ANGELS' KREUTER WAS A GREAT CATCH.

Byline: Mark Whicker Orange County Register

In his first major-league game, he caught the split-fingered grenades of Kevin Brown.

In his third major-league game, he caught the jumping-bean knuckleballs of Charlie Hough.

He caught Nolan Ryan, too. He knew he'd done OK when he was called back up to Texas the next season, and pitching coach Tom House told him why: ``Nolan wants you to catch him.''

So Chad Kreuter would find the Angels pitchers a piece of cake. That was, after all, their reputation.

Kreuter walked in May 18 with Tony Phillips, whom the White Sox traded for Chuck McElroy and Jorge Fabregas. He caught Dennis Springer in a victory over Milwaukee. Then he caught a Jason Dickson victory. Then, seven shutout innings from Allen Watson, who was beginning to wonder if American Leaguers were using titanium bats.

Two months later, the Angels know they have their most classic defensive catcher since Bob Boone, at least.

Kreuter, 32, might be merely keeping the chest protector warm for Todd Greene. But in helping Watson reverse himself, and in handling the knuckleballing Springer, he has already paid the freight.

``I've been doing this since I was 7 or 8 years old,'' Kreuter said. ``I've always wanted to put the catcher's gear on. There's no question it makes a difference to a pitcher if you call a good game for him, if he has confidence that you're going to stick to the game plan.

``My job is to make it easier for him. If he's supposed to go outside, I have to make sure I set up so that if he misses, he misses outside. And if he's gotten a guy out with a breaking ball six straight times, my job is to make sure he keeps throwing it in those situations until the batter proves he can hit it. You may be thinking three pitches ahead to do that, but that's what you do. It's simple in some ways.''

If Watson keeps winning with Kreuter, he's going to ask him to wear a pager.

Before May 18, Watson was 2-4 with a 7.74 ERA. This was noteworthy because the Angels had traded J.T. Snow to San Francisco for Watson, and fans had withheld their applause all winter.

But with Kreuter dropping the signs, Watson is 8-6 and 4.85 (at midweek).

``Before we started working together, he said, `OK, kid, I'm going to drive the bus for you,' '' Watson said. ``It's just confidence. He gives a great target. He sets up so I can go inside on the hitters. He's gotten me to throw more changeups. Pitchers have to have confidence in their catchers and vice versa. That's why they call it a battery.''

So in essence, the Angels got a leadoff man, a veteran catcher and a starting pitcher for McElroy and Fabregas, and Darin Erstad's glovework at first base has melted the memories of Snow.

And Greene, the Matt Williams-look-alike, has toiled his way into defensive credibility. The same guy who suffered 44 passed balls three years ago at Lake Elsinore handled Chuck Finley for seven innings Wednesday, and Finley only shook him off once.

``Yeah, and that pitch was a home run,'' Finley said. ``Todd wanted a changeup to Melvin Nieves and I threw a fastball that wound up over the right field fence. We got back to the dugout and Todd kinda indicated he didn't want me to shake him off again. He's done a great job catching me each time.''

``I've just concentrated on catching the pitches and throwing them back,'' said Greene, who has homered in every 3.4 games he has played as a professional, including 25 at Vancouver and two here in '97.

``That sounds easy. But anybody that saw me in A ball knows it's not. Sometimes you have to accept the fact that a pitch isn't a strike, and make sure you catch it. A lot of work has gone into this.''

Collins calls Greene ``our future.'' Kreuter doesn't worry about that. In between starts, he thinks of the shin guards and the dugouts and the chartered planes that were supposed to be behind him forever.

Last July 19 in Chicago, Kreuter steeled himself for a home plate collision with Kansas City's Johnny Damon. There wasn't much concern; Kreuter hadn't broken so much as a finger before. But this time when Kreuter fell, his left shoulder didn't get up with him. Fractured in eight places, it required reconstructive surgery.

``I didn't believe it was that bad until I saw the X-rays,'' he said. ``Even after the play, I got up and said, hey, I can still play. The trainers explained that they could see the bones sticking out of my shoulder.

``The doctors told me I was done. They said I'd never brush my teeth with my left hand again . . . I mean, those words burned.''

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Photo

Photo: Chad Kreuter, greeting teammate Jack Howell after a homer, has turned out to be a plus for the Angels.

Associated Press