BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : ANGELS : Trade Winds Are in the Air in Tempe

The Angels, losing patience with their inefficient pitchers, decided that they will have to trade for help.

The front office and coaching staff met for 1 1/2 hours after the team’s 6-2 victory over the Oakland Athletics at Tempe, Ariz.

*

The club is expected to entertain trade offers for veteran outfielder Dwight Smith, rookie outfielder Jim Edmonds and designated hitter Chili Davis. It’s possible they might also listen to proposals for first baseman J.T. Snow or left fielder Eduardo Perez.

“We’re going to have talks with about three or four clubs,” Angel Manager Buck Rodgers said. “We’ll then determine whether we should entertain any offers or make any offers.”

They have already decided to put starting pitcher John Farrell on waivers today, according to General Manager Bill Bavasi, and might decide soon on Frank Tanana.

The Angels, who must pay Farrell $200,000 in termination pay, are offering to sign him to a triple-A contract if he’s unclaimed on waivers by Thursday.

Farrell is 0-1 with a 15.63 earned-run average this spring. Tanana, 40, is 0-2 with a 17.36 ERA. He will be given at least one more start--on Wednesday, Rodgers said.

*

Pitchers Hilly Hathaway and Mark Holzemer were optioned to triple-A Vancouver and first baseman Nelson Simmons was assigned to the minor league camp.

The Angels also decided to go with an 11-man pitching staff instead of carrying three catchers. That means Mark Dalesandro soon will be optioned to Vancouver and veteran Mike Fitzgerald could be released.

Hathaway and Holzemer were coming off two of the finest performances of any Angel reliever this spring. Hathaway bailed Mark Langston out of a bases-loaded jam in the B game Monday, giving up one hit in 2 1/3 innings, and Holzemer pitched two hitless innings.