BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : ANGELS : Finley Awarded Opening Honor

Manager Marcel Lachemann made one relatively simple decision Thursday, naming Chuck Finley as his opening-day starter over Mark Langston, who had the honor of starting the previous three Angel openers.

A much tougher decision--which two pitchers will fill out a starting rotation that also includes Brian Anderson--still has to be made, but it appears right-handers Shawn Boskie and Scott Sanderson are the favorites.

Both made a strong push for starting jobs Thursday, Boskie giving up one run on two hits in five innings and Sanderson no runs and one hit in four innings in the Angels’ 9-1 exhibition victory over the Oakland Athletics in Tempe Diablo Stadium.

Lachemann said his final two starters will come from three candidates--Boskie, Sanderson and Mike Bielecki. Left-handers Andrew Lorraine and Joe Magrane are out of the running.

Bielecki, a former Atlanta Brave who signed a minor league contract with the Angels April 11, will make his second spring appearance in today’s intrasquad game.

Boskie, a non-roster invitee to camp who played for three teams last season, has given up only one run in seven spring innings, Thursday’s 460-foot homer to Mark McGwire.

Sanderson, a 17-year major league veteran who also signed a minor league contract on April 11, rebounded from Monday’s five-run, eight-hit, two-inning stint against the Seattle Mariners with a sparkling performance Thursday, keeping the A’s off balance by changing speeds on all his pitches.

“I decided I needed to do something different--pitch,” Sanderson said. “My first time out I was just trying to drive my fastball and I didn’t deviate from that. Even though I got hit hard, it didn’t bother me at all. I know Chuck (Hernandez, Angel pitching coach) and Marcel know I can pitch, but it was important to show them today.”

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Backup first baseman Ricky Jordan’s chances of making the team took a drastic turn for the worse when a magnetic resonance imaging test on his right shoulder showed a tear in his rotator cuff. He will be examined by team physician Lewis Yocum this weekend.

Rob Deer and Rene Gonzales have accepted the Angels’ invitation to remain in their minor league system and reported Thursday to extended spring training at Mesa’s Gene Autry Park.

The Angels also sent pitchers Julio Valera and Mark Ratekin to Vancouver, trimming their roster from 39 to 37. Both have 72 hours to clear waivers, during which time another team can claim them for $25,000.

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Players Assn. head Donald Fehr, who met with the Angels for two hours before Thursday’s game, said the union would likely decide within the next few days whether to file a grievance against the Angels on behalf of designated hitter Chili Davis.

Davis had agreed to a three-year, $11.25-million contract during the winter, but the Angels reneged on the deal and are offering arbitration.

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Angel reliever Mitch Williams, out since Saturday because of a strained right quadriceps muscle, felt no discomfort throwing off a bullpen mound Thursday. Lachemann said he will likely pitch Saturday against the San Diego Padres.