ANGELS : Herzog, Blue Jays Talk, but Not About Gruber

Despite the verbal jabs thrown the last three weeks, Angel executive Whitey Herzog said the Kelly Gruber trade will not prevent further deals with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Herzog, Angel vice president for player personnel, met Monday with two Blue Jay scouts for the first time since the Gruber trade last December. The trade and Gruber’s injury were not even broached, Herzog said.

“It’s over with,” Herzog added. “What happened with Kelly is not going to affect our relationship at all. I don’t have any hard feelings toward Toronto. I know they didn’t know about Kelly’s injury when they made the trade. I really and truly believe that.”

Gruber, who was traded to the Angels for infielder Luis Sojo, underwent arthroscopic shoulder surgery last month and the Angels still do not know whether he will be able to return this season.

Russ Springer, the starting pitcher the Angels acquired in the Jim Abbott trade, hardly made anyone forget about Abbott during the Angels’ 9-8 exhibition victory over the Seattle Mariners.

Springer yielded five hits and four earned runs in the first inning before pitching a 1-2-3 second inning.

“I’m not going to rake a guy over the coals in his first day, but let’s face it, Springer wasn’t good today,” Manager Buck Rodgers said. “He was all over the place. His fastball wasn’t good, and he threw one halfway decent curveball all day.”

Said Springer: “I expect some catcalls if I do poorly, because I was one of the three guys traded for Abbott. But I’m not going to go out and try to replace Jim Abbott. He was too popular in Anaheim.

” . . . I’m not happy about what happened today, but I’m not going to go home with my head down, either.”

Ty Van Burkleo’s wife went into labor Monday morning, delivered a baby girl, Sierra, and he returned in the sixth inning to play the rest of the game. . . . Second baseman Damion Easley, out for a week with shin splints, said he is pain-free for the first time in spring training. He will be examined Wednesday. . . . Rookie right fielder Tim Salmon hit a two-run homer with one out in the ninth inning for the game-winner. . . . It was a rough day for Angel outfielder Reggie Williams, who failed to hit the ball out of the infield in two at-bats, then watched as his son was hit in the head by a foul ball. The young man was not hurt. . . . Torey Lovullo, vying for the final utility infield job, volunteered to be the Angels’ emergency catcher to increase his chances of making the major league team.