Wilfong Signs a Three-Year Contract With the Angels

Second baseman Rob Wilfong re-signed with the Angels Friday. He is the only one of the team’s seven free agents chosen by other teams in the re-entry draft to have done so. Wilfong agreed to a three-year contract that gives him an option for a fourth season. Of the other free agents, Fred Lynn and Don Aase rejected Angel offers to accept bigger ones from Baltimore, and the Angels made no attempt to re-sign Bruce Kison, Craig Swan, Derrell Thomas and John Curtis. Kison has agreed to terms with Boston. An announcement will be made Monday or Tuesday. Wilfong platooned with Bobby Grich last year and hit .248 after batting much higher for most of the season. Wilfong, who lives in West Covina, said it had been his hope to remain in Southern California, but that it wasn’t until the last two weeks ago that the Angels improved their initial offer of two years. The timing of the Angels’ new offer coincided with the dislocated shoulder suffered by Rick Burleson, who had hoped to compete for the second base job in spring training. Burleson will be out until at least May. General Manager Mike Port also announced Friday that the club was releasing reserve infielder Rob Picciolo unconditionally, and that the Angels would not attempt to re-sign pitcher Rick Steier or infielder Steve Lubratich, who automatically become free agents. Port, who was unavailable for comment, told the Angels’ public relations department that the injury to Burleson and release of Picciolo and Lubratich meant that the club’s backup infielders would probably come from among the following minor league players: shortstop Craig Gerber, 26, who hit .230 at Edmonton; shortstop Gustavo Polidor, 23, who hit .223 at Waterbury; second baseman Norm Carrasco, 22, a .285 hitter at Waterbury, and second baseman Mark McLemore, 20, who hit .295 at Redwood.