Does Piazza Want to Be an Angel? They’ve Heard It Before in Anaheim

News item: The Angels trade for Charlie O’Brien, proudly pointing out they have acquired a veteran catcher already signed for next season. Reaction: Sorry, Mike Piazza, find yourself another team next year.

Not so fast.

For now, O’Brien offers an option should the Angels decide Phil Nevin can best help the team playing a variety of positions and then fail to reach agreement on a new contract with Matt Walbeck. However, the Angels plan to explore the possibility of signing Piazza as a free agent.

Disney will not guarantee Piazza anything close to the $79 million over six years he rejected from the Dodgers. But Piazza, subsequently traded to the Marlins and then the Mets, has told friends he is interested in returning to Southern California and playing for the Angels.

Mark McGwire told the world he wanted to play for the Angels last year, and one reason Disney executives rejected a potential trade with Oakland was that they took McGwire at his word: If he wants to play in Anaheim so badly, they figured, we can sign him as a free agent in October without trading any players to get him. The A’s traded McGwire to St. Louis, and he forfeited free agency to sign with the Cardinals in September.

Piazza, however, appears determined to file for free agency this fall. If he wants to play in Anaheim badly enough that he’ll spurn a higher bidder to sign here, the Angels would be happy to talk.

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Although major league officials announced Friday that third baseman Troy Glaus would participate in the Arizona Fall League, the Angels might replace him with another player.

The league starts Sept. 30. When the Angels originally assigned Glaus to the developmental league, they envisioned him finishing the summer at triple-A Vancouver, where the season ends Sept. 7. But they have since promoted him to Anaheim, and they worry about burning out their brightest prospect.

“He’s had two weeks off since last August,” Manager Terry Collins said.

Two former Cal State Fullerton players, catcher Bret Hemphill and pitcher Matt Wise, lead the Angels’ AFL delegation. The Angels also assigned outfielder Norm Hutchins and pitchers Juan Alvarez and Mark Harriger to the league.

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This is the time of year when clubs renew agreements with minor league teams, but the Angels’ affiliation with Vancouver is in limbo.

Art Savage, the former owner of the NHL San Jose Sharks, signed an agreement last week to buy the Vancouver franchise and move it to Sacramento. Savage said the Canadians would play one more season in Vancouver before leaving, although Sacramento has no ballpark now and no money allocated to build one.

“Obviously, we’d vote for Sacramento,” said Angel minor league director Jeff Parker.

The Angels like Vancouver, Parker said, but logistics would be easier and costs lower in Sacramento. However, if Savage decides to affiliate with the nearby Oakland A’s or San Francisco Giants, the Angels could get stuck in Edmonton, with its high costs and difficult airline connections.

For now, Parker said, the Angels are waiting to hear whether they should negotiate with the current or prospective owners.

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Ken Hill, who removed himself from a rehabilitation start Tuesday because of elbow stiffness, completed a throwing session Friday. Hill is scheduled for another rehabilitation start at Class-A Lake Elsinore on Sunday. If all goes well, the Angels plan to start him at Boston next Friday.

TODAY

ANGELS’ STEVE SPARKS (7-2, 4.45 ERA)

vs.

BLUE JAYS’ KELVIM ESCOBAR (2-1, 6-00 ERA)

Edison Field, 7 p.m.

TV--Fox Sports West. Radio--KRLA (1110), XPRS (1090).

* Update--The Angels put utility infielder Craig Shipley on the disabled list because of a strained hamstring. “If he was in scoring position,” Collins said, “he couldn’t score.” To replace Shipley, the Angels activated utility infielder Norberto Martin, who had a strained neck.

Tickets--(714) 663-9000