Angels playing small ball, may be reluctant to spend big at winter meetings

The Angels acquired a free-agent outfielder Wednesday, but not one their fans are clamoring for.

Craig Gentry signed a nonguaranteed $1-million contract amid a growing belief that Angels owner Arte Moreno might be reluctant to splurge on one of the high-priced outfielders who could dramatically boost their lineup — Yoenis Cespedes, Jason Heyward, Justin Upton, Chris Davis or Alex Gordon.

Moreno, still stinging from the $40 million over the next two years that he owes on the ill-fated Josh Hamilton contract, is waffling on whether to take the payroll past the $189-million luxury-tax threshold, according to several people familiar with the owner’s thinking but not authorized to speak publicly about it.

The Angels sit between $15 million and $20 million below the threshold and, unless they can clear out a significant chunk of payroll in trades, they would have to be willing to incur a luxury tax to sign one of the impact bats.

Moreno has paid such a tax once in 13 years as owner, in 2004, and has used the threshold as something of a de facto salary cap. But he said in October that “if the right player and the right situation arises, we’ll do whatever.” General Manager Billy Eppler described the payroll as being “fluid.”

The speedy Gentry, 32, is expected to be a reserve, but when Eppler said Gentry could also play a platoon role in left field, that may have fueled speculation that Moreno is balking at the price of the premier free agents, who are all expected to command nine-figure contracts.

“It’s definitely an option being evaluated,” Eppler, speaking at the winter meetings, said of a left-field platoon. “There are some scenarios where you can drop one guy in there for 550 plate appearances and others where you might have one guy take 300, 400, plate appearances and the other guy take 150 or 200. They’re both alive in our world right now.”

If the Angels don’t spend on a big bat, they could pair the right-handed-hitting Gentry with a left-handed-hitting free agent such as Gerardo Parra or David Murphy, who played the final two months of 2015 in Anaheim, or trade for a left-handed-hitting outfielder such as Seattle’s Seth Smith or Colorado’s Corey Dickerson.

“There are a lot of big names in the outfield, no doubt, that would fit on our club,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “There’s also a lot of guys you could bring in to platoon and give you the production you’re looking for.

“There are a lot of different areas in which you can become a better team offensively, not necessarily with a big splash and the free agents.”

Angels left fielders produced a major league-worst .592 on-base-plus-slugging percentage, nine home runs and 51 runs batted in last season. The team also has a hole at third base and would like to improve at second base.

They were close to a deal to acquire Pittsburgh second baseman Neil Walker, but the 30-year-old switch-hitter was traded to the New York Mets for veteran pitcher Jon Niese.

Walker, who hit .269 with 16 home runs, 71 RBIs and 32 doubles last season, would have been an upgrade over Johnny Giavotella.

The Angels, who ranked 20th in the major leagues in runs (661), 24th in OPS (.702) and 26th in on-base percentage (.307) last season, need a productive leadoff hitter who could set the table ahead of Kole Calhoun, Mike Trout and Albert Pujols, but they also need a slugger to bat behind Pujols.

Eppler is open to “guys in the trade market who make money,” and among his potential targets could be Colorado outfielder Carlos Gonzalez (two years, $37 million left on contract, New York Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner (three years, $39.5 million) and Cincinnati second baseman Brandon Phillips (two years, $27 million).

“Hopefully, we’re going to have a deep lineup, and the person to hit behind Albert is just as essential as the guys that are going to be setting the table for Mike,” Scioscia said.

“Both are important. Hopefully, we’ve got enough spackle to fill four holes and we don’t have to kind of have the spackle for two holes and figure out which ones you leave open.”

Gentry, who has a career average of .265 and has stolen 77 bases in 90 attempts over seven seasons with Texas (2009-13) and Oakland (2014-15), will provide outfield depth.

“He gives you two guys on your roster who can play center field,” Eppler said. “He’s a guy who can come off the bench late, steal a base. He’s a contact-oriented hitter who can do little things — bunt, put balls in play, hit behind runners.”

Short hops

Eppler said he engaged the representatives for Ben Zobrist, who signed a four-year, $56-million deal with the Chicago Cubs, but “never really got down the tracks with him.” He also had numerous conversations with the agent for Chase Utley before the veteran second baseman signed a one-year, $7-million deal with the Dodgers. … First baseman Pujols, who underwent surgery on his right foot in early November, was expected to begin baseball activities in mid-March, but Scioscia said the Angels “are not ruling out that he’s going to be ready at the start of the season.” … Pitchers and catchers will hold their first spring-training workout in Tempe, Ariz., on Feb. 19. The first full-squad workout is Feb. 24.