Angels Get Lucas From Montreal for Sanchez and Arnold

The Angels solved a major problem in their bullpen Friday. No, not that problem. Donnie Moore remains unsigned.

This was the problem concerning the Angels’ lack of any type of left-handed relief pitching. And, considering the way most teams hoard that prized commodity, the price was relatively cheap.

After losing out to the Dodgers in their race to land Seattle’s Ed Vande Berg, the Angels acquired 31-year old left-hander Gary Lucas in exchange for right-handed reliever Luis Sanchez, who saved two games in 1985, and Tim Arnold, a minor league catcher.

Last year with the Expos, Lucas went 6-2 with one save and a 3.19 earned-run average as the left-handed set-up man for National League Fireman of the Year Jeff Reardon. He had eight saves for the Expos in 1984 and, with the San Diego Padres in 1983, saved a total of 17 games, his finest season.

“That was before San Diego had (Goose) Gossage,” Lucas said from his home in Escondido. “If Gossage was there then, I wouldn’t have ever sniffed short relief. I’m by no means a Reardon or a Gossage or a (Dave) Righetti, but I have experience in a lot of different situations.

“I’ve started, I’ve been used in the fifth and sixth innings, and I’ve been the guy in the ninth inning. I can be used in a lot of different roles.”

The Angels are hoping to use Lucas the same way as Montreal employed him--as left-handed support for their right-handed stopper. Of course, the Angels must first re-sign their right-handed stopper, Donnie Moore, currently a free agent.

Moore is asking for a four- or five-year contract worth $5-6 million. The Angels’ top offer remains at least one year and a couple million dollars away.

“Gary Lucas does not have anything to do with Donnie Moore,” Angel General Manager Mike Port said. “We needed a left-handed reliever. He’s had some experience finishing ballgames, but the last two years, he’s shown he’s capable of complementing a top short-reliever--Bob James and Reardon. We’d like him to function in the same capacity here.

“But we’ll also use Gary in a situation where we need to get one left-handed hitter out. Last year, he was the second most effective left-handed reliever against left-handed hitters in the National League.”

The first? Al Holland, who came to the Angels last August in the John Candelaria trade, pitched 24 innings in two months and was subsequently released.

“Some things didn’t work out with Al,” Port said. “But we feel that things couldn’t have fallen into place better than they did with Gary. He’s a left-hander and you know what that means to our staff. He’s playing close to home. Plus, he’s changing leagues, pitching where he’s never been seen before.”

However, if Moore doesn’t re-sign with the Angels, and Port admits he’s not optimistic about the situation, this little winter trade could figure prominently in the Angels’ summer plans. Right now, the Angels’ top reliever under contract is Stewart Cliburn, who saved six games as a rookie in 1985.

“I’ve had some experience (in short relief),” said Lucas, a graduate of Riverside Poly High School and Chapman College in Orange. “If they ask that from me, I’d be very interested.”

Lucas cost the Angels surprisingly little: the disappointing 32-year-old Sanchez, who had a 5.72 ERA last year, and Arnold, a 22-year-old catcher who was chosen in the 12th round of last year’s major league draft.

Lucas surmised that the Expos may be trying to cut their payroll.

“It’s only a guess on my part, but they traded Gary Carter, who has a huge salary, and Bill Gullickson and they’re shopping around Andre Dawson,” Lucas said. “I’ve got a high salary, probably among the top half on the team. Maybe they’re looking to save money.”

Port said he believed the Expos were truly interested in Sanchez, once the ace of the Angels’ bullpen. Sanchez was 7-4 with five saves during during the Angels’ American League Western Division championship season of 1982. Manager Gene Mauch said, “We would’ve never won the division without him.”

Sanchez saved seven games in 1983 and 11 in 1984, but managed just two last season, suffering from a neck injury incurred during the winter of ’84 and an inconsistency that baffled the Angels.

“You’d have to scout a lot of teams to find a better arm than Luis Sanchez’,” Port said. “The problem we had with Luis is that he’d show his best stuff after coming in with two men on and giving up a double. You’d say, ‘Where was that stuff one batter ago?’ He pitched his best usually after the horse was out of the barn.

“Maybe someone in Montreal can get to him and find the key. The arm and the equipment is there.”

Sanchez didn’t fit into the Angels’ plans, not as the third right-handed relief pitcher behind Moore and Cliburn.

“We had two key fellows in the bullpen last year,” Port said. “If Moore hadn’t saved 31 games and Cliburn hadn’t come on as a prospect, we would’ve needed to rely more on Luis.”

For 1986, Port is hoping to keep those two key fellows--Moore and Cliburn--in the Angels’ bullpen. But time is running out. The deadline for unsigned players to re-up with their former teams is Jan. 8.

“If you ask me if I’m optimistic about Donnie, I’d have to say no. I have no reason to be,” Port said. “But if you ask me if I’m hopeful, I’d certainly say yes. We feel Donnie fits into our situation very well. There are some things we have to do, but with logic and reason in mind.”

Port said he is planning to resume talks with Moore’s agents early next week.