BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : ANGELS : A Bandwagon or Not, Crowds Are Welcomed

Better check the shocks on that Angel bandwagon. The payload increased dramatically this week with Anaheim Stadium crowds in excess of 30,000 for each of the three games against the Cleveland Indians, who are in first place in the AL Central.

But Angel right fielder Tim Salmon was much more appreciative of recent fan support than critical of the lack of support for the first two months of the season, when crowds usually hovered around the 15,000 mark.

“It was pretty exciting, no question about it,” Salmon said of the Cleveland series. “We saw how important the fans were in Cleveland last week, and this week they were important for us.

“It made a big difference having our stopper [Lee Smith] out there with our crowd on its feet, and I think that makes it tougher on them. In Cleveland you could feel the momentum on their side because of the crowd, but we had that feeling today.”

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If the Angels are unable to acquire a quality starting pitcher to bolster the rotation by Monday’s trading deadline, it won’t be for lack of effort.

General Manager Bill Bavasi has been burning up the phone lines in pursuit of at least seven pitchers who are believed to be available--Jim Abbott (Chicago White Sox), Ken Hill and Mike Morgan (St. Louis), David Cone (Toronto), Kevin Tapani (Minnesota), Bret Saberhagen (New York Mets) and Jeff Fassero (Montreal).

“With the number of calls we’re making we’re becoming known as the Pests of the West,” Bavasi said.

Teams have shown a great deal of interest in rookies Garret Anderson and Troy Percival, but Bavasi said the two--along with just about everyone on the major league club--are untouchable.

“Everyone who has pitching to move is doing the right thing,” Bavasi said. “They’re letting this go to the end, letting the bidding get more hectic, and hoping they don’t get shut out.”

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Pitcher Scott Sanderson, who will undergo season-ending back surgery in Chicago next week to repair a herniated disk, had mixed feelings as he packed up his belongings in the Angel clubhouse Wednesday.

“I’m happy for what’s going on here,” said Sanderson, who was 1-3 with a 4.12 earned-run average before going on the disabled list in early June. “But it’s killing me to watch what’s happening, recognize the team is looking for one more starting pitcher, and here I am, unable to do anything to help.”

Sanderson, 38, hopes to return next season, even though the odds are against such a comeback.

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Angel President Richard Brown said Wednesday the Walt Disney Co. has completed its due-diligence financial review of the Angels and that baseball’s ownership committee is now reviewing the company’s proposed purchase of 25% of the team.

Brown expects owners to approve the sale at their September quarterly meeting, with Disney taking over operation of the Angels in October or November. “I don’t anticipate any problems,” he said.

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Chili Davis’ grand slam Wednesday was the sixth of his career and marked the 15th consecutive game in which the Angels have homered, three shy of the team record of 18. . . . The Angels stole a season-high three bases in Wednesday’s game. . . . Jim Edmonds had his 11-game hitting streak broken, and Anderson’s eight-game hitting streak ended.