On This Call, He Gives Scioscia a Dizzy Signal

Mike Scioscia has a direct line to the press box, and he chose not to use it Thursday afternoon. As a result, the Angels lost, 2-1, to the Oakland A’s, the team they probably are going to have to beat to win the division.

Now I’m just sitting there admiring Ramon Ortiz’s performance and waiting for a moment like this, when Scioscia starts wobbling to the mound with one out in the sixth inning, a runner on first and the Angels leading, 1-0.

I immediately checked to see if I had my cellphone on silent ringer by mistake and missed his call, but nothing.

The A’s had three hits off Ortiz: one a popup lost in the sun by the second baseman; one a ball that should have been fielded by the shortstop; and one messed up by the third baseman. With any fielding support, Ortiz is throwing a no-hitter.

“He might have had eight to 10 more pitches left in him,” Scioscia explained later, which would have been plenty to get Jermaine Dye, the next batter.

But Scioscia thought Ortiz looked “fuzzy,” and I could understand that if Scioscia were still catching, blocking the plate and getting hammered, but this was over-managing. No sense quibbling, I’m paid to know these things.

He yanked Ortiz, who got a standing ovation, brought in Scot Shields, and two pitches later Dye hit a homer to give the A’s the victory.

I expect these kind of bonehead moves, of course, from the Micro-Manager who runs the Dodgers and who should be in constant cellphone contact, but not Scioscia, who usually does pretty well without outside help.

Scioscia explained his thinking, but I wasn’t really listening.

“And what if Dye had homered off Ortiz?” Scioscia said.

“It wouldn’t have happened,” I said -- obviously correct once again.

“Next time maybe you give me a little sign so I know better,” Scioscia said, and I’ll be happy to do that as long as I’m not tied up with the Micro Manager.

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HIDEO, PLEASE, Nomo.

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DID YOU ever notice how many Dodger pitchers wear necklaces? As ugly as they have looked throwing the ball, I guess it’s important to them to look pretty.

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THE DODGERS ran a rally-cap advertisement during Thursday’s game that had Shawn Green singling home Paul Lo Duca for the victory. Obviously it was staged.

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LET THE guessing game begin. Who gets Shaun Livingston three or four years from now once the Clippers have developed him?

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A FEW kudos. And before anyone asks, yes, I’m feeling fine.

ADRIAN BELTRE: On Jan. 24, I wrote: “The Dodgers signed Beltre to a one-year, $5-million deal which tells you they aren’t convinced he’ll consistently deliver, because after this season Beltre will be free to seek a deal elsewhere. I think it’s a mistake not giving him a longer deal.”

It’s a good thing I don’t get tired of folks not listening to me. Beltre has not only been the team’s biggest surprise, but playing on one leg (ankle bone spurs), he has been spectacular. There might not be a better fielding third baseman, and his hitting is worthy of All-Star consideration. I fear now there is no way the Parking Lot Attendant is going to have the money to lock him up.

KARL DULLARD: UCLA’s football coach is learning. He dismissed two freshmen recently for failing to comply with team rules, released the information in a timely fashion, and addressed the matter with the media. Last season began on a sour note when he waited a couple of months before announcing one of his players had a problem during the off-season, and tried to stonewall any effort to gain more details.

BOB MILLER: The hockey Hall of Famer who has been broadcasting King games for 31 years, which takes care of any time he might’ve accrued to serve in purgatory later, will receive his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame next year. “I was both surprised and shocked,” said Miller, who joins Hall of Fame announcers Vin Scully, Jaime Jarrin and Chick Hearn, who received stars earlier.

The Walk of Fame hopes to give Miller his place some time during the next hockey season, which could mean he never gets it.

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MILLER HAS also written a new book, “Tales of the L.A. Kings,” which is a must read for anyone who has trouble falling asleep at night.

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AL MICHAELS and Donald Duck, two of my favorite cartoon characters, have also been selected to receive a star on Walk of Fame.

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THE NO. 1 TV station in sports-crazy Denver had an interest in hiring L.A.’s Curt Sandoval to be its top sportscaster and anchor Bronco coverage, but KABC-TV (Channel 7) apparently thinks so highly of Sandoval it has asked him to honor the three remaining years on his contract. I guess Channel 7 wants to make sure it has someone ready to cover the NFL when it returns to L.A., which could mean extending Sandoval’s contract another decade or so.

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ONE PRESS Box wag wondered if Jerry Buss had offered Phil Jackson another position -- that of son-in-law. I know one person who would be shocked if he declined that too.

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TODAY’S LAST word comes in e-mail from Sis Lynda:

“First, I am a child of God, a mother, and a true fan of the Lakers for over 33 years and a citizen. The media is having a field day with only saying negative stuff.... How can (the media) destroy a good thing? How come (the media) is not trying to keep the Lakers together? We have the only newspaper in the country who crucifies our athletes over and over again.... You guys are Laker Haters.”

Are you kidding me? I love the crybabies.

T.J. Simers can be reached at t.j.simers@latimes.com. To read previous columns by Simers, go to latimes.com/simers.