BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : ANGELS : Magrane Signs, Rejoins Herzog

Left-handed starter Joe Magrane, in deference to Angel Vice President Whitey Herzog, signed Thursday with the Angels and will make his American League debut Sunday against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Magrane chose the Angels over at least half a dozen teams, including the Dodgers and New York Mets, because of his close relationship with Herzog, his former manager in St. Louis. Magrane, 6-feet-6, 235 pounds, is eligible for free agency at the end of the season.

“It’s no secret that next year we want to look for another (top-quality) starter,” Angel President Richard Brown said. “And this will give us the exclusive look at Magrane.”

Magrane, 8-10 with a 4.97 earned-run average, was once the ace of the Cardinal staff, winning 18 games in 1989 and leading them to the World Series. But he underwent elbow surgery in 1991 and missed nearly two years before returning in September, 1992.

He was removed from the Cardinal starting rotation July 27, and last Sunday requested and received his release. He cleared waivers Thursday afternoon, and agreed soon thereafter to join the Angels, who are responsible for only about $27,000 of $738,000 remaining on his contract.

“I’m glad to be going to a team that wants me,” said Magrane, 29. “I’m honored that Whitey believed in me and had confidence in me to bring me to the Angels. I know I can still pitch.

John Farrell (2-11, 7.47 ERA) accepted an assignment to triple-A Vancouver to make room for Magrane.

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Angel third base coach Ken Macha had difficulty sleeping Wednesday night, still upset at himself over sending Chad Curtis home in the ninth inning of the Angels’ 8-6 loss to the Detroit Tigers. The game ended with Curtis being thrown out at the plate by left fielder Gary Thurman, drawing the wrath of Angel fans.

“I screwed up, what can I say,” Macha said. “My job is to give players a chance to win a game, and last night, I didn’t do that. I went two bed at 2 o’clock and woke up at 5, that’s what kind of night it was.”

Macha said he never believed that Thurman would even attempt to throw home on the play, risking the possibility of allowing Rod Correia to advance to third base on the throw.

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Angel catcher Greg Myers had his suspicions, and it turns out that Seattle pitcher John Cummings’ pitch that hit Myers in the backside last Sunday was no accident. One of the Mariners confessed that Cummings was ordered to hit Myers, in retaliation of Angel starter Phil Leftwich’s pitch that hit Jay Buhner and another that brushed back Omar Vizquel. “That’s kind of what I figured,” Myers said. “Pitches usually don’t get away like that. “Oh, well, at least it hit me in the right spot” . . . Dawn Easley, wife of Angel second baseman Damion Easley, was released from the hospital after suffering from a kidney infection and fluid in her lungs. . . . The Angels released triple-A outfielder Jerome Walton. . . . For only the second time in Angel history, their three starting outfielders have at least 10 assists, led by Tim Salmon with 12. It was last accomplished in 1969 with Rick Reichardt (13), Jay Johnstone (12) and Jim Hicks (11).