DeLucia Back With Watson Again

There were two buses in front of the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Manhattan Monday afternoon, one to take the Angels to Yankee Stadium, the other to take the San Francisco Giants to Shea Stadium for a game against the New York Mets.

“I had to make sure I got on the right one,” said middle reliever Rich DeLucia, who earlier in the day was traded by the Giants to the Angels for a player to be named.

The Angels have until June 1 to complete the deal for DeLucia, a 32-year-old right-hander with a 30-40 lifetime record. The Giants, according to sources, also agreed to pay $475,000 of DeLucia’s $625,000 salary for 1997.

Mark Gubicza was put on the 15-day disabled list to make room for DeLucia, and when Chuck Finley was activated for tonight’s game, Manager Terry Collins had a 12-man pitching staff, with catcher Todd Greene being sent to triple-A Vancouver.

“What we need most now is another pitcher,” Collins said. “From what I’ve seen, this guy’s breaking pitches can neutralize some right-handed hitters.”

DeLucia broke in with Seattle in 1990, was released before the 1994 season, played most of ’94 with Cincinnati’s triple-A team at Indianapolis, and signed with St. Louis as a free agent in 1995.

He was traded with starter Allen Watson to the Giants before the ’96 season and has been reunited with Watson in Anaheim. “He’s following me everywhere,” Watson said.

The Giants expected DeLucia to be their setup man and signed him to a two-year, $1.05-million contract before 1996, but DeLucia went 3-6 with a 5.84 earned run average last season and was relegated to long relief.

DeLucia has given up two earned runs in 1 2/3 innings for a 10.80 ERA this season but he has added a split-fingered fastball to go with his fastball, curve, slider and changeup and impressed Collins several times when pitched against the Houston Astros in 1995 and ’96.

“I still think we have a chance to compete this season, and his experience will help us and give our kids in the minor leagues a chance to develop at their own rate,” Collins said. “I’d rather bring guys up when they’re ready than call them up and have to send them back.”

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Yankee writers, interviewing Manager Joe Torre before Monday’s game, were told by media relations director Rick Cerrone that Angel catcher Jim Leyritz, the former Yankee World Series hero, was holding a “press conference” in the other dugout. To which Yankee third baseman Wade Boggs quipped, “That’s the first time he’s been to the park early in 10 years.” . . . Angel shortstop Gary DiSarcina, who has been bothered by a sore right elbow and has a .085 batting average against Yankee starter Kenny Rogers, was given Monday night off. . . . Knuckleballer Dennis Springer will replace Gubicza in the rotation and will start Thursday in Minnesota. . . . Joe Coleman, the Angel bullpen coach who has been in Florida for his father’s funeral, will rejoin the team in Minnesota on Wednesday.