BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : Lee Smith Says He’ll Be Ready

There are occasional Lee Smith sightings in the morning at Tempe Diablo Stadium, but by the time Angel players return for lunch, baseball’s all-time save leader is usually off to a local clinic for rehabilitative work on his right knee, which he injured in a November hunting accident.

Smith, 38, may have lost some strength and mobility in his knee after rupturing his patellar tendon, but his sense of humor and upbeat attitude remain intact.

He says he’ll be ready for the season opener “because I know my body better than anyone else,” including Lewis Yocum, the Angels’ highly respected team physician, and team trainers.

“I’ve never seen Dr. Yocum do any pitching,” said Smith, who has 471 saves, 37 of them for the Angels in 1995. “They’re going with their general prognosis, using all these big words, but they have nothing to do with pitching. He’s doing what he knows and I’m doing what I know. And I have nothing against the trainers, but I don’t like spending much time in there, unless I’m taking a nap.”

Smith has thrown off a mound twice this week with no problems. He is not scheduled to pitch in an exhibition game, but that doesn’t concern the 15-year veteran. “I don’t need two months [of preparation] to throw 12 pitches in the middle of June,” he said.

Manager Marcel Lachemann says Smith has about a 75% chance of starting the season with the Angels. He’s more concerned with Smith’s mobility, and whether he’ll be able to play defense, than his pitching. “J.T. [Snow] wants to win another Gold Glove. Maybe I’ll just let him cover first,” Smith said.

Smith said given the choice of pitching with some pain or sitting out a month or two of the season, he’d take the mound.