BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : ANGELS : Frustrated Snow Wants to Be Traded

First baseman J.T. Snow, believing that he has no future in the Angel organization, said Thursday that he will ask to be traded.

“A trade would be the best thing for me right now,” Snow said. “It’s tough when you know you belong somewhere, but you can’t get in there.

“The thing that’s so frustrating is that the Mets deal came and went. Looking back, it would have been the best thing for me. At least I’d still have a job in the big leagues.”

Snow, who was nearly traded a week ago to New York for starter Anthony Young, has been told that he will open the season in triple-A Vancouver to retain his trade value. He would remain in the big leagues only if left fielder Dwight Smith is placed on the disabled list. However, Smith believes his strained calf will be healed by opening day.

The Angels are trying to trade Snow but have not found serious interest. General Manager Bill Bavasi said it was highly unlikely that a deal could be made by opening day.

Snow, who batted .241 with 16 homers and 57 RBIs in his rookie season, found himself without a job when the Angels moved Eduardo Perez to first base. Perez was scheduled to play left field this spring, but he experienced discomfort in his right elbow, and it became clear to the Angels that he belonged at first base.

Perez, who went two for three Thursday in the Angels’ 11-7 victory over the Chicago Cubs before a record crowd of 8,868 at Tempe, Ariz., finished the Cactus League season batting .226 with one homer and 12 runs batted in. Snow batted .212 with one homer and five RBIs.

*

Bo Jackson has proved to the Angels that he’s still much more than a crowd draw. He went two for three Thursday with a double and homer, finishing his spring with a .392 batting average, and team-leading five homers and 17 RBIs. Third baseman Damion Easley was the only Angel who had a higher batting average (.423) than Jackson, but no one else had more than two homers or 12 RBIs.

“Bo gives us a tremendous lift,” Angel starter Mark Langston said. “I didn’t know what kind of person he is, or what kind of presence he had in the clubhouse. He has a tremendous presence. It’s great to have another guy excited about winning.”

*

Langston, who has been selected as the Angels’ opening day pitcher for the third consecutive year, yielded only a solo homer in his five-inning stint. He not only is ready for the season, but believes the Angels have an excellent shot to win the division.

“I think we have the team to win,” Langston said. “Really, I like everything I see.”

*

Left-handed reliever Ken Patterson rejoined the Angel organization at noon Thursday, and judging by his debut, could soon be returning to the big leagues.

Patterson will open the season at triple-A Vancouver, but he has established himself as the front-runner to return to the bullpen if anyone struggles. Patterson yielded two hits and two earned runs in his two-inning stint, and struck out two.

“I didn’t want to leave here in the first place,” said Patterson, who was released March 27 by the Cincinnati Reds. “I’m glad to be back. I didn’t have anybody that could help me over there. Now, I’m coming to a place where they know me. They know what I can do.”

*

Manager Buck Rodgers said that reliever Mike Butcher’s woes this spring will cost him. He won’t share the closer’s role with Joe Grahe until he regains his control. Butcher yielded five hits and four earned runs in one inning Thursday, and finished the Cactus League with a 15.43 ERA. He has allowed 27 baserunners in 9 1/3 innings this spring, including 13 hits and 10 earned runs in his last three innings. “He’s wild as hell right now,” Rodgers said. “He can’t get the pitches were he wants them. He’s just all over the place.” . . . Dwight Smith will likely bat second in the lineup in games he starts in left field, Rodgers said, moving Easley to sixth. When Jackson starts in left, he’ll bat fifth or sixth, Rodgers said, and Easley will bat second. . . . Joe Magrane, who pitched two innings Wednesday in the Angels’ minor league game, says he could be ready before the end of April. “I feel great, there’s no pain at all,” said Magrane, who underwent arthroscopic elbow surgery in February.