 school record of .751.

The Angels recalled six players, including three pitchers, from their triple-A Edmonton farm team. Shortstop Gary DiSarcina, catcher John Orton, first baseman-outfielder Lee Stevens, right-handed pitcher Scott Lewis and left-handers Cliff Young and Kyle Abbott will meet the Angels at Anaheim Stadium Friday, after the team finishes its trip to Milwaukee and Boston.

In acquiring Von Hayes from the Phillies Sunday, Whitey Herzog opened the winter meetings with a salvo of unmistakable messages. Trading pitching prospect Kyle Abbott and outfielder Ruben Amaro in the first transaction here signaled the Angels' senior vice president's eagerness to deal. That extends to trading Chuck Finley if the Angels can't sign the left-hander to a long-term contract.

Charlie Hough had completed two seasons in the Dodgers' minor league system before Kyle Abbott was born. That Hough would still be pitching 23 years later--and pitching well enough to prevail over Abbott Sunday--amused the 43-year-old knuckleballer after Chicago's 9-2 rout of the Angels at Anaheim Stadium. "It's amazing, with no talent," Hough said of his longevity. "I was really lucky ever to get to the big leagues."

Touted as the organization's top pitching prospect, Kyle Abbott will make his second start today, against the Chicago White Sox at Anaheim Stadium. In his debut Tuesday, Abbott gave up two runs in six innings in a 6-1 loss to the Texas Rangers. "He's impressive. He's poised and he's grown up a lot since spring training," pitching coach Marcel Lachemann said. "Max (Oliveras) and Gary Ruby (Edmonton's manager and pitching coach, respectively) did a very fine job with him."

The low buzz of the crowd of 20,835 at Anaheim Stadium on Tuesday night was punctuated by shouts of encouragement from those who have known Kyle Abbott for years. A sign on the right-field terrace--probably hung by his cousin, Abbott said--put it simply: GO KYLE. The 23-year-old left-hander who graduated from Mission Viejo High School and led Cal State Long Beach to the College World Series in 1989 was making his major league debut.

The Angels recalled six players, including three pitchers, from their triple-A Edmonton farm team. Shortstop Gary DiSarcina, catcher John Orton, first baseman-outfielder Lee Stevens, right-handed pitcher Scott Lewis and left-handers Cliff Young and Kyle Abbott will meet the Angels at Anaheim Stadium Friday, after the team finishes its trip to Milwaukee and Boston.

This is going to be a big month for Mission Viejo's Kyle Abbott. Last Saturday, he married his girlfriend of two years, Kathy Gray. And a few days after the couple return from their honeymoon, Abbott will head to Arizona for spring training with the California Angels, hopeful of catching on with a pitching staff already solid with five starters. Abbott trained for the new season by carrying food trays.

Kyle Abbott was banking on a better farewell performance than the rocky 2 1/3 innings he pitched Monday during an 8-5 loss to Louisiana State that eliminated Cal State Long Beach from the College World Series. But Abbott can seek some solace, knowing the first time he starts on the mound for an affiliate of the Angels, he'll be doing it with a satisfactory sum of money in the bank. Monday morning, Abbott was selected by the Angels in the first round of the baseball amateur draft, the ninth player chosen overall.

The Angels reached an agreement Tuesday with Cal State Long Beach left-hander Kyle Abbott, their top selection in the summer free-agent baseball draft. Abbott, represented by Alan Meersand, will receive a $190,000 signing bonus, which is the high, to date, for the 1989 draft. Jim Abbott, the Angels' first-round selection of last year, received a signing bonus of $207,500.