New Angels Bring New Attitude

Larry Bowa, the Angels’ new third base coach, was once asked what it would be like to have 25 guys on the team like Dave Hollins, the Angels’ new third baseman.

“It would be tough,” said Bowa, who coached Hollins at Philadelphia, “because they’d all have killed each other by the third week of the season.”

If there’s one player the Angels believe will epitomize the kind of team they hope to have this season, it’s Hollins, a gritty, pedal-to-the-metal infielder who has been known to throw a few helmet-hurling, water-cooler-bashing tantrums.

“We have some guys who are not afraid to speak their minds, who will stick their noses in the ground and play hard,” center fielder Jim Edmonds said at Wednesday’s gathering to introduce seven new Angels--Hollins, pitchers Mark Gubicza, Allen Watson and Shigatoshi Hasegawa, catcher Jim Leyritz, designated hitter Eddie Murray and infielder Craig Grebeck.

“That’s going to be different. We need players who are going to stand up and fight for someone else, and I think these guys will bring that to the team, every one of them.”

The Angels finished last in the American League West in 1996 and were criticized at times for a lack of intensity and leadership, but Hollins should help to fill both of those voids.

“As long as everyone is busting their butts and we’re playing well, there will be no problems,” said Hollins, a switch-hitter who signed a two-year, $3.8-million free-agent contract last November.

“But sometimes when you’re losing and guys are having too much fun . . . I have a problem with that. If I have to stir things up to fire the team up, I will. I’m a lead-by-example type of guy.”

Angel Notes

Jim Leyritz, whose dramatic Game 4 home run last October helped the Yankees beat the Atlanta Braves in the World Series, has never been a full-time catcher in his seven major league seasons, but he hopes to catch as many as 120 games this year. “Fortunately, I haven’t played that much, so there’s not a lot of wear and tear on my body,” Leyritz, 33, said. “I think I can handle it.”