BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : ANGELS : Veteran Tanana Is Given Release

Frank Tanana poured himself a cup of coffee, put his right arm around 92-year-old Jimmie Reese, and momentarily wondered if he was going to cry.

“It was fun being with Jimmie,” Tanana said. “You know I’ll always love you.” Reese, coach with the Angels the first time Tanana was here, said: “Me too, Frank, me too.”

Tanana, 40, was given his unconditional release, perhaps ending his 20-year career as a starting pitcher. He will head back to Farmington Hills, Mich., with his family today, and wait for the phone to ring.

“It wasn’t a shock, but it’s like a rejection,” Tanana said. “It’s not a good feeling. This is unusual for me. I’ve never been in this situation. I’ve always seen guys get released, but I never got released before.

“I guess if you hang around long enough, you’re going to see everything.”

Tanana, who was 0-3 with a 13.50 earned-run average this spring, still believes that he can help a contending team. He won’t quit the game, he said, until baseball gives up on him.

Said Angel Manager Buck Rodgers: “It’s never easy to tell a 40-year-old man his career is over. I thought it was a longshot, anyway. It was just like (Dave) Winfield. How long do you go with a guy who’s 40 years old?”

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The Angels, no longer even camouflaging their intentions of trading first baseman J.T. Snow, played him in left field Sunday during a 7-0 split-squad loss to the Colorado Rockies at Tucson.

Several club have expressed interest in Snow since word got out that he is on the trading block. At least two National League teams have called in the last few days. The Angels were told Sunday that New York Met starter Anthony Young, who is being offered in exchange for Snow, will pitch Wednesday against Atlanta.