Sheets Determined Just to Be Himself

He is not a clubhouse leader. He doesn’t even try.

He is not a terror with the bat. But he will do what he can.

He is no Gary DiSarcina and nobody wants him to be.

Andy Sheets just wants to play. That he finds himself playing DiSarcina’s position is simple fate.

The Angels were looking for a solid utility player, not a shortstop, when they acquired Sheets from the San Diego Padres on March 29. They wanted someone to mix-and-match around the infield and Sheets seemed to fit the description.

Who needed an everyday player? After all, DiSarcina, who suffered a broken bone in his left forearm, was expected to ready the first week of the season. Then, shortly after Sheets arrived, it was determined the bone hadn’t healed properly and DiSarcina would be out until the All-Star break.

Speculation swirled around Sheets. Could he replace DiSarcina?

“I hope those questions are over,” Sheets said. “I’m just going to fill in for DiSarcina until he’s healthy. Others are going to have to step up and fill his role in the clubhouse.”

Sheets has enough on his hands. Manager Terry Collins made that clear in a meeting this week. “Just be yourself” was the theme.

That can be hard to define. Just who is Andy Sheets?

He failed to secure a spot in two tries with the Seattle Mariners because he couldn’t hit--even in the Kingdome. He succeeded last season in San Diego as a reserve, helping the Padres reach the World Series.

Now he must, in his own words, “fill in” for one of the steadiest shortstops in baseball. And Angel fans certainly know what happened the last time DiSarcina missed a chunk of the season. The team lost 27 of 35 games and blew an 11-game lead in 1995.

“I want Andy to get used to playing here,” Collins said. “I don’t want to ask for more from him because we are already asking that.

“He’s an athlete and I think the fact that he is going to play regularly will get him to relax. This is going to be good for him.”

There is no denying Sheets’ ability in the field. He is not flashy, but solid. He has good range and a strong arm.

Sheets demonstrated that in the fourth inning Tuesday against Cleveland. He ranged behind second base to field Richie Sexson’s ground ball and threw him out.

“He asked me where I like the ball on throws,” Angel second baseman Randy Velarde said. “I told him, ‘You just throw it. I’ll catch it.’ He is an easy adjustment because he’s a catch-and-throw guy. It’s those guys who throw sidearm that are tough.

“He’s a lot like DiSar. He’s not flashy, he just catches it and throws it. That’s all we need Andy to do. Anything he does hitting is a bonus.”

The Angels got a little extra Tuesday. In the third inning, they played hit-and-run with catcher Matt Walbeck on first and Sheets at the plate. Not exactly the best combination, considering Walbeck’s speed and Sheets’ bat control--he had struck out 137 in 393 career at bats before Tuesday.

This time, it worked. Sheets lined a 3-2 pitch into center field, sending Walbeck to third base. He scored on Darin Erstad’s ground out.

In the seventh, with two on, Sheets lined a doubled to left, scoring Troy Glaus to cut Cleveland’s to 5-4. Erstad’s sacrifice fly then scored Walbeck to tie the score.

“Andy has a pretty good hitter behind him [in Erstad],” Collins said. “Hopefully, he’s going to get some pretty good pitches to hit.”

Said Sheets: “I still need to make better contact. But I’m never going to be a big RBI guy.”

Sheets wasn’t in Seattle. He hit .191 in 47 games in 1996. He hit .247 in 32 games the following season.

But he seemed to find a place last year in San Diego. Sheets hit .242 with seven home runs and 29 runs batted in. He hit .293 after the All-Star break.

“To me, he’s an everyday shortstop,” said pitcher Mark Langston, who played with DiSarcina as an Angel and with Sheets in San Diego last season. “He can rake. He has one of the strongest arms. They couldn’t have picked a better guy to replace DiSarcina.”