Nostalgia Not in Boskie’s Vocabulary

Shawn Boskie has a videotape of the game he pitched in Camden Yards last Sept. 6, when Baltimore Oriole shortstop Cal Ripken broke Lou Gehrig’s consecutive-games record of 2,130, but he hasn’t watched it.

“I can remember clearly everything that happened,� Boskie said. “Maybe one day, 40 years from now, it will be neat to watch.�

The 22-minute standing ovation for Ripken, his spontaneous victory lap around the field, the three solo home runs Boskie gave up--one to Ripken--in a 4-2 loss . . . it’s all fresh in Boskie’s mind.

“It was a madhouse, and it was an honor to be a part of that,� Boskie said, “But it never became something I was proud of. I wanted to win and I wanted Ripken to go 0 for 4.�

Boskie will get a chance to redeem himself tonight. After a month in the Angel bullpen, he’ll start against the Orioles.

Manager Marcel Lachemann, citing Boskie’s success out of the bullpen--has been reluctant to move Boskie back to the rotation, despite the Angels’ shortage of qualified starters.

But having run out of options, Lachemann turned to Boskie, who has been rocked for four runs in 1 2/3 innings in three relief appearances this trip.

“How about that--I pitch worse out of the bullpen and I’m back in the rotation,� Boskie said. “That definitely wasn’t the plan, but I’m just going to go as long and hard as I can and see where that takes us.�

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Baltimore Manager Davey Johnson said he’s “toying� with the idea of temporarily moving Ripken to third, a position he hasn’t played in 14 years.

With starting third baseman B.J. Surhoff and backup Jeff Huson on the disabled list, Bobby Bonilla, who has a sore ankle, has played third the last two games.

But Johnson might insert 25-year-old infielder Manny Alexander, who has been groomed as Ripken’s replacement, at short and Ripken to third until Surhoff returns.

“I broached the subject with Cal because we’re so banged up,� Johnson said. “He’s a team player--he’ll do whatever he can to help the team.�

Ripken, who was pulled for Alexander in the seventh inning Monday night, did not seem thrilled with the potential move but chose diplomacy over controversy. “I’m on the record as saying I’ll do whatever is needed to help the club,� he said.

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Rex Hudler’s first-inning homer Monday night marked the second time this season and third time in his career he has led off a game with a home run. . . . Lee Smith, who pitched a scoreless ninth Monday, has given up two hits and no earned runs in six innings since coming off the disabled list April 22. . . . Third baseman George Arias, sent to triple-A Vancouver May 10, went four for five with a homer and six RBIs in Vancouver’s 16-4 victory over Albuquerque Sunday to raise his average to .450.