10-Point Plan Could Change Angel Fortunes

Bill Bavasi doesn’t get as much help from the media and fans as the Dodgers’ Fred Claire does, which the Angel general manager probably appreciates, unless he understands the reason. It’s called apathy.

No one ever expects to see the Angels in the playoffs. So no one is ever disappointed.

With Terry Collins managing on the field and Disney off it, the Angels made some progress in changing their other-team-in-the-market image. But there is more work to do, starting with this list:

1. Join every other team outside Atlanta in dealing with Montreal for Pedro Martinez. Beat the Dodgers to him and you can start turning their Orange County fans into yours.

2. If you miss, go after Kansas City’s Kevin Appier. In either case, you’ll probably lose Garret Anderson. But you can get Appier straight up.

3. Re-sign Ken Hill for a formidable starting rotation.

4. Don’t count on Mark Langston being part of it.

5. This is no reflection on how he has played first base, but return Darin Erstad to the outfield.

6. Move the erratic-armed Dave Hollins from third to first. Your attendance is low enough without losing more fans behind the first base dugout.

7. When you return from Kansas City, bring free-agent third baseman Dean Palmer.

8. Stop Jim Edmonds from bouncing off walls, even if they are padded. For every game he saves with a spectacular catch, he loses five to injuries. It will be the first time since Eric Davis was a Dodger that anyone has had to tell a player here not to hustle so much.

9. Re-sign Luis Alicea. Even if Randy Velarde hasn’t entirely overcome shoulder surgery, second base will be covered.

10. Replace your travel guides in preparation for a move to the National League. And tell your pitchers to work on their hitting.

National League playoffs: Florida over San Francisco in four; Atlanta over Houston in three; Atlanta over Florida in four. . . .

American League: Seattle over Baltimore in five, New York over Cleveland in four; New York over Seattle in seven. . . .

World Series: Atlanta over New York in six. . . .

It hasn’t been said enough, except by Vin Scully, but the Dodgers had at least one valid excuse. . . .

Ace Ramon Martinez missed two months with a torn rotator cuff and wasn’t dominant again until his last start. . . .

Don’t be surprised if Dodger pitching coach Dave Wallace leaves. He’s much in demand. . . .

I like Mark McGwire, but all his talk about not wanting to talk about home runs is boorish. . . .

Deal with it, Mark. People are fascinated by home runs. . . .

It would be like the world’s fastest man, Donovan Bailey, not wanting to talk about speed. . . .

That will be UCLA sprint coach John Smith’s topic during a seminar in Budapest on “Human Performance in Athletics--Limits and Possibilities.”. . .

UCLA professor Jared M. Diamond also was chosen to speak. . . .

Steve Scott will cover his track career and his battle with testicular cancer in an autobiography, “The Miler.”. . .

Scott Davis, director of the Mt. SAC Relays, looks as if he’s ready to run a few miles after his bout with cancer. . . .

It should cheer him to learn that Marion Jones plans to run the 400 meters next spring at Mt. SAC. . . .

Jones, the 100-meter world champion, eventually will be even better in the 200 and 400. She could become the only woman besides Valerie Brisco to ring up that double in the Olympics. . . .

Brisco’s nephew, Amar Brisco, will play defensive back for UNLV against USC on Saturday night at the Coliseum. . . .

Dick Vermeil’s friends fear he will be burned out again before the middle of the season. . . .

“I didn’t know it would be this tough mentally,” Mike Ditka says of his return from television to the field. . . .

Neither did he know he was going to have to take you-know-what from Midget Dave Brown. . . .

Trainer Lou Duva put a belt around the heavy bag during training in Palm Beach, Fla., and fined Andrew “Foul Pole” Golota $1 every time he hit below it. Duva claims Golota is out only $16 so far. . . .

But now that their workouts have moved to Atlantic City for Saturday night’s fight at the Convention Center against Lennox Lewis, the fine has been increased to $100. . . .

Roberto Clemente played his final game 25 years ago today.

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While wondering if news that Paul Kariya isn’t coming has reached Japan, I was thinking: He and the Ducks are more than an ocean apart, Steve Mariucci isn’t in over his head yet, I know the world has changed when Kansas State is accused of running up the score.