ANGELS : Blyleven Asking for Renegotiation

MESA, Ariz. —  Bert Blyleven’s agent, Dick Moss, has asked the Angels to renegotiate the 38-year-old pitcher’s contract to extend it beyond this season and pay him at a level commensurate with what Moss called Blyleven’s “Hall of Fame credentials.”

Blyleven, who was 17-5 last season and the American League’s comeback player of the year, has 271 major league victories. The Angels exercised their option to renew his contract for this season at $1.225 million. His contract also calls for several award bonuses.

Two other Angel pitchers will earn higher salaries this season: Mark Langston, who will earn $1.5 million and already received a $1.5-million signing bonus, and Mike Witt, whose salary is $1.310 million.

“We’ve been chatting about doing something,” Moss said Friday after talking to Dan O’Brien, the Angels’ senior vice president for baseball operations. “We had a very nice preliminary chat. I feel, and most people feel, Bert’s one of the top pitchers in the game and he’s still pitching in his prime. Those circumstances make it appropriate to talk about the future.”

Moss declined to specify the number of years or dollars he and Blyleven are seeking. He also said he is not concerned about working out a deal immediately.

“They don’t have to do anything, but they recognize that Bert is going to be a free agent at the end of the season and they can do something a little more favorable,” Moss said. “What he’s earning now does present an inequity compared to the top pitchers in the game.”

O’Brien, the Angels’ senior vice president for baseball operations, did not rule out renegotiating Blyleven’s contract, but said it’s not among his top priorities. O’Brien spoke in place of General Manager Mike Port, who was ill with a stomach virus Friday.

“Michael (Port) and I have discussed it, but there are other major concerns at the moment, like getting ready for the season,” O’Brien said.

Blyleven, who lives in Villa Park, wants to remain with the Angels but is not worried about renegotiating the contract right now. “I’d definitely like it to happen if it can be worked out,” Blyleven said.

Official word on the rescheduling of the Angels’ first six games is due today from baseball officials in New York. It’s expected that the Angels’ three-game series at Seattle, originally set for April 3-5, will be made up in three visits on what were to be off days. The Angels’ first series at Oakland, originally scheduled April 6-8, will instead be played Oct. 1-3.

That eliminates the need to schedule doubleheaders late in the season, an idea Manager Doug Rader had strongly opposed as being “dangerous.”

Tony Armas still has not contacted the Angels to confirm that he will report to Mesa. However, O’Brien and Manager Doug Rader said they would welcome 36-year-old outfielder and said Armas could still make the team.

Armas, who hit .257 for the Angels last season in 60 games, was invited to camp as a non-roster player. O’Brien’s repeated efforts to reach him at his off-season home in Venezuela have been fruitless.

“I talked to his mother two days ago but she didn’t speak English, so I couldn’t find out what was going on,” O’Brien said. “He’s out there, and we’d like to hear from him.”

O’Brien discounted reports that Armas did not want to show up because he had injured his leg playing winter ball. “We’re not aware of that being the problem,” O’Brien said. “I don’t think this is a major interruption. He probably recognizes that at this stage of his career, it creates more of a problem for him than it does for the club.

“There is a point (when Armas’ appearance would be too late). But I can’t tell you when that would be.”

Rader said he is not ready to write off Armas.

“Even though this is a shortened spring training, that doesn’t preclude him (from) making the team,” Rader said. “He’s not here, and we regret it and he regrets it, I’m sure. Hopefully, the situation will rectify itself shortly.”

Rader announced his pitching plans for the Angels’ first four exhibition games, which will be played against the Padres in Yuma beginning Monday. Langston will start Monday, followed by Witt, Bryan Harvey, Scott Bailes and Bob McClure. Kirk McCaskill will start one game Tuesday, followed by Jim Abbott, Willie Fraser and Greg Minton. In Tuesday’s B game, Mike Fetters, Mike Erb, Jeff Richardson and Cliff Young will pitch.

Blyleven is set to start Wednesday, followed by Bailes, Mike Smithson, Mark Clear and Mark Eichhorn. Thursday’s starter will be Chuck Finley, followed by Minton, Rich Monteleone, McClure and Harvey.