Angels, Olivares Agree to One-Year Deal

With salary scales exploding around them and pitchers disappearing, the Angels did the best they could Friday by agreeing to terms with free agent Omar Olivares on a one-year contract.

Olivares went 6-10 with a 4.97 earned-run average for the Detroit Tigers and Seattle Mariners last season. The Angels envision the right-hander joining Chuck Finley, Ken Hill, Jason Dickson and Allen Watson in the starting rotation.

“This gives us five starters we at least feel comfortable starting with,” General Manager Bill Bavasi said.

The Angels guaranteed $1.35 million to Olivares, 30, who has not posted a winning record since 1993. It is believed that they offered $1.5 million to Tom Candiotti, whose winning record last season was his first since 1990, but the Oakland Athletics signed him for two years at $6.35 million.

Willie Blair, whose 16 victories last season were more than double his previous career high, signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks for three years at $11.5 million.

Should injury or ineffectiveness force the Angels to require another starter, Bavasi acknowledged the primary alternatives are relievers Pep Harris and Shigetoshi Hasegawa, which would weaken a bullpen the Angels consider a strength. Bavasi said he had exhausted his pitching budget and could now acquire only those pitchers willing to sign minor league contracts.

“We’re not in a position to sign anyone else for guaranteed money,” Bavasi said.

The budget constraints also have eroded the Angels’ bench, a critical area in a year the entire infield is coming off surgery. First baseman Darin Erstad underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder last week, after two months of exercise that failed to properly rebuild the shoulder.

Bavasi said Erstad is expected to be ready for spring training, as are shortstop Gary DiSarcina (elbow) and third baseman Dave Hollins (knee), but the Angels won’t know until the exhibition season whether the reconstructed elbow of second baseman Randy Velarde can withstand everyday rigors.

The Angels lost virtually all their reserves--infielders Luis Alicea, Craig Grebeck and Jack Howell and catcher Chad Kreuter--to free agency. Alicea and Howell signed two-year contracts Tuesday, Alicea with the Texas Rangers and Howell with the Houston Astros.

“I’m surprised to see guys getting two-year deals,” Bavasi said. “I’m not trying to take a slap at anybody. But we feel, when you’re running a baseball club correctly, as a business and operating within a budget, the easiest way to blow that is not with the big guys but by guaranteeing too much to your role players. It’s been kind of a stunning blow for me. I never thought we’d see these things happen.”

The Angels will pay Olivares $1.15 million in 1998 and retained a 1999 option for up to $2 million, depending on the number of games he starts next year. If the Angels do not exercise the option, they must pay a $200,000 buyout.

Olivares, who joins his sixth team in five seasons, is 14-25 with a 5.15 ERA over the last four years. Although the Mariners acquired him last July to support their pennant push--the Angels considered trading for him, too, before they picked up Hill--Seattle left him off its playoff roster.

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Omar Olivares’ Record

The major league record of right-handed pitcher Omar Olivares, who Thursday agreed to terms on a contract with the Angels:

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Year Team G IP H R ER BB SO 1990 St. Louis 9 49.1 45 17 16 17 20 1991 St. Louis 28 167.1 148 72 69 61 91 1992 St. Louis 32 197.0 189 84 84 63 124 1993 St. Louis 58 118.2 134 60 55 54 63 1994 St. Louis 14 73.2 84 53 47 37 26 1995 Colorado/Philadelphia 16 41.2 55 34 32 23 22 1996 Detroit 25 160.0 169 90 87 75 81 1997 Detroit/Seattle 32 177.1 191 109 98 81 103 Totals 214 985.0 1015 519 488 411 530

Year W-L ERA 1990 1-1 2.92 1991 11-7 3.71 1992 9-9 3.84 1993 5-3 4.17 1994 3-4 5.74 1995 1-4 6.91 1996 7-11 4.89 1997 6-10 4.97 Totals 43-49 4.46

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