Angel Minton Declares Self a Free Agent

Right-handed relief pitcher Greg Minton declared himself a free agent today, eight days after the Angels decided not to go to arbitration with him.

Minton, 38, was 4-3 with a 2.20 earned run average and eight saves in 62 games last season. He walked 37 and struck out 42 in 90 innings of work.

Minton had filed for arbitration, asking for $1.15 million, and the Angels had offered him $780,000, but the team decided Jan. 25 that they wouldn’t arbitrate with him.

Minton then had 10 days to either file for arbitration or negotiate with the Angels.

Minton was signed as a free agent by the Angels on June 2, 1987, after being released by the San Francisco Giants. He was 5-4 with a 3.08 ERA and 10 saves for the Angels in 1987 and 4-5 with a 2.85 ERA and seven saves in 1988.

In eight full seasons and parts of five others with the Giants, Minton was 45-53 with a 3.23 ERA and 125 saves. Before being released by San Francisco in 1987, he was 1-1 with a 3.47 ERA and one save.