BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : ANGELS : Owen Not Happy About His Role as a Utility Infielder

The Angels are about to break camp in Arizona with at least one unhappy camper. Spike Owen, a utility infielder who asked to be traded last November, has reiterated his desire to play elsewhere if he does not win a starting job this spring.

Owen is considered an invaluable member of the team by the Angel front office because he is a front-line caliber player who can step in if Eduardo Perez falters at third base and spell Gary DiSarcina occasionally at shortstop.

Last season, Owen took over as the Angels’ starting third baseman on May 26 and hit a career-high .310 in 83 games. He led the American League with a .454 average with runners in scoring position.

But it appears the Angels will give Perez every chance to grow into the third-base spot, while Owen waits on the bench.

“I understand their position, but the bottom line is I don’t want to be an insurance policy,” Owen, 33, said. “That’s not my purpose at this stage of my career, and it’s not something I’m happy with.”

The Angels tried to trade Owen over the winter but found no takers. They renewed efforts to trade him this spring and found some interest from Philadelphia, Texas and Toronto, but Owen is still an Angel.

Owen, who had two singles, a triple and drove in a run against the Seattle Mariners Wednesday night in Peoria, Ariz., will make $3.25 million this season. But the New York Yankees are responsible for $2.75 million of the contract, meaning a team would have to pay Owen only $500,000.

“I think we know each others’ feelings,” Owen said of his discussions with the Angel front office. “I know what I’d like to happen, but if it doesn’t, I’m just going to prepare myself to play here.”

*

Four Angel pitchers--Mark Langston, Lee Smith, Bob Patterson and Mike Butcher--braved 40-degree temperatures to combine for 13 strikeouts and only one walk Wednesday night as the Angels beat the San Diego Padres, 7-5, in the Peoria Sports Complex.

Langston struck out seven in four innings and made only one mistake, which Ken Caminiti ripped over the left-center field fence for a two-run home run in the fourth inning.

Tony Phillips had four singles, scored two runs and knocked in two runs to lead a 13-hit attack. Patterson, a non-roster invitee to camp, retired all six batters he faced in the sixth and seventh innings and has now pitched four scoreless innings this spring.

Butcher, who retired all three batters in the eighth, ran into trouble in the ninth, giving up four hits and three runs. But catcher Mark Dalesandro threw out Brad Ausmus trying to steal second with two outs and runners on first and third to end the game.

*

The Angels Wednesday optioned pitchers Mark Holzemer and Erik Bennett to triple-A Vancouver, bringing the roster down to 35. Holzemer, who was 1-0 with a 0.00 earned run average this spring, and Bennett, who was 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA, will remain with the Angels through today’s game against Oakland.

The team also came to terms on one-year contracts with their nine remaining unsigned players, including pitchers Brian Anderson, Troy Percival, Andrew Lorraine and Butcher.

Butcher, who was 2-1 with one save and a 6.67 ERA for the Angels last season, signed for a base salary of $150,000, the same as last year.

Terms for Anderson and pitchers Russ Springer and Phil Leftwich were not available. Percival, Lorraine, and Dalesandro signed for the major-league minimum $109,000, and catchers Jorge Fabregas and Chris Turner, who are on split contracts, will make their triple-A salaries at Vancouver.

*

The Angels close their Cactus League schedule today with a 1 p.m. game against the Oakland Athletics in Tempe Diablo Stadium. They’ll play an intrasquad game Friday before traveling to San Diego to play the Padres Saturday (1 p.m.) and Sunday (6 p.m.) in Jack Murphy Stadium. The teams will meet again Monday (7 p.m.) and Tuesday (1 p.m.) in Anaheim Stadium before opening the regular season Wednesday.