Last 20th Century Freeway Series: A Duel Between Last Place Teams

Tom Tuchscher

Special to the Mirror

   On Saturday, the Anaheim Angels let themselves be dragged back into the American League West cellar with hardly a whimper of protest. The cross-town rival Los Angeles Dodgers, apparently determined not to be the worst team in L.A., pummeled their small-market foes, 13 to 3, in the rubber match of the three game series.
   On Thursday night, the two teams met to begin the second half of the season. The Angels had entered with high hopes, having trimmed the first place Texas Rangers' lead from 10 games on June 30th to 6 1/2 two weeks later, going into the All-Star Break winners of six of nine. The first game after the break added to these hopes with the Angels winning in extra innings when Mo Vaughn singled home Randy Velarde in the bottom of the tenth.
   But Friday night and again Saturday afternoon showed why Los Angeles is painted Dodger Blue. Strong pitching and timely hitting equals wins. L.A. got both and sent a reminder to Anaheim about whose town this really is.
   Eric Karros led the Dodger bats going two for four with two home runs and five rbi's. In addition, Raul Mondesi broke a long home run drought with his 20th of the season. Mondi's dinger seemed to open the Dodger floodgates: Karros followed with his three run homer in the 4th, giving the Dodgers a 7-1 lead and added another homer in the sixth. Angel Pena also rounded the bases with a two run blast of his own.
   But hitting alone does not win ballgames. On Friday night, Ismael Valdes dueled with Angel ace Omar Oliveras with Valdes winning three to one. On Saturday, the Dodgers got a strong 6 1/3 innings from Chan Ho Park. Park gave up two runs on five hits with six strikeouts while walking five. He was consistently getting ahead of Angel hitters, forcing them to chase pitches out of the strike zone. Park, remember, shamed himself and his team in last month's meeting between the two clubs. Park was incensed by what he considered a "hard" tag by Angel pitcher Tim Belcher and lashed out with his spiked foot. Replays show that the tag was not unduly hard or mean-spirited.
   Chan Ho's season, like that of the Dodgers as a team, has been somewhat of a disappointment. But his violent reaction to a year of frustration was not the answer. However, his pitching performance on Saturday was. The Dodgers, this day at least, looked like the highest salaried team in baseball, and the Angels, seemingly perennial cellar-dwellers since 1986 and Wally-world, appeared bent upon remaining the doormat of the league.
   But maybe the lopsided result can be seen as secondary. It should be, considering the game was over by the fourth inning. The score notwithstanding, in the sweltering heat of the Big Ed, it was nevertheless a ballgame. We still ate popcorn and peanuts and crackerjacks. And let's not forget the ice cream, tons of ice cream.     There was an honorary batboy and honorary first pitcher. The umpires and opposing players were still razzed with catcalls. The home team, whoever it was, was still resoundingly cheered. Fans met both Raul Mondesi's first home run in over 120 at bats and Tim Salmon's return from a months long hiatus on the disabled list with the same enthusiasm and standing ovation. "RA-UUUUUL!" echoed from the stadium and was probably heard on the 57 freeway. "C'mon Timmy!" was the general consensus as Salmon stepped to the plate with two out in the bottom of the first, only to strike out swinging. The July sun baked everyone the same shade of red, whether the fans bleed Dodger Blue or Angel Periwinkle.
   Yes we are far removed from the days of Wally Joyner, Nolan Ryan, and Reggie Jackson, if not so far removed from Gene Autry and his small market legacy. Who's on first? Mo Vaughn and his $80 million of Disney money. Up the freeway 40 miles and two hours, depending on the traffic, the Dodgers are owned by Rupert Murdoch, billionaire tycoon whose economic weight may very well rival that of Disney. Gone are Koufax, Drysdale, Hershiser and Gibson. Tommy Lasorda and Peter O'Malley no longer call the shots. Now pitching for your Los Angeles Dodgers, Kevin Brown.    Brown's $105 million contract makes him the highest paid player in baseball. It is time for the Angels and the Dodgers to begin a new rivalry - one based upon play for which their benefactors have provided.
   But in spite of all the economics, corporate profit margins, and ROI's, today was still a day of neighbors and community. Even with the good-natured taunts, part of us went out to the losing team and its fans. In this series, there could not be an outright winner anywhere except on the scorecard. The Angels, even during the rare playoff runs of 1992, as well as the Wally Joyner-led 1986 club, have always seemed like the kid brother we hate to see lose and whose shortcomings we always forgive. They have forever lived in the shadow of Dodger glory and mystique. But since Gibson's miraculous home run and Hershiser's dominating performance in the 1988 World Series, Dodger Blue seems a bit faded. Like a prize-fighter past his prime, we cannot bring ourselves to give up on him, no matter how many times he falters and is knocked down. And this is the way the series went. The Dodgers took four of six games, this weekend's results matching last month's, in this the final regular season Freeway Series of the 20th Century.
   Today, everyone came out of his SoCal tunnel vision and hermit-crab shell to pass the sun-block down the rows and over the aisles. All of Southern California was the winner. The stands were filled, families were entertained, traditions were established and continued. The National Anthem began the day and "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" concluded it. Seventh-Inning Stretch? Time to go, we've got traffic to beat.