BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : Swindell Expected to Sign With Indians

The Angels attempted to sign pitcher Greg Swindell Thursday but were told, “thanks but no thanks.” Swindell, a left-hander who cleared waivers Thursday after being released Tuesday by the Houston Astros, is on the verge of signing with the Cleveland Indians.

“The Angels made a nice, interesting pitch and I really like working with those guys,” said Alan Hendricks, Swindell’s agent. “But it’s just not a good fit right now. We’re going in another direction.”

Swindell, who played his first six seasons (1986-91) for the Indians, worked out Thursday in Cleveland, and Manager Mike Hargrove said, “We brought him here with every intention of signing him.” The pitching-rich Indians plan to use Swindell as a long reliever and spot starter.

Swindell, who missed five weeks of this season because of a groin injury and has battled weight problems in the past, was 0-3 with a 7.83 earned-run average after going 102-94 with a career 3.62 ERA in 10 previous seasons.

The Astros will pay the bulk of his $4.45-million salary this season, with the Indians picking up the final $109,000, the major league minimum.

Pitcher Frank Viola was released Wednesday by the Toronto Blue Jays, but Angel General Manager Bill Bavasi said the Angels wouldn’t be interested in the left-hander on the major league level.

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Not only will Angel pitcher Jason Grimsley have a chance to beat the team that traded him this weekend, he’ll have a shot at beating the player he was traded for. Grimsley will square off against Cleveland left-hander Brian Anderson Sunday in Jacobs Field.

“That’ll be a first,” said Grimsley, acquired with pitcher Pep Harris for Anderson the day before spring training started in February. “But you can’t put extra emphasis on who’s on the mound for the other team. If you get caught in that trap, you run into problems.”