On a warm, sunny afternoon that was ideal for a fresh start, Jack McDowell made his spring debut for the Anaheim Angels Sunday.
McDowell delivered the kind of performance that suggests exciting possibilities for the Angels, as well as some second-guessing by the White Sox, Cleveland Indians and other teams that allowed McDowell to wind up in that silly-looking Angels uniform in the first place.
McDowell, 32, who missed the last 4 1/2 months of last season after elbow surgery, gave up two runs on one hit–a home run by Jorge Fabregas–in four innings of a 9-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks. His fastball appeared good enough to set up his curveball and changeup. He made Jay Bell look silly on one slow curve, getting the $34 million shortstop for one of his two strikeouts.
“That felt all right, not too bad,” said McDowell, who won an American League Cy Young Award with the Sox in 1993. “I’m just getting ready for the season. It’s like any other spring.”
McDowell signed with Anaheim on Feb. 25. He becomes the fifth starter in a rotation that includes three pitchers who won at least 12 games last year (Chuck Finley, Allen Watson and Jason Dickson) and Ken Hill, who won 16 in 1996.
McDowell tried unsuccessfully to return from surgery last year. He became a free agent when the Indians opted not to exercise the option on his contract.
White Sox General Manager Ron Schueler tried to sign McDowell but was outbid by the Angels, who offered $1 million guaranteed with another $5 million in incentives.
“I think things are going to work out better for me (with Anaheim),” McDowell said. “This team is similar to my early White Sox days. There are young kids who have come up together in the organization and who are really good players. We tried that for about a year and a half with the White Sox, then they decided to try something else.”
