Valenzuela Put on Waivers as Talks With Angels Fail : Baseball: Team had 30-day comeback plan for former Dodger left-hander, including a triple-A stint.

After reaching an impasse with Fernando Valenzuela over the time they believed he needed to pitch himself back into shape, the Angels released him Friday.

However, they did invite him to pitch for their triple-A Edmonton farm club if he clears waivers and doesn’t sign with another club. Tony DeMarco, one of Valenzuela’s agents, declined to respond Friday when asked if Valenzuela would accept that assignment.

“Fernando wants to take time and weigh his options,” DeMarco said.

Valenzuela, 30, was signed to a minor league contract May 20, nearly two months after he was released by the Dodgers. He made one start for Class-A Palm Springs and two for double-A Midland before being promoted to the major leagues. He lost both of his major league starts, compiling a 12.15 earned-run average through 6 2/3 innings.

The Angels’ plan to make him their fifth starter ended when he was put on the disabled list June 13, after tests detected an abnormality in the flow of blood to his heart. Medication alleviated the problem, and he was given medical clearance Monday to resume pitching. However, he did not rejoin the Angels or participate in any workouts.

Angel pitching coach Marcel Lachemann had formulated a 30-day plan for Valenzuela that included several starts for Edmonton. However, Valenzuela and his agents wanted him to be sent out on rehabilitation assignment, which would require the Angels to make a decision on his progress after 20 days, rather than 30.

“I don’t know that it (Valenzuela’s pitching ability) is not there, but I don’t think it (his rehabilitation) can be done over a short period of time,” Lachemann said. “He had to take it on the 30-day schedule to make it work.”

That opinion was shared by Angel Senior Vice President Dan O’Brien, who said the decision to release Valenzuela was reached Thursday.

“We felt 20 days wasn’t going to be a sufficient tuneup this time,” O’Brien said by phone from his home in Mission Viejo.

“It was our feeling initially, the first time we went through the minor leagues, it should have been for more than three starts, but we agreed to three because they thought that was enough. We were hoping there would be more.

“He came here and nobody wanted him to succeed more than I did.”

O’Brien also said the Angels “absolutely” would have kept Valenzuela in the rotation if the pitcher’s heart problem had not developed.

“I don’t know too many 13-game winners out there,” O’Brien said.

Although Valenzuela was a failure on the mound, he was a box-office smash. His Angel debut on June 7 drew 49,977 to Anaheim Stadium to witness a 5-0 loss to the Detroit Tigers, and he attracted 32,515 for an 8-0 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers on June 12.

DeMarco declined to discuss Valenzuela’s plans. He said in a prepared statement:

“We have been informed that the Angels’ management has decided to release Fernando. We are disappointed because Fernando is confident he can pitch effectively in the major leagues. In the coming days, he will be weighing his options. . . . We spoke to Dan O’Brien and our hope was he could stay on the major league roster, but they went ahead and released him.”

The Angels will pay Valenzuela $300,000 under his contract.

It contained clauses paying him on an escalating scale according to the number of starts he made and how long he remained on the roster; he would have earned $500,000 if he remained on the roster July 15 and $750,000 if he was on the roster Sept. 1.

Valenzuela was also paid $630,495 termination by the Dodgers after he was released from his $2.55-million, one-year contract.

Valenzuela’s release reopens the question of who will be the Angels’ fifth starter should they decide their current four-man rotation is overworked.

“The four-man rotation is something that’s going to be evaluated. It could stay or be changed at any time,” Lachemann said. “We’re weighing the options that are there.”

O’Brien said finding a fifth starter is “part of our program. It’s desirable.”

Scott Lewis, who was 1-5 in nine starts before being sent to Edmonton, and Joe Grahe, who lost his only start, remain candidates. But O’Brien said a trade is possible. “We will look in every possible avenue we can develop,” he said.

Fernando’s Short Stay

Fernando Valenzuela’s statistics with the Angels and Dodgers.

June 7 vs. Detroit Tigers at Anaheim Attendance: 49,977

Inn. H R ER BB K 5 9 5 4 0 5

Comment: A smash at gate, and at plate for Tigers in 5-0 victory.June 12 vs. Milwaukee Brewers at Anaheim Attendance: 32,515

Inn. H R ER BB K 1 2/3 5 5 5 3 0

Comment: Second poor outing makes earned-run average 12.15. Career Statistics with Dodgers

Years Record ERA G Inn. H R ER BB K 1980-90 141-116 3.31 331 2,348.2 2,099 981 864 915 1,759