Regrets? Well, Velarde Has Had Very Few

Regrets? Angel second baseman Randy Velarde says he has none. But you could detect a hint of wistful thinking Monday as he reflected on the New York Yankees’ World Series victory over the Atlanta Braves last October.

Velarde spent eight years as a Yankee utility player before signing with the Angels last season, trading a reserve role for a starting position. Had he remained in New York, it could have been him, and not Mariano Duncan, playing second base for the Yankees in 1996.

“The part that hurt was not being there for the championship, because I was there through all the tough times,” said Velarde, who arrived in Tempe four days before the Angels’ first full-squad workout. “I knew when they won it would be something special, and it was.

“But I don’t regret leaving New York. Who could foresee what would happen? I wanted to play every day. That was a decision I made, and I can look back on that and be happy about it.”

Velarde, who hit .285 with 14 homers and 54 runs batted last season, made another important decision this winter. Having suffered from shin splints and tendinitis for several years, Velarde underwent arthroscopic surgery on both knees and has spent the past few months in rehabilitation.

“I hope this neutralizes the problems,” Velarde said. “I haven’t really tested my legs by running all-out or doing agility drills, but they feel pretty good.”

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Manager Terry Collins--and a Japanese media horde--saw Shigetoshi Hasegawa pitch in an Angel uniform for the first time Monday. Hasegawa, attempting to become the third Japanese player to reach the major leagues, threw for 15 minutes on a bullpen mound as photographers jostled for prime shooting positions.

“One of the Japanese reporters asked me if I liked him, and I said, ‘Yeah,’ ” Collins said. “Then he asked, ‘Is he going to be in the starting rotation?’ I said, ‘Geez, he’s thrown once on the side!’ ”

Hasegawa is merely competing for the No. 5 rotation spot or a bullpen job, but with the Japanese press covering him with Nomo-like passion, he has already become something of a cult figure in Tempe.

“Japan is such a homogeneous society, that anyone who does something different stands out,” said Kent Haslam, the Angels’ new travel coordinator and Japanese interpreter.

“That’s why they’re here. It’s not that Shige is a superstar or Cy Young Award candidate. He’s playing in America, with Chuck Finley and Jim Abbott . . . that’s why it’s so big.”

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The Angels have offered free-agent utility infielder Mike Gallego a minor league contract and should know by today or Wednesday whether he will accept. Gallego, who played six seasons in Oakland before joining the St. Louis Cardinals in 1996, may return to St. Louis, but because the Cardinals did not offer him arbitration in December, he would not be able to play for them until May 1.