Thurman Likes Making It Tough on Collins

TEMPE, Ariz. —  Gary Thurman had one objective this spring--to make Angel Manager Terry Collins’ decision on the reserve outfield spot as difficult as possible.

Thurman can consider this camp a success. The 33-year-old journeyman has done about everything he can do to make the team, hitting .378 with eight RBIs, stealing three bases and playing above-average defense. In fact, he made a superb play to end the Angels’ 5-4 exhibition victory over the San Francisco Giants here Friday.

With Rey Sanchez on third and one out in the top of the ninth, Doug Mirabelli lifted a fly ball to medium right field. Thurman charged, made a thigh-high running catch, then fired a bullet to catcher Phil Nevin, who swiped Sanchez with a tag.

“I was just happy I saved myself an at-bat against Robb Nen,” Thurman said of the Giants’ hard-throwing reliever, who was warming up to pitch the bottom of the ninth.

Thurman, who is beginning his 16th professional season but has played only five years in the big leagues, has shown a strong bat, glove and arm this spring, but his speed may get him to Anaheim.

With slow-footed Cecil Fielder and Phil Nevin, Collins might need a pinch-runner more often than a pinch-hitter, and Thurman is faster than the two other reserve outfield candidates, Damon Mashore and Orlando Palmeiro.

Mashore and Palmeiro are also having excellent camps, so Collins is leaning toward carrying two reserve outfielders and one fewer reserve infielder on the 25-man roster.

“I’ve known Gary for a long time--he’s played winter ball for me before, so I know what he can do,” Collins said. “The one thing he provides is great foot speed, so his chances here are very good.”

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Allen Watson gave up four runs--two of them earned--in the second inning Friday, but settled down and pitched four scoreless innings.

“He looked good after the second, when he quit being ticked off and went back to pitching,” Collins said.

One of Watson’s goals this spring has been to control his emotions. It seemed every time Watson fell behind a hitter last season, or was hit hard, he would get mad at himself and throw more bad pitches.

“It’s just the competitiveness in me,” said Watson, who led the major leagues in homers allowed with 37. “When things got rough, I’d go right after people. It was the same way when I played basketball--I’d go right to the hoop, and I’d always get called for charging fouls.

“When I get mad, I go after people. But [pitching coach Marcel Lachemann] wants me to do the opposite, to go softer. When I fell behind, 2-0, last year I’d throw something right down the middle. Now I go away more and throw more changeups when I’m behind in the count.”

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Palmeiro had three hits and scored three runs, Darin Erstad had an RBI triple, a sacrifice fly and a single, and Tim Salmon had two hits, one an RBI single, for the Angels, who have won 10 of their last 14 Cactus League games. Shigetoshi Hasegawa, Mike Holtz and Troy Percival each pitched a scoreless relief inning. . . . Richard Vivar, a 15-year-old from Spring, Texas, was hit in the forehead by a bat that flew out of Nevin’s hands. Vivar suffered a deep cut but was able to walk out of the stadium. . . . The daily tours of Edison International Field in Anaheim, available to fans who are 18 or older, will end Sunday.