BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : ANGELS : Angels Offer Felix, Cubs Won’t Deal

The Angels, whose attempt to trade Junior Felix to the Red Sox for Jack Clark was vetoed by co-owner Jackie Autry because of Clark’s hefty salary, offered Felix to the Cubs for outfielder Jerome Walton and a pitcher, only to have the Cubs decline.

The Cubs, seeking to boost their offense and in need of a starting outfielder since Sammy Sosa broke his hand last week, can spare Walton and a reliever. The Angels, eager to fortify their pitching, recently lost promising minor league reliever Troy Percival to an arm injury. They have extra outfielders, with rookie Chad Curtis currently on the bench and John Morris due off the disabled list next week.

Autry refused to approve the acquisition of Clark’s $2.9 million salary, but Walton earns a more modest $525,000. It’s believed the Angels are interested in Bob Scanlan, a right-hander who will earn $150,000 this season.

Cub Executive Vice President Larry Himes told the Chicago Sun-Times the Cubs are looking for a hitter, but added: “I’m not interested in Junior Felix.” He also said he’s been talking to other clubs besides the Angels.

Luis Sojo, who sprained his left thumb Tuesday when he jammed his hand into the bag on a stolen-base attempt, probably won’t bat for several days. “It’s not as bad as (Tuesday) but it’s still sore,” Sojo said. . . . Bryan Harvey (sore right elbow) threw in the bullpen for about 10 minutes without problems. . . . To assemble an all right-handed hitting lineup against Mark Langston, Texas Manager Bobby Valentine moved Julio Franco from second base to left field, Franco’s first professional outfield start. With Ruben Sierra idled by a pulled hamstring, Valentine had no other right-handed hitting outfielders. Al Newman played second.

Curtis sat for the fifth consecutive game, his longest idle stretch. “With Junior back (from a pulled groin muscle), it makes it difficult to get him in there, and we haven’t faced many left-handed pitchers to give Luis (Polonia) or Von (Hayes) a rest,” interim manager John Wathan said. “I’m going to get him in this weekend (against Oakland). I talked to him and told him he’s still important to this club. I know about as well as anybody how it can be when you sit. I did it for a lot of years.”

The Angels’ Class-A Palm Springs team won the first-half Southern Division title in the California League. . . . Wathan visited Manager Buck Rodgers Wednesday and found him in good spirits. “There’s a chance he can come back by the end of July, or at least he’s hopeful of that,” said Wathan, who confers with Rodgers about roster moves and other changes every few days. Rodgers, who suffered a fractured left knee and shattered right elbow in the team’s May 21 bus accident, will speak to reporters today for the first time since the mishap.