BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : ANGELS : Young Outfielders Are Still Left Out

The Angels considered center fielder Chad Curtis expendable because they have a surplus of talented young outfielders, but his trade to Detroit Thursday didn’t exactly boost the hopes of Garret Anderson, Kevin Flora and Marquis Riley.

With left fielder Jim Edmonds sliding over to center and former Tiger Tony Phillips playing left, the status of the three youngsters is virtually unchanged.

“They figured with Chad gone they could step in, and I’m sure they had a rush when they heard he was traded,” Edmonds said. “Then, all of a sudden, here comes someone else.”

Anderson, 22, has the most reason to be disappointed. He hit .321 with 42 doubles, six triples, 12 home runs and 102 runs batted in at triple-A Vancouver last season, after hitting .293 at Vancouver in 1993.

“There’s not much more for me to do there--I hit for average, power and played good defense,” Anderson said. “It’s always tough to be sitting. I’d rather be playing somewhere every day. The only thing I can do is try to force their hand with what I’m doing.”

Riley seems destined for triple-A, but Flora is out of options, so if he doesn’t make it, he’d have to clear waivers before being sent down.

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Second baseman Damion Easley had four hits and scored two runs, and right fielder Tim Salmon and designated hitter Chili Davis each hit homers to lead the Angels to an 8-7 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers in the exhibition opener before only 1,310 at Tempe Diablo Stadium.

“I came in at noon (from a morning B game at Peoria) and was afraid I’d run into a traffic jam,” Manager Marcel Lachemann said. “I didn’t. I think it’s going to take time (for fans to come back). A lot of visitors that normally come to spring training are gone.”

Pitchers Brian Anderson and Joe Magrane each gave up two earned runs, and Andrew Lorraine yielded three. Mike Butcher pitched a scoreless inning, and Mark Holzemer didn’t give up a run in the final 1 1/3 innings.

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Davis, General Manager Bill Bavasi and assistant GM Tim Mead held a 45-minute, closed-door meeting after the game, but Davis said he did not demand to be traded.

Davis has been unhappy with the team’s decision to renege on a three-year, $11.25-million deal he agreed to over the winter.

“I told them I was disappointed the deal wasn’t done, but I know it’s not their doing,” Davis said. “Angel owners got cold feet.”

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Easley and Edmonds agreed to terms on one-year contracts, Easley for a package that, with base salary and incentives, could be worth about $250,000 and Edmonds for a package valued just under $200,000.

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Flora and infielder Rod Correia each had three hits in the morning B game to help the Angels defeat the San Diego Padres, 5-1.