BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : ANGELS : Salmon Expected to Get $7.2-Million Deal

The Angels are expected to sign right fielder Tim Salmon to a four-year contract today that will make him the highest-paid second-year player in baseball history.

Salmon, according to sources close to the negotiations, is expected to receive about $7.2 million, topping the record set last month by Dodger catcher Mike Piazza, who signed a three-year, $4.2-million contract.

Salmon, the American League’s 1993 rookie of the year, will become the Angels’ highest-paid position player.

“All I can tell you is that we’re close,” said Salmon, who met privately with Angel General Manager Bill Bavasi on Wednesday at Tempe, Ariz.

Salmon, 25, batted .283 last season with 31 home runs and 95 runs batted in before his season ended prematurely because of a broken ring finger. He was only the 19th rookie in baseball history to hit 30 homers.

The Angels are expected to sign shortstop Gary DiSarcina to a three-year, $2.5-million contract. Center fielder Chad Curtis was offered a three-year, $4-million contract by the Angels, but the two sides remained more than $500,000 apart late Wednesday. If Curtis does not sign, he will be renewed on a one-year contract for about $425,000.

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Angel owners Gene and Jackie Autry came to the workout to introduce themselves to second baseman Kevin Flora, whose wife was killed last year in a car accident.

They spoke for several minutes discussing Flora’s well-being, and Gene Autry gave Flora a newspaper article that detailed Flora’s plight overcoming the tragedy.

“That was awfully nice of them to come over,” Flora said. “I didn’t get a chance to thank them last year for all their support and how much it meant to me.”

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Damion Easley, showing the Angels that he will be able to make the adjustment to third base, went two for three with two RBIs in an intrasquad game and made two plays on slow rollers to third base that caught Manager Buck Rodgers by surprise. “I think he’s going to be just fine,” Rodgers said. “His reflexes at third are as good as they ever were.” Easley was limited to 73 games last season because of recurring shin splints that eventually resulted in surgery. . . . Rookie outfielder Garret Anderson hit a homer over the right-field fence against Mark Langston in his first spring at-bat. Curtis hit a three-run homer against Joe Grahe, and first baseman Nelson Simmons hit a homer against John Farrell. . . . Outfielder Bo Jackson struck out against Hilly Hathway and Craig Lefferts. . . . Starter Russ Springer gave up two hits, two walks and three runs to the six batters he faced before Rodgers pulled him.