Springer’s Just Trying to Survive Out There

LOS ANGELES — Dennis Springer had more important things to worry about than petty revenge.

True, he was yet another Dodger castoff back to pitch against the team that drafted and nurtured him. Springer toiled in the Dodger organization for seven years, where he learned to throw the knuckleball.

But he was not back for a payback. There were more important matters for him to consider, like his position with the Angels.

With Springer’s recent ineffectiveness and veteran Kevin Gross a phone call away in Vancouver, Wednesday’s start was a matter of survival.

In the end, Springer pitched well enough to keep his status questionable. He went five innings, giving up four runs in a 7-5 Dodger victory at Dodger Stadium.

Springer, who was 4-2 with a 5.89 earned-run average before Wednesday’s game, gave up two home runs. He has now allowed 10 home runs in his last five starts. He had given up two home runs in his first eight appearances.

“I’ve just been making some bad pitches in the wrong situations,” Springer said.

As a result, he has allowed 15 earned runs in his last 30 innings.

“The knuckleball is tough to get a read on,” Manager Terry Collins said. “He starts the game throwing 65 miles per hour and ends the game throwing 65 miles per hour. There isn’t really a tell-tale sign that he’s in trouble, until they start hitting him.”

That moment began in the third inning.

Mike Piazza led off with a single. One batter later, Raul Mondesi hit a fastball into the left-field seats.

“I should never have thrown a fastball,” Springer said. “I should have thrown a knuckleball. If I walked him, I walked him.”

Said Angel pitching coach Marcel Lachemann: “It usually isn’t the knuckleball that has gotten Dennis in trouble. It’s his other pitches, like his fastball, that have been hit.”

Actually, on Wednesday, it was both. The Angels were leading, 3-2, in the fifth when Todd Zeile hit a flat knuckleball for a two-run home run.

The Angels got Springer off the hook with a run in the sixth to tie the score, 4-4.

“The thing about a knuckleball pitcher, you never know how they’re going to pitch,” Dodger Manager Bill Russell said. “Look at Tim Wakefield. He can have a bad stretch, then reel off 14 or 15 straight wins.

“Dennis has worked very hard to get here and stay here.”

Russell should know; he was there in the beginning. He was Springer’s manager in Albuquerque when Springer began working on the knuckleball.

“It’s an extremely tough pitch to learn and the thin air in Albuquerque wasn’t the best place to throw it,” Russell said. “He had a lot more success away from home.”

But not enough to keep the Dodgers interested.

But Springer, who was 4-5 last season, has been a life-preserver for the Angels the last two seasons. Mark Gubicza is out with a shoulder injury? Toss Springer out there. Mark Langston has a sore arm? Trot out Springer.

It had been effective routine earlier this season. Springer threw six shutout innings in relief for a victory against the Baltimore Orioles May 14. He was rewarded with a spot in the rotation.

Springer won two consecutive starts, lowering his ERA to 4.87. His last four starts have ranged from so-so to poor. Springer could not hold leads in his last two outings, leaving his status in doubt.