BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : ANGELS : Deal for Young Draws Close

The Angels, barring a change of heart, are expected to complete the trade by this weekend that will send first baseman J.T. Snow to the New York Mets for starter Anthony Young. Angel and Met officials confirmed The Times’ report Wednesday that the deal has been proposed, and now the Mets are awaiting the Angels’ decision.

Young, 1-0 with a 2.73 earned-run average this spring while yielding nine hits in nine innings, is scheduled to pitch today against the Dodgers in Vero Beach, Fla. The Angels have sent Moose Stubing to scout the game. “We like Anthony Young an awful lot,” Angel General Manager Bill Bavasi said, “and we believe he’ll be even better with a change of scenery. I think it’s pretty obvious that we need to add a pitcher, and he has as good an arm as anyone that we’re looking at.”

Although Young was 1-16 last season, and set a major league record by losing 27 consecutive games over two seasons, he had a respectable 3.77 ERA, including a 1.65 ERA after the All-Star break. The Mets gave up a major league worst 1.79 unearned runs during Young’s 39 games, and averaged only 2.9 runs in his starts.

Snow is batting .161 this spring. He is expected to become the Mets’ everyday first baseman.