Angels Go Overseas to Find New Pitcher--Floyd Bannister : Baseball: The club signs the 35-year-old left-hander, who pitched in Japan last season. He gets a one-year contract with two option years.

Left-hander Floyd Bannister, a 13-year major league veteran who pitched in Japan last season, agreed today to a $250,000 contract with the Angels.

Bannister, 35, was 3-2 with a 4.04 ERA for the Yakult Swallows of Japan’s Central League. He pitched only 49 innings, walking 22 and striking out 31, and left the Swallows midway through the season because his contract expired and he refused to accept a month-to-month offer.

In addition to his base with the Angels, Bannister would get a $450,000 bonus if he makes the Angels’ opening day roster. Additional performance bonuses could boost his 1991 income to $1.15 million. The Angels have options for 1992 at $1.3 million and 1993 at $1.6 million.

“There was a little bit of interest (from other teams), but Floyd had ear-marked the California Angels as the place he wanted to be,” said Bannister’s agent, Chris Arnold. “His in-laws are from the Anaheim area.”

Bannister appeared in only 14 games for the Kansas City Royals in 1989 before he injured his left shoulder. He was 4-1 with a 4.66 ERA in 14 games and made $850,000. In 1988, his first year with the Royals, he was 12-13 with a 4.33 ERA.

After an outstanding career at Arizona State, Bannister was taken by Houston as the first player selected in the June 1976 amateur draft.

He began his major league career with the Astros in 1977 and played for Seattle, the Chicago White Sox and Kansas City. He has a career record of 133-142 and a 4.03 ERA.

Bannister had his best year in 1983 with the White Sox, when he was 16-10 with a 3.35 ERA and 193 strikeouts. In 1982, he pitched for Seattle and led the American League with 209 strikeouts.