ANGELS : Bargain-Basement Deal Makes Abbott Happy

At least Jim Abbott had the grace to blush.

Happy to have signed a new contract Tuesday without the rancor that marked his renewal last season, Abbott said both sides had been reasonable in agreeing on a one-year deal worth $312,500 plus a potential $47,500 in incentives.

“There’s no use arguing over nickels and dimes,” he said. “Well, not nickels and dimes, maybe.”

The 23-year-old left-hander is beyond nickel-and-dime territory, although he hasn’t joined his fellow starters on millionaires’ row. With Mark Langston getting $3.25 million this season, Chuck Finley $2.5 million, Kirk McCaskill $2.1 million and Bert Blyleven $1.75 million, Abbott is a bargain because he’s a year away from qualifying for salary arbitration.

Abbott earned $68,000 as a rookie in 1989, when he was 12-12. The Angels renewed him at $185,000 last season after bitter negotiations.

“I’m happy. I think the Angels made an effort to be fair with me, and that’s all you can ask for,” said Abbott, who was 10-14 in 1990. “For me, it’s important after last year. I was just a little bit unhappy the way things went. This year, I feel better because there was a little bit of compromise on both sides.”

Kent Anderson signed for $155,000, and Dante Bichette, Junior Felix, Mike Fetters, Joe Grahe, Luis Sojo and Lee Stevens also signed new contracts. Bobby Rose was renewed.

Jack Howell had four hits, one a three-run triple, as the blue team defeated the gray team in the first intrasquad game, 4-1. Rick Schu led the gray team with a leadoff home run against Finley.

Howell, who played third base, downplayed his success.

“It’s just the first day,” he said. “A lot of guys didn’t swing the bat well, and they’re not going to worry. More than the hits, my timing felt good.”

Finley, who was the Angels’ top winner last season and will be their 1991 opening-day pitcher, was glad to get game experience.

“The first inning, everybody goes out with their adrenaline flowing, and I was over-throwing a little,” he said. “In batting practice, it’s hard to tell if you’re throwing your curve for strikes. I was happy I was putting my curveball where I wanted to.”

Finley will start the Angels’ first exhibition game Friday in Yuma against the Padres. Matt Keough, Tim Burcham and Chris Beasley will pitch in the B game. Blyleven, recovering from shoulder surgery, will start Sunday’s B game.

Angel Notes

Reliever Bob McClure, recovering from a strained left shoulder, threw for 12 minutes Tuesday without discomfort. He will throw off the mound Thursday. . . . Catcher Ron Tingley, who has a sore lower back, is catching but not batting.

A visit to Tucson’s Hi Corbett Field, which will be vacated by the Cleveland Indians after 1992, convinced Kevin Uhlich that it won’t be the Angels’ new spring home. “It’s old and the clubhouses are too small,” said Uhlich, the Angels’ director of stadium operations. “The existing facilities won’t work and we told them that. They’re going to see what they can do and get back to us.”