He’s All That’s Left in Bullpen

Juan Agosto was released Monday, and Ben VanRyn and Joe Rosselli were sent to minor league camp, leaving Mark Holzemer as the Angels’ only left-handed reliever, but the 26-year-old is not convinced he has secured a roster spot.

“It will mean a lot more on opening day if I’m still here,” Holzemer said. “In 1993 I was here until the final hour and they got Ken Patterson from the Chicago White Sox, so I’m not getting overly excited about this. It certainly doesn’t hurt me. But talk to me on April 2.”

The season opener is two weeks away, so there’s time for the Angels to trade for a reliever or acquire one off the waiver wire, but the left-handed set-up spot is virtually Holzemer’s to lose.

Holzemer, who gave up two runs on two hits in an inning of Monday’s 7-5 exhibition loss to the Colorado Rockies, has some large spikes to fill--Bob Patterson went 5-2 with a 3.04 earned-run average in that role last season.

It’s not the most physically demanding job, but it’s one of the most challenging, because it requires you to retire some of the game’s best left-handed hitters, such as Ken Griffey, Mo Vaughn, Paul O’Neill and Rafael Palmeiro.

“It’s going to test me, that’s for sure,” said Holzemer, who had a 5.40 ERA in 12 Angel games last season. “I just have to stay consistent and throw strikes.”

*

George Arias, who hit .279 with 30 home runs and 104 RBIs at double-A Midland last season, is making a serious push for the starting third-base job, and not only because Tim Wallach’s sore calves have limited his range.

Arias, 24, hit his fourth home run of the spring Monday and added a single to raise his average to .440. But Angel coaches have been equally impressed with his defense, and that may be the reason Arias challenges Wallach.

Arias, who committed 29 errors in 1995, has not made an error in 13 spring games.

*

Second baseman Randy Velarde, experiencing numbness in his right thigh, sat out Monday’s game to undergo an MRI test, but the Angels do not expect him to be sidelined long. Velarde played in Sunday’s game. . . . Closer Lee Smith limped noticeably during five minutes of defensive drills Monday, but the Angels will move forward with plans to pitch him Wednesday. “I thought he looked good,” pitching Coach Chuck Hernandez said. “He moved around kind of slowly, just like he did before the surgery, but he can get to where he needs to.” . . . Third baseman Jack Howell left Monday’s game against the Colorado Rockies because of a strained left groin, but the Angels won’t know the severity of the injury until today. . . . Pitcher Steve Ontiveros, recovering from an elbow injury, will make his first spring appearance today, against the Milwaukee Brewers. . . . The Angels sold pitcher Julio Valera to the Kansas City Royals Monday for an undisclosed amount of cash. Valera, who has struggled to return from his 1994 elbow surgery, was placed on the Royals’ triple-A roster. . . . Reliever Willie Fraser, who had an 11.74 ERA in five games, and first baseman Chris Pritchett, who hit .353 with three homers in 13 games, were returned to minor league camp, bringing the Angels’ roster to 39. . . . Knuckleballer Dennis Springer is a strong candidate for a bullpen job.