Tim Belcher

Those Dodger fans who wonder whatever happened to Tim Belcher are not alone. A man in Cincinnati is also wondering the same thing: Tim Belcher. "I'm dumbfounded. I don't know what to try next," Belcher said Tuesday, looking blankly across his Cincinnati Reds clubhouse. "I stink, and I don't know what to do about it." The Dodgers knew what to do, pounding their former teammate for seven runs and nine hits before the end of the fourth inning in an 8-4 victory before 31,413 at Riverfront Stadium.

One that got away How about that Ryan Vogelsong , huh? The San Francisco Giants pitcher is an All-Star with a 9-2 record and a 2.48 earned-run average going into Sunday's start in Florida. Boy, the Angels sure could use a guy like that. Well, turns out they actually had a guy like that — but they let Vogelsong go last fall after the right-hander had an unimpressive eight-game trial at triple-A Salt Lake, going 1-3 with a 4.66 ERA. That only made the Angels the latest team to give up on the 34-year-old journeyman.

Tim Belcher's problem was that he always figured life to be like one of his fastballs. Simple. Fair. If you swung and missed, you knew why. The Dodger pitcher grew up in Sparta, a central Ohio farm town of 250 people and one four-way stop sign. His father was raised in the house next door. His grandparents ran Belcher's General Store next to that four-way stop. After school Belcher would tend to the horses in the barn behind his house.

There's an old baseball saying that when a pitcher is contemplating retirement, the hitters will usually make the decision for him. Those batters spoke loudly and clearly this spring to Angel right-hander Tim Belcher, who took his cue and walked away from the game Saturday, ending a distinguished 14-year big league career that began with the Dodgers. "My last two starts, I had a few guys 0-2, and they fouled off two or three of my maximum-effort pitches like it was nothing," Belcher, 39, said.

The Padres hear the whispers. They see it in the faces of their fans. They sense it from the media. The Padres' 1990 season is just two days old, but already comparisons to this year and yesteryear are being made. "Can you believe it?" said Tony Gwynn, the Padre right fielder. "People are hitting the panic button already. People are already jumping off the bandwagon, like it's the end of the world or something. "I hear them mumbling out there, saying this year's going to be just like last year.

After losing an arbitration hearing to second baseman Bip Roberts, the Cincinnati Reds avoided arbitration with Tim Belcher by signing the pitcher to a one-year contract for $3.75 million.

Tim Belcher of the Dodgers and Bryan Harvey of the Angels were selected by the Los Angeles-Anaheim chapter of the Baseball Writers Assn. of America as rookies of the year for their respective teams and will be honored at the 32nd annual BBWAA awards dinner Feb. 13 at the Spruce Goose in Long Beach.

I was delighted to learn that the Angels declined to pick up the option on Tim Belcher. This should save them enough money to sign another over-the-hill arm for several million dollars and then complain that their limited budget prevents them from pursuing a starting pitcher. BARRY P. RESNICK Orange

Angel right-hander Tim Belcher had surgery to repair a muscle tear in his right forearm Thursday at UCI Medical Center. Dr. Lewis Yocum, who performed the surgery, said it would be four months before Belcher, 38, pitched competitively. On that timetable, Belcher would miss most or all of spring training. Belcher, who was 6-8 with a 6.73 earned-run average in his first season with the Angels, could begin rehabilitation exercises in about two weeks.

Tim Belcher, the two-year Dodger pitcher who is deeply involved in his union's fight to return arbitration rights to two-year players, is expected to have his contract unilaterally renewed by the Dodgers today at about $450,000, half of his original demand. "A renewal is a pretty safe assumption," an unhappy Belcher said Thursday night. "And there is nothing I can do about it."

A giant bee swarm congregated around home plate in the middle of the fifth inning Saturday, causing a five-minute delay in an exhibition game between the Angels and San Diego Padres at the Peoria Sports Complex. "Where were they in the third inning?" Angel pitcher Tim Belcher cracked. The veteran right-hander could have used such a delay--anything to break up a 30-pitch inning in which he was stung for six runs on six hits, including three-run homers by Damian Jackson and Bubba Trammell.

In the first inning of his first game as an Angel, Mo Vaughn tumbled down the dugout steps at Edison Field and wrenched his ankle. Angel curse? Vaughn scoffed at the notion. But Tim Belcher believes. Before he joined the Angels in 1999, he had pitched at least 200 innings in each of the preceding three seasons and at least 150 innings in each of his 11 years in the major leagues.

* Who's new: Pitchers Ismael Valdes and Pat Rapp, designated hitter Jose Canseco, first baseman Wally Joyner, shortstop Wilmy Caceres, catcher Jorge Fabregas and outfielder Kimera Bartee. * Who's gone: Pitchers Seth Etherton, Kent Mercker, Mark Petkovsek and Scott Karl, outfielder Ron Gant, shortstop Kevin Stocker and catcher Matt Walbeck. * Biggest question of the spring: Who's on first? Joyner, utility player Scott Spiezio and rookie Larry Barnes will compete for the first-base job.

The Angels gave pitcher Tim Belcher a chance for redemption Thursday, signing the veteran right-hander to a minor-league contract that will allow him to erase the sour taste of a disappointing 1999 season and an injury-marred 2000. On the eve of baseball's winter meetings, the Angels also offered salary arbitration to free-agent reliever Mark Petkovsek, greatly improving their chances of re-signing one of their key setup men. Petkovsek, who was 4-2 with a 4.

I was delighted to learn that the Angels declined to pick up the option on Tim Belcher. This should save them enough money to sign another over-the-hill arm for several million dollars and then complain that their limited budget prevents them from pursuing a starting pitcher. BARRY P. RESNICK Orange

Tim Belcher will make his final start of the season today against the Mariners. He hopes it's not his final start as an Angel or the final start of his major league career. After contemplating retirement this summer, the veteran right-hander, plagued by elbow problems for two seasons, has informed General Manager Bill Stoneman he would like to return in 2001 and is willing to renegotiate his contract to do so. The Angels have a $5.

As a longtime fan, season-ticket holder and past president of the Angels, I expect honesty when the team deals with the fans and the press. I did no less during my tenure. However, recent statements from Bill Stoneman, a capable and respected "baseball man," to the effect that " . . . without any additional acquisitions and if the team remains healthy," he expects the Angels to contend insult my intelligence. Defense wins championships and in baseball, defense includes pitching. You will not win with Ken Hill and Tim Belcher as the aces of the staff.

The Detroit Tigers signed right-hander Tim Belcher to a $3.4-million, one-year contract Monday. Belcher, the 70th of 90 free agents to sign, will be eligible for free agency again after the World Series. Belcher, 32, was 9-6 with a 4.47 earned-run average for the Cincinnati Reds last season before being traded to the White Sox, with whom he was 3-5 with a 4.40 ERA. Belcher has had 15 victories in a season twice in his seven-year major league career. He was 15-12 with a 2.

General Manager Bill Stoneman, Assistant General Manager Ken Forsch and several top scouts will travel to Oakland next week for meetings with Manager Mike Scioscia and the coaching staff to conduct an extensive evaluation of the Angels with an eye toward 2001. It should be interesting when the subject turns to pitcher Tim Belcher.

Angel pitcher Tim Belcher reacquainted himself with some old friends Thursday night--Bengie Molina, Troy Glaus, Mo Vaughn, Tim Salmon and all the teammates he hadn't seen on a baseball field for a while. He made a new buddy, too: Comerica Park. Starting for the first time since July 2, Belcher limited Detroit to three runs on seven hits in six innings to lead the Angels to a 6-4 victory before 27,513 in the Tigers' expansive new stadium.