Angels rave about Gathright

The Rays' speedy centerfielder gave the Angels fits on Friday.

By MARC TOPKIN
Published August 7, 2005

ANAHEIM, Calif. - The Devil Rays are used to seeing Joey Gathright do everything in a hurry.

But after watching the show he put on in Friday's 5-4 Los Angeles win, the Angels could hardly believe their eyes.

"He's so fast," Angels pitcher Paul Byrd said. "I've never seen anybody run the bases like that."

Gathright manufactured a run in the first, stretching a leadoff hit into a double then racing home when Byrd's pickoff throw sailed into the outfield.

He was on the run again in the third, walking, stealing second and advancing to third on another errant throw. In the fourth, he raced into left-centerfield to make an all-out diving catch to rob Maicer Izturis of an double.

Gathright wouldn't say it was his best game in the big leagues but admitted it was one of his most satisfying.

"It's probably the one that showed me best as a complete player and what I can do on an everyday basis if given the chance," Gathright said. "It was fun."

The Angels found they couldn't do much to slow Gathright during the game.

And afterward, they couldn't say enough about him.

"He's just amazing," Byrd told reporters. "I thought I had him picked off ... and I thought that would deter him from taking such a big lead."

When they crossed paths at the end of the third inning, Byrd couldn't help saying something.

"I told him, "You're too fast. I don't know how to stop you,' " Byrd said. "He just laughed. You can't walk him. That's the kiss of death."

With Gathright leading the way, the Rays looked like they were going to run to a victory. But the Angels turned on the power to break a 3-3 tie with Bengie Molina and Seminole High's Casey Kotchman hitting consecutive homers to open the seventh off Doug Waechter. It was the first major-league homer for Kotchman, who was the Angels' first-round pick in 2001.

Manager Lou Piniella said he is pleased with Gathright's overall performance - he went into Saturday hitting .295 in 32 games - and has been especially pleased with his improvement in centerfield and at the plate.

"He's swinging the bat batter," Piniella said. "I think that's really been the question mark - how well he'd hit."

Gathright has been getting on base (a .347 on-base percentage) and running when he gets there, stealing a base in four straight games and nine overall.

"I gotta go," he said.

The key is not to blink or you might miss him.

[Last modified August 7, 2005, 01:30:25]