Harvey, Bailes Pass Up Arbitration, OK Angel Contracts

Angel pitchers Bryan Harvey and Scott Bailes agreed to one-year contracts Friday, averting arbitration. Harvey’s agreement calls for $1,040,000, plus incentives. Bailes will earn $425,000.

With 25 saves last season, Harvey (4-4, 3.22 earned-run average) led the club for the third consecutive season and became the Angels’ all-time save leader. Harvey, who earned $332,500 last season, had filed for arbitration at $1,225,000. The Angels had filed at $850,000.

Bailes was 2-0 with a 6.37 ERA last season. He earned $400,000 and had filed at $500,000. The Angels had filed at $390,000.

Still scheduled for hearings are Chuck Finley, Dave Gallagher, Jack Howell, Wally Joyner, Kirk McCaskill and Luis Polonia.

Brian Downing said his chances of re-signing with the Angels didn’t increase when Chili Davis signed Tuesday with the Minnesota Twins, despite the apparent opening created for another designated hitter.

“Nothing could be further from the truth,” said Downing, who visited Anaheim Stadium to pick up his mail Friday for what he proclaimed would be the last time.

“I have to assume I’m done here. It’s not my doing,” said Downing, the club’s career leader in nine offensive categories. “I don’t want to say anything more and get bitter.”

Downing, who hit .280 last season, is still hoping to be signed by another team. So far, he hasn’t been overwhelmed with offers.

“There’s a lot of premier free agents out there and nobody’s going to look to me until everybody else is gone,” he said. “People hold my age (40) against me. Age seems to be the most important criteria, not what you can do.”

But Davis’ departure will benefit Jack Howell, who thought he would be traded after the Angels signed third baseman Gary Gaetti last week. General Manager Mike Port said Howell “may have substantial value” as a fill-in at first base, third base and in the outfield, in addition to bringing a left-handed bat to a predominantly right-handed lineup.

“The night we acquired Gary, I talked about Jack from a utility standpoint,” Port said, “and now it occurs to me he could be valuable as a utility guy in a different respect.”

Angel President Richard Brown will go to Florida Monday to investigate future spring training sites. He was to hear a pitch Friday from a Tucson, Ariz., group. The move would not be made before 1993.