Watson Unhappy With Relief Role

In the wake of Monday’s personnel moves, the Angels may have the game’s highest-paid middle reliever in left-hander Allen Watson, who is making $2.9 million, and the former starter is not too thrilled about it.

Watson was activated off the disabled list and sent to the bullpen, and reserve outfielder Damon Mashore was optioned to triple-A Vancouver. The move was hardly a surprise, but that didn’t make it easier to digest for Watson, who went 12-12 with a 4.93 earned-run average last season.

“I know the guys in the rotation have pitched well, but I earned [a starting] job last year and in spring training, and I don’t want to get buried in the bullpen when other teams can use me,” said Watson, who went 3-5 with a 7.69 ERA this season before going on the DL on May 24.

” . . . Last year I made every start, I pitched on three days rest when my arm was a little sore. You can’t just forget about a guy the next year. Sometimes I get the feeling I’m getting blamed for getting hurt.”

No, Manager Terry Collins said. Watson is paying the price for pitching poorly the first seven weeks of this season and not revealing until mid-May that his elbow had been hurting since early April.

As for Watson’s 1997 performance, Collins reminded reporters that Jason Dickson made the All-Star team last year but that didn’t prevent the Angels from demoting him to the bullpen earlier this season.

“It’s what Allen did this year that warrants the treatment he’s getting,” Collins said. “He’s been out for six weeks--this is not a demotion. If [injured second baseman] Randy Velarde came back tomorrow, he’d be an extra player, not a starter.

“I know Allen wants to start, and we all believe that’s the place for him, but we’re pitching pretty well now, and I don’t want to mess with that.”

Watson, sidelined because of a strained left elbow, was ready to pitch late last month, and Collins decided at the time to return him to the rotation. But a deep gash on the outside of Watson’s left wrist, suffered when a beer bottle he was opening broke in half on June 29, set Watson back another two weeks.

Since then, Steve Sparks and Jarrod Washburn have pitched well enough in Collins’ eyes to remain in the rotation, so Watson went to the bullpen.

“I’ve got to pitch well and help the team--I can’t just sit around waiting for someone to struggle or get hurt,” Watson said. “But what if the guys pitch well the rest of the year? Sometimes you have to think of yourself. I’m only 27. I don’t want to be forgotten down in the bullpen.”

Watson knows better than to demand a trade. There is virtually no demand for $2.9-million pitchers with ERAs above 7.50.

“Any starter relegated to the bullpen shouldn’t like it, because that would show he doesn’t feel he belongs there,” Collins said. “I don’t want Allen to like it. But I know one thing. He needs to accept it. We’re trying to win the pennant, and we’re going to need his help.”

* Mashore--and not another reliever--was sent down Monday because Collins wants to temporarily carry 12 pitchers as a hedge against Washburn’s forearm, which stiffened in his start before the All-Star break, and the tender arms of relievers Rich DeLucia and Pep Harris, who have needed some extra rest between recent appearances. . . . Velarde played catch Monday for the first time since he re-injured his elbow during his two-game comeback on May 12-13. He plans to throw every other day in hopes of gaining enough arm strength to return in August. . . . Garret Anderson extended his hitting streak to 11 with a run-scoring double in the first inning Monday night.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

TODAY

ANGELS’

OMAR OLIVARES

(5-5, 3.82 ERA)

vs.

ATHLETICS’

KENNY ROGERS

(8-3, 3.05 ERA)

Oakland Alameda Coliseum, 12:15 p.m.

TV--Channel 9. Radio--KRLA (1110), XPRS (1090).

* Update--Angel second baseman Justin Baughman, who attended Bellarmine Prep High School in nearby San Jose, had so many ticket requests for his first big league game in Oakland Monday night that he simply told relatives and friends to purchase their own. “Some junior high and high school teachers, friends and ex-girlfriends and their families are coming,” Baughman said before the game. Ex-girlfriends? “Yeah, I keep in touch with everyone. I’m a nice guy.” The Angels have not had much success against Rogers, the left-hander who has a 9-5 career record and 3.63 ERA against the Angels and threw a perfect game against them as a member of the Texas Rangers on July 28, 1994.