BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : ANGELS : Archives Plundered in Quest for Cheap Right-handers

Filling a need for right-handed pitching but ever mindful of their financial constraints, the Angels signed veterans Mike Bielecki and Scott Sanderson to minor-league contracts Tuesday.

Both were participating in a series of free-agent workouts at Homestead, Fla. Neither is young. Bielecki is 35 and Sanderson, who pitched for the Angels two years ago, is 38. But General Manager Bill Bavasi said he feels fortunate to have them.

The Angel rotation has been dominated by left-handers, notably Chuck Finley and Mark Langston. Add Brian Anderson, Andrew Lorraine and Joe Magrane and the Angels could field a five-man, all-lefty rotation.

So Bavasi went searching for right-handers and came up with Bielecki and Sanderson.

“You might not like their age, but right now, in our spot, they’re just what the doctor ordered, just what we need,” said Bavasi in something less than a ringing endorsement.

“We’re happy to have these guys. We feel lucky to have signed them.”

Bielecki pitched mostly in relief for the Atlanta Braves last season, compiling a 2-0 record and 4.00 earned-run average in 27 innings.

Sanderson was 8-4 with one complete game and a 5.09 ERA in 18 games, including 14 starts, for the Chicago White Sox last season. He had one of his best performances of the season in giving up three hits in a 7-1 victory over the Angels June 19. He had a no-hitter broken up by Chili Davis in the seventh inning.

Sanderson started well for the Angels in 1993, but faded badly after a few months. He was 7-11 with a 4.46 ERA when the Angels released him July 28.

“They are two right-handed starters and we’re glad to have them,” Bavasi said. “One (Sanderson) has a lot of experience and did quite well in Chicago last year. The other (Bielecki) has pitched out of the bullpen, so there’s some versatility there.”

With Julio Valera returning from reconstructive surgery on his right elbow and Phil Leftwich on the mend from surgery on his right shoulder, the Angels needed help anywhere they could get it.

Manager Marcel Lachemann remembers Sanderson’s three-hit outing against the Angels vividly. He hopes Sanderson, who relies heavily on off-speed pitches, will give the Angels quality starts early in the season, giving Valera and Leftwich adequate time to return to the rotation.

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Davis expressed frustration over the Angels’ failure to sign him to the three-year, $11.25 million deal to which he agreed over the winter, saying it was an extension of a disturbing pattern in his dealings with the club.

When he asked for a contract extension in 1990, the club gave Gary Gaetti a four-year, $11.4-million deal. Davis then went to the Minnesota Twins as a free agent. When he returned in ‘93, he asked again for a multi-year deal, but the team made a one-year commitment to Davis, and signed Gary DiSarcina, Langston and Tim Salmon to long-term deals.

“It has happened one too many times,” Davis said. “And I’m going to let them know I don’t believe I’m appreciated here. I don’t expect anyone to have any sympathy for me, but it’s not about sympathy, it’s about principle.”

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Former baseball Commissioner Peter Ueberroth, who is in the process of buying a minority share of the Angels, was in the Phoenix area on business Tuesday and met with Angel front-office officials in Tempe Diablo Stadium Tuesday afternoon.

Ueberroth, who is examining the team’s financial records as part of the due diligence process of buying the club, said it “would be inappropriate for me to make any kind of comment on the situation right now.”

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The Angels signed pitchers Valera, Erik Bennett, Ken Edenfield and Mark Holzemer, leaving 20 unsigned players in camp. Valera will earn $175,000 this season, the same as last season. Bennett and Edenfield will each receive $109,000 and Holzemer $112,000.

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The Angels’ flagship radio station, KMPC (710 AM), will broadcast all 12 spring-training games, beginning Thursday with Milwaukee at Tempe Diablo Stadium.

The Angels will play games on eight consecutive days in Arizona (all starting at 1 p.m.). After an open date on April 21, they will play April 22 (1:05 p.m.) and April 23 (6:05) at San Diego and April 24 (7:05) and April 25 (1:05) vs. the Padres at Anaheim Stadium.

Bob Starr and Mario Impemba will handle the play by play.