ANGELS NOTEBOOK : BORDERS TRIES TO CRACK LINEUP.There once was a time when he didn't have to worry about his name being penciled into the lineup, but now Pat Borders Borders was a mainstay behind the plate for Toronto, playing in 125, 105, 138 and 138 games for the Blue Jays from 1990-93 and being named the Most Valuable Player of the 1992 World Series. But Monday he reported to the Angels, his fourth team in the past two years, to join a three-man platoon at catcher. ``Last year, I had to get adjusted to (not playing regularly),'' he said. ``I'm accustomed to it now but it was definitely a switch last year, trying to adjust to not playing every day and learning how to still keep in shape. ``It was a good experience for me. It helped me a lot.'' Borders, 33, hit .319 in 26 games with St. Louis, but the Cardinals had designated him for assignment and were getting ready to waive him in favor of using Tom Pagnozzi Drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 1st round of the 1981 MLB amateur draft, Sheaffer would make his Major at catcher. Borders, Don Slaught Donald Martin Slaught (born September 11 1958 in Long Beach, California) is a former catcher in Major League Baseball who had a 16-year career from 1982 to 1997. He played for the Kansas City Royals, Texas Rangers, New York Yankees, California Angels and Chicago White Sox, all of and Jorge Fabregas will share catching duties for the Angels, with the starter being determined by who matches up well against the opposing pitcher, how they handle the Angels starting pitcher Noun 1. starting pitcher - (baseball) a pitcher who starts in a baseball game baseball, baseball game - a ball game played with a bat and ball between two teams of nine players; teams take turns at bat trying to score runs; "he played baseball in high school"; and how healthy they are, manager Marcel Lachemann Marcel Ernest Lachemann (born June 13, 1941 in Los Angeles, California) is a baseball pitching coach and a former relief pitcher for the Oakland Athletics. After a three-year stint (1969 - 1971 in the majors, he became the pitching coach for the California Angels in 1984. said. Abbott's anxiety: Questions about sending struggling left-hander Jim Abbott, whose record fell to 1-10 on Sunday, to the minors continue to be put to Lachemann, but the manager said the pitcher will make his next regularly scheduled start, Friday in Milwaukee. ``Jimmy's aware as anybody else that we need production out of that spot,'' Lachemann said. ``The bottom line is we need to get some solid innings and solid outings out of that spot.'' With the Angels in the midst Adv. 1. in the midst - the middle or central part or point; "in the midst of the forest"; "could he walk out in the midst of his piece?" midmost of playing 20 games in 19 days, they don't have the luxury of sitting Abbott out. ``I'm trying not to look back . . . to be honest,'' Abbott said. ``If I keep looking back and keep adding this game onto a whole bunch of others, what can you do? It becomes a huge mountain that's insurmountable.'' Dubious distinction: Infielder Jack Howell on Monday became the 16th Angel to be placed on the disabled list, tying the club record set in 1992 even though the season is not even half over. |
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