BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : ANGELS : Snow Signs Deal Worth $200,000

Angel first baseman J.T. Snow, who resurrected memories of Wally Joyner with his torrid rookie start last season, signed a one-year contract Tuesday for $200,000 and $25,000 in incentives.

The Angels also are on the verge of signing right fielder Tim Salmon to a three- or four-year contract, the largest contract given to any second-year player in Angel history. Salmon, the American League’s rookie of the year last season, is being offered $4 million over three years and about $7 million over four years. The deal is expected to be done as early as Thursday.

Angel General Manager Bill Bavasi remains optimistic about his bid to sign starter Mark Langston to a three-year contract extension with an option year for the fourth season. Bavasi and Arn Tellem, Langston’s agent, are to meet this week.

Meanwhile, Snow hopes that a consistent season will provide the kind of offensive numbers that merit a multi-year contract for him.

“I have a much better idea what to expect this time around,” Snow said. “I had such a great start last year, and by mid-season, I felt like I already played a full season.”

Snow, acquired in the Jim Abbott trade with the Yankees, batted .407 with six homers and 17 RBIs in the first 15 games. Yet, he was in the minor leagues by the end of July, and wound up hitting .241 with 16 homers and 57 RBIs for the season.

“Last year, I was under such a microscope,” said Snow, who was married in the off-season. “It was a very difficult year for me to handle.

“I think this year will be different. I can come into camp without having people check me out all the time. If anything, the spotlight is going to be on Bo (Jackson) and Tim (Salmon).”

The Angels also signed utility infielder Rod Correia to a one-year contract and now are left with six unsigned players on their 40-man roster.

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Jackson, who wowed the crowd Tuesday by hitting three consecutive home runs in batting practice, said he recently signed a movie contract for his life story. He is scheduled to meet with a Hollywood script writer in the next four days, with production expected to begin this year.

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Although there still is a designated parking spot in the front row at Tempe Diablo Stadium for Whitey Herzog, who resigned seven weeks ago, there is none for Bavasi, the new general manager.

Yet, even with the oversight, Bavasi remains so unpretentious that he has yet to park in Herzog’s spot since his arrival last week.

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Angel Manager Buck Rodgers on the evolution of players’ physical fitness: “There’s so much money to be made, players are working out all winter now. In my first two years, I had to work in the off-season by selling cars and real estate. I had no choice because our children had this bad habit of eating in the winter time.”

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Starter Joe Magrane, who underwent arthroscopic elbow surgery two weeks ago, threw for the first time Tuesday, and felt no pain. . . . Rodgers is scheduled to give depositions in two weeks involving his $25-million lawsuit stemming from the Angels’ 1992 bus crash. He expects that a hearing will be scheduled in November or December.