Angels’ Gaetti Stirs Talk of His Release : Baseball: He makes an error and strikes out in ninth in 4-2 loss to Rangers. Rodgers confirms that letting high-priced infielder go is a possibility.

The Angels keep wanting to believe something will change, desperately hoping to salvage their $11-million investment.

Yet, after a 4-2 defeat to the Texas Rangers on Saturday at Arlington Stadium, they finally have begun to ponder aloud the future of infielder Gary Gaetti.

The Angels, losing virtually all confidence in the former two-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glove winner, confirmed Saturday that they could conceivably release Gaetti if third baseman Kelly Gruber returns from the disabled list.

They also are aware they would be eating the remainder of Gaetti’s $3-million contract this season, and his guaranteed $3-million salary for 1994.

“You’re really not talking about a whole lot of money,” Angel Manager Buck Rodgers said. “I mean, whether you release him or keep him, you still have to pay him. We’re already committed to the money no matter whether he plays or goes.

“You could trade him, but no one’s going to take that contract. So really, all you’re talking about is paying the $109,000 minimum salary to his replacement.”

Gaetti, who entered the game in the seventh inning in a double-switch, threw the ball away on a potential double play in the seventh, allowing Rafael Palmeiro to score for a 4-0 Ranger lead.

In the ninth, after the Angels cut the Rangers’ lead to 4-2, Gaetti had the opportunity to make amends. There were two out, and with Luis Polonia at first, Gaetti was batting against reliever Tom Henke.

However, he was called out on strikes after trying to check his swing.

Suddenly, the Angels (21-18) find themselves in third place for the first time since April 11.

“That was a perfect situation for him,” Rodgers said. “I couldn’t envision a better situation. We had a power-hitter, a dead-pull hitter, against a power-pitcher. . . .”

Rodgers paused, and continued: “That was terrible, absolutely terrible.”

Gaetti, who is batting .150 with a .175 slugging percentage, appears to have become a man without a home. The Angels gave up on him as an everyday player last year, and even allowed him to explore trade possibilities during the winter. Gaetti discovered what the Angels already knew: There was no interest.

The plan this season was to start Gaetti against left-handers, but that too has gone awry. Gaetti is batting .088 since his first two starts of the season.

“I think Gary can help us in certain situations,” Rodgers said. “Or if we played him right. But my thinking is, ‘Can I play him right?’

“Maybe I’m giving him too many at-bats, I don’t know, but whatever I’m doing is not right for Gary Gaetti.”

The Angels’ frustration with Gaetti comes at a time when they sorely need more offensive punch. They not only couldn’t score off the Rangers’ Roger Pavlik, who was making his 1993 debut, but produced only four hits--three that never left the infield.

Pavlik, who spent the last six weeks pitching in Oklahoma City, didn’t allow a runner to reach third until he walked Polonia, loading the bases with two out in the seventh. Ranger Manager Kevin Kennedy then summoned right-hander Matt Whiteside to face Chad Curtis.

Whiteside worked the count to 1-and-2 on Curtis, who then lined a fastball toward the right-field corner. Gary Redus, playing right field for the first time this season, caught the ball on the run, leaving Curtis to slam his helmet in frustration.

“I thought it was three runs when it left my bat,” Curtis said, “but then I realized he had shaded me close to the line on that pitch, and it just hung up in the air.”

Curtis then stood in the outfield, becoming confused when Stan Javier ran into center field and informed him that he was taking his place. Rodgers decided to make a double-switch--a common move in the National League but rare in the American League--leaving Javier in the game and having Gaetti replace Curtis, who made the last out.

“I never experienced a double-switch before,” Curtis said, “so my first reaction was that I got pulled out because I did something wrong. Then, I thought, ‘Wait, I hit that ball pretty good.’

“They explained it when I got into the dugout, but I sure would have liked to have been hitting that last at-bat.”

It turns out he wasn’t alone.