Teams Enter Major League Meetings With Lists of Needs : Angels: Cautious Port looking to trade an outfielder for an infielder. Bichette seems most likely to be dealt.

There is no trading deadline compelling them to make a deal at the annual winter meetings, but the Angels say they feel pressure about shoring up the many weak spots in their lineup.

“The urgency is there in that, certainly, our aspiration is to get better,” General Manager Mike Port said Thursday. “But you have to balance that urgency you feel and be careful it doesn’t translate into foolishness.”

The Angels are hardly an impetuous bunch. Over the years, they have made few trades at the winter meetings and even fewer major deals. In 1988, they acquired catcher Bill Schroeder from the Milwaukee Breweres for infielder Gus Polidor, and in 1987 acquired pitcher Dan Petry from the Detroit Tigers for outfielder Gary Pettis. Tim Foli was acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates during the 1981 meetings and dealt to the New York Yankees during the 1983 meetings.

Port said the deal he described as near completion 10 days ago has been put on hold but hasn’t fallen through. He wouldn’t specify the object of his efforts but did say the deal would bring the Angels an infielder. The cost would probably be an outfielder, Dante Bichette the likely candidate.

“We’d like to be able to go forward with it, but if we don’t get a, ‘Yes, we have a deal,’ then it wasn’t meant to be,” Port said. “I hope that’s not the case.”

A number of teams are interested in Devon White, and although the Angels have grown exasperated with his inability to translate potential into production, they may not be able to afford to trade him.

“I don’t think we have a viable (replacement) candidate within the organization at this point,” said Manager Doug Rader, who will join the Angels’ delegation in Chicago today. “It’s a moot point until there’s a suitable replacement. . . .

“It’s very, very important for everybody to understand Devo’s name is out there, but that’s not necessarily because we are bandying it about. His ability and potential mean there’s always going to be interest in him, and rightfully so. Those inquiries are not coming because we’re putting his name out there.”

The Angels have made finding a regular second baseman their priority, although they also are looking for a productive third baseman and a left-hander for the bullpen. The Toronto Blue Jays reportedly are making second baseman Manny Lee available and might also give up left-hander John Cerutti. They plan to move Mookie Wilson out of center field, a position Bichette or White could fill. But if the Angels need a center fielder in return, the Blue Jays can’t accommodate them.

Lee had a strong first half last season but tailed off in the second half and finished at .243 with six home runs and 43 runs batted in. He made only four errors in 550 chances for a .993 fielding percentage. Cerutti was 9-9 in 30 games--23 of them starts--and had a 4.76 earned-run average.

The Houston Astros are said to be willing to trade switch-hitting third baseman Ken Caminiti but supposedly aren’t interested in White and want a prospect in return. Caminiti hit .255 in 1989 with 10 homers and 72 RBIs, but his numbers dropped last season to .242, four homers and 51 RBIs. He made 21 errors at third in 382 chances for a fielding percentage of .945.

Steve Sax would solve the Angels’ problem at second, but their chances of acquiring Sax from the Yankees apparently have diminished.

“I think that’s a dead issue,” said Dan O’Brien, the Angels’ senior vice president for baseball operations. “I think the Yankees are going to keep him.”

Port denied last week that the Angels were trying to acquire Cleveland’s Jerry Browne or Atlanta’s Jeff Treadway.

The Angels are interested in third baseman Jim Presley, a free agent who hit .242 with 19 homers and 72 RBIs for the Braves last season. Rader, however, reiterated that the club considers dabbling in free agency the least attractive of its alternatives.

“You can be very tempted by quick-fix free agency, but it has an everlasting and devastating effect on the organization,” Rader said. “We need to really devote ourselves to sticking to our organizational philosophy. . . . There’s a few (free agents) who certainly would tempt us, but it’s prohibitive.”

Signing new-look free agents won’t cost clubs a draft pick, as will be the case when they sign re-entry free agents. Angel President Richard Brown said the delay in announcing the list of new-look free agents hasn’t affected his maneuvering.

“We have not held up any potential trades based on who will be new-look free agents,” he said. “I wouldn’t say we’re less likely to make a deal because the list hasn’t come out yet. We know what our weaknesses are. We’re going after those holes and trying to fill them. We’re talking. A deal or two may be consummated before, during or slightly after the meetings.”

Brown also said the Angels won’t give free-agent left-hander Dave Righetti the five-year contract he’s seeking, but they remain interested in him. Brown said the club has had no more than one or two meaningful conversations with Righetti’s agent, Bill Goodstein.

“They’re talking perhaps four (years) firm,” Brown said. “Are we interested? Yes. We’re interested in all quality free agents. Have we had negotiations? No.”