Mckay Christensen

The Dodgers ended the past season with a need for a center fielder who bats leadoff, correct? Today (Feb. 2) I read that the Chicago White Sox signed free agent Kenny Lofton to a one-year deal for $1.25 million. Lofton is a six-time All-Star with a .302 lifetime average who, as I recall, plays center, bats leadoff and steals bases. What's wrong with this picture? I can only hope that the Dodger brass know something that I don't. Is Kenny Lofton damaged goods or, I hope, is McKay Christensen going to be so good that we didn't really need a leadoff center fielder after all?

McKay Christensen couldn't have scripted a better performance to begin building his case for the Dodgers' center-field and leadoff jobs. Or so it seemed. Christensen, making his first exhibition start, tripled to right-center field and scored in the first inning of Sunday's 9-8 victory over Florida. He singled to open the third inning, took third on Cesar Izturis' single and scored on Paul Lo Duca's two-run double. He led off the fifth with a perfectly placed bunt single.

The Angels have been ridiculed for drafting high school center fielder McKay Christensen as the sixth pick in the country, but Thursday night, they had one simple explanation for selecting him. "We thought if we didn't pick him then, we'd lose him," said Bob Fontaine, assistant vice president for scouting and player personnel. "And we weren't going to take that chance."

The Dodgers ended the past season with a need for a center fielder who bats leadoff, correct? Today (Feb. 2) I read that the Chicago White Sox signed free agent Kenny Lofton to a one-year deal for $1.25 million. Lofton is a six-time All-Star with a .302 lifetime average who, as I recall, plays center, bats leadoff and steals bases. What's wrong with this picture? I can only hope that the Dodger brass know something that I don't. Is Kenny Lofton damaged goods or, I hope, is McKay Christensen going to be so good that we didn't really need a leadoff center fielder after all?

Given their history of strange moves, the Angels might have outdone themselves in the first round of baseball's amateur draft Thursday. They selected a man on a mission. The problem is, high school outfielder McKay Christensen's determination to spend two years on a Mormon mission will prevent him from playing baseball or joining the Angels' farm system until 1996.

McKay Christensen couldn't have scripted a better performance to begin building his case for the Dodgers' center-field and leadoff jobs. Or so it seemed. Christensen, making his first exhibition start, tripled to right-center field and scored in the first inning of Sunday's 9-8 victory over Florida. He singled to open the third inning, took third on Cesar Izturis' single and scored on Paul Lo Duca's two-run double. He led off the fifth with a perfectly placed bunt single.

Top Pick to Work Out Deal, Then Depart McKay Christensen, the Angels' top draft pick, went to Disneyland for grad night after hearing the news. He said he will visit Anaheim Stadium next Friday to hammer out the final details of his contract. Christensen, from Clovis West High, near Fresno, will begin his two-year Mormon mission in July or August and said that he will turn down a scholarship offer to play football and baseball at Brigham Young. Christensen, a center fielder, batted .

McKay Christensen, the Angels' top draft pick, went to Disneyland for grad night after hearing the news Thursday. On Friday, he said he'll visit Anaheim Stadium next Friday to complete final details of his contract. After that, it might be awhile before the Angels see him again. Christensen, from Fresno Clovis West High, will begin his two-year Mormon mission in July or August. He said he isn't concerned about losing his skills after being away from baseball so long.

The Angels on Thursday acquired left-handed starter Jim Abbott and reliever Tim Fortugno from the Chicago White Sox in exchange for four minor leaguers. With the trade, Abbott returns to the team with which he made his major league debut in 1989. He was traded to the New York Yankees after the 1992 season. Abbott, 27, was 6-4 in 17 starts with the White Sox this season with an earned-run average of 3.36. He had three complete games.

Angel outfielder John Fishel was arrested again and handcuffed Tuesday for failure to pay child support to Kim Ketchum, a Phoenix-area woman who claims Fishel is the father of her 6-year-old daughter, Ashley. The former Cal State Fullerton standout was arrested during a game last week on a warrant that he owes $66,686 in child support to Ketchum dating back to 1989. He was released from jail after 12 hours when the Angels paid an $8,000 bond.

The Angels have been ridiculed for drafting high school center fielder McKay Christensen as the sixth pick in the country, but Thursday night, they had one simple explanation for selecting him. "We thought if we didn't pick him then, we'd lose him," said Bob Fontaine, assistant vice president for scouting and player personnel. "And we weren't going to take that chance."

Given their history of strange moves, the Angels might have outdone themselves in the first round of baseball's amateur draft Thursday. They selected a man on a mission. The problem is, high school outfielder McKay Christensen's determination to spend two years on a Mormon mission will prevent him from playing baseball or joining the Angels' farm system until 1996.

Complications of elbow surgery last fall will keep Todd Stottlemyre from pitching this season. The Arizona Diamondbacks said Friday that the right-hander may need nine more months to recover and will undergo minor surgery on his right shoulder during that time. Stottlemyre, 36, started 18 games last year, going 9-6 with a 4.91 earned-run average. He was sidelined two weeks last June because of the elbow injury, then was out another two months with the same injury.