New Angels Feel Right at Home : Blyleven and Hoffman Enjoy Their Familiar Surroundings

A couple of “home boys” debuted in Angel uniforms Thursday night, and even though their new team didn’t win, Bert Blyleven and Glenn Hoffman had reasons enough to celebrate.

For Blyleven, there was the matter of his 38th birthday as well as his first start as an Angel.

For Hoffman, there was the small matter of the resuscitation of his career, which appeared to be over last season when he was released by Pawtucket, Boston’s triple-A affiliate.

And for both, this game at Anaheim Stadium was an Orange County homecoming party of sorts. Blyleven lives in Yorba Linda, Hoffman in Anaheim.

These guys aren’t exactly rookies--Blyleven had started 604 major league games before Thursday night, and Hoffman, 30, was the starting shortstop for the Red Sox in the mid-1980s--but that doesn’t mean they were immune to a little youthful enthusiasm and some first-day jitters.

“I think the excitement of being here for the first time mentally drained me a little,” said Blyleven, who allowed six hits--including two homers--and two runs in five innings of the Angels’ 3-2 loss to the White Sox.

“It still feels a little strange that I’m here,” he said. “I mean, I get to go home and sleep in my own bed for the first time in 19 years. I think I’ll be able to get used to it, though.”

Hoffman was enjoying the feeling of playing in his own back yard, too.

“It was neat,” said Hoffman, who started at second in place of the injured Johnny Ray. “My wife and kids and my dad were all here. It was special.

“When I first went out on the field, I thought about all the times I came here as a kid and dreamed about playing here.”

Blyleven admits that he long has fantasized, wished, daydreamed and plotted to play at home in Anaheim Stadium. He probably didn’t plan on his debut resulting in a no-decision and an Angel loss, but Manager Doug Rader was generally pleased with the veteran right-hander’s first outing.

“I thought he did awfully well,” Rader said. “He threw a lot of pitches (91), but he was around the plate. I know a few balls were hit pretty hard off him, but anytime he takes us into the fifth or sixth with score tied, he’s done his job. He’s given us the opportunity to win.”

Blyleven, who yielded a major league record 50 home runs in 1986 and 46 more in 1987, gave up solo homers to Carlton Fisk in the second and Ivan Calderon in the fifth. He was a bit more critical of his performance than Rader.

“I was just missing and I threw too many pitches,” he said. “Mainly, I wish the end result would have turned out better. We didn’t win so I can’t be satisfied.

“I got some great plays behind me, though. Chili (Davis), Devon (White) and Claudell (Washington) all made good catches. Now, if we can just figure out a way to get Chili to play a little deeper so he can catch those ones over the fence.”

Rader also had some nice words for Hoffman, who beat out veteran Davey Concepcion this spring to win the Angels’ utility infielder spot.

“He did the job he’s here for,” Rader said. “He made a nice play and threw a hit in, too.”

Hoffman walked in his first at-bat as an Angel in the second inning, reached first on an error and eventually scored the Angels’ second run in the fourth and doubled to left in the sixth.

“I almost got killed on my first play (when Ozzie Guillen collided with him while breaking up a double play in the first inning),” Hoffman said, smiling. “And I think (Calderon) lost the ball that went for a double in the lights. But, hey, a hit’s a hit.”

And a job in the majors is a job in the majors, especially when few teams are interested and the one you catch on with plays a few blocks from home.

“This is so great,” Hoffman said. “I love it.”