Reluctant Davis Leaves Angels : Baseball: Outfielder agrees to a two-year contract with Minnesota two hours before deadline.

Departing reluctantly but with the resolve to play where he will feel better appreciated, Angel outfielder Chili Davis agreed to a two-year contract Tuesday with the Minnesota Twins two hours before losing his new-look free agency status.

Davis, 31, led the Angels in runs batted in in 1988 and ’89 but was limited to 58 RBIs in 113 games last season because of a back problem. As one of 15 players granted a free-agent fling as settlement of the latest collusion case, he had until 9 p.m. (PST) Tuesday to sign with another team, sign a new Angel contract or finish the final year of his Angel contract.

He didn’t plan to leave, but the Angels’ refusal to extend his contract or renegotiate the final year--especially after the club spent $11.4 million to lure third baseman Gary Gaetti away from the Twins--convinced Davis his financial future would improve only if he left.

Davis was to earn $1.45 million with the Angels this season. Instead, under the terms of a deal initiated when Davis’ agent, Tom Reich, contacted the Twins, Minnesota will pay Davis $2 million in 1991, including $1.7 million in salary. Minnesota holds an option for 1992 at $2.5 million to $2.9 million, depending on Davis’ plate appearances and games played, or the Twins can buy him out for $300,000.

“I can’t say I’m real ecstatic,” Davis said from his off-season home in Arizona. “My intentions all along were to stay there if I was wanted. I didn’t really feel that way when they made four or five refusals to renegotiate my contract.

“This was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made. I’m from L.A., my family is in L.A. and I’ve got a (5-year-old) son who lives in California. It was very convenient during baseball season to see a lot of him. I’m going to miss him and I’m going to miss my teammates, but I’m glad things worked out.

“It wasn’t the money as much as I talked to (Angel General Manager) Mike Port once and he expressed to me that in no way did he wish someone else to sign me, but he also mentioned he had some ideas for doing things for the team but his budget didn’t allow it. I’m in no way envious of Gary Gaetti, but (Port) did go out and pay Gaetti $11 million. The budget was able to do that. I just didn’t feel wanted.”

Port, who said Monday the Angels wanted Davis back if Davis reaffirmed the terms of his existing contract, couldn’t be reached Tuesday. Dan O’Brien, the Angels’ senior vice president for baseball operations, reiterated Port’s stance and added, “We’re happy for Chili if that’s what he feels is in his best interest, and all of us wish him the best of luck.”

The deal was concluded within a frantic 24-hour period that began late Monday. Reich approached the Twins after the Angels declined to renegotiate Davis’ contract and an agreement was reached at about 7 p.m. Tuesday.

“When Gaetti opted for California, and when California rejected our effort to at least make a one-year adjustment, we went to Minnesota,” Reich said. “I spoke to Minnesota in the context of symmetry, of, ‘OK, you’ve lost an important player and we have an important player whose time (for new-look free agency) is running out.’

“We spent the last 24 hours working on the perfect symmetry of this. We pulled it out in the last 24 hours. We never gave up on the concept that Chili Davis can not and should not be ignored. He’s too good of a guy and too good of a player.”

The Twins, eager to replace Gaetti’s bat, acted with the speed required in these unusual circumstances.

“With the departure of Gaetti, we were looking for a fifth-place hitter,” General Manager Andy MacPhail said, “and Chili’s ideal. He’s a power hitter, a switch hitter and he fits nicely. Kirby Puckett-Kent Hrbek-Chili Davis. He’ll solidify our offense.

“We look to him to DH and play some outfield. He’ll probably play some right field in our park and left field in other parks. Of course, that’s up to Tom (Kelly, the Twins’ manager) . . . We’ve had a decline in home runs the past few years and we hope he can get us back up there.”

In addition to the irony of the Angels signing Gaetti from Minnesota and the Twins signing Davis soon after, Tuesday’s events could bring about another strange twist. Davis’ departure could provide an opening at DH for Brian Downing--who is also represented by Reich.

Downing filed for free agency after the Angels, citing an overabundance of designated hitters, declined to go to arbitration with him. As an unrestricted free agent, he can play for his former club without waiting until May 1, as would other restricted free agents who re-sign with their clubs.

Reich, who said Downing had been looking into opportunities in Japan, declined to comment on the possibility of Downing returning to the Angels.

Davis leaves the Angels with a measure of bitterness, and a few regrets.

“The one thing that disappointed me is (the Angels’) lack of willingness to sit down and talk,” Davis said. “I’m not going to say anything bad about them.