It’s Decision Time for Lachemann

The core of the Angels’ 25-man roster appears set entering the final week of spring training, but Manager Marcel Lachemann will have the difficult task of filling the final four spots from a group of nine players.

The 11-man pitching staff will include starters Chuck Finley, Mark Langston, Jim Abbott, Shawn Boskie and either Phil Leftwich, Scott Sanderson or Jason Grimsley. The six relievers will probably be Lee Smith, Troy Percival, Mike James, Mark Holzemer, Mark Eichhorn and Dennis Springer.

Ten position players--first baseman J.T. Snow, second baseman Randy Velarde, shortstop Gary DiSarcina, outfielders Tim Salmon, Jim Edmonds and Garret Anderson, designated hitter Chili Davis, catchers Jorge Fabregas and Don Slaught, and utility player Rex Hudler--appear to be locks.

One spot will be filled by the winner of the third-base battle between Tim Wallach and George Arias, and either Damion Easley, if his throwing shoulder is deemed strong enough, or Dick Schofield will probably fill a utility spot.

That means Lachemann must choose between Chris Turner, Jack Howell, Ricky Jordan, Mike Aldrete and Orlando Palmeiro for the final two spots. Turner might have an edge because he can catch, as well as play third, first and outfield, and Lachemann has been impressed with Jordan’s potent bat.

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The muscle spasms in his neck that forced Salmon to sit out Friday’s game have actually been bothering him for about three weeks, which makes you wonder how the right fielder would be hitting this spring if he was 100%.

Salmon has a .320 average with six home runs, 14 runs batted in and 12 runs scored, even though, he said, merely “turning my head to the right side caused a lot of pain.”

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The Angels played one of their worst games of the spring Saturday night, committing three errors and yielding 17 hits in a 15-1 loss to the Seattle Mariners in Peoria, Ariz.

Leftwich appeared to be the front-runner for the fifth spot in the rotation but stumbled Saturday, giving up nine hits and eight runs--four of them earned--in 3 2/3 innings.