Angels’ Free-Agent Pursuit Takes an Aggressive Course

Having indicated that they would pursue a major free agent, the Angels seem to be following an aggressive course, detouring from what had been an economically cautious approach under Disney.

Sources said Saturday that they have presented Boston Red Sox first baseman Mo Vaughn a six-year offer at more than $70 million--a potential preemptive strike in what figures to be one of the winter’s hottest bidding wars.

The Angels are also known to have informed Houston Astro pitcher Randy Johnson of their serious interest.

Whether they have made a formal offer to Johnson is not certain, but it is expected they will.

General Manager Bill Bavasi, preparing to leave for Monday’s start of the general manager’s meetings in Naples, Fla., refused to comment on the free-agent situation. Asked specifically about the offer to Vaughn, he said, “I’m not going to confirm or deny that, I’m not going to say anything.”

Vaughn’s agent, Tom Reich, also refused to comment when reached in Florida, but a Eastern source familiar with the Angels’ proposition said, “In itself it’s not enough to knock Mo off his chair, but as an opening offer it clearly demonstrates serious interest and marks the Angels as a serious player, which is something new.”

The reference was to the Angels’ previous posture under Disney. Angel President Tony Tavares has long insisted that he doesn’t believe any player is worth $10 million a year.

However, it will take more than that to sign either Vaughn or Johnson, and the Angels seem to have recognized that with an offer to Vaughn that is believed to average about $12 million a year and almost doubles the four-year, $37-million Red Sox offer that Vaughn rejected at the All-Star break.

The Red Sox have yet to make another offer, but are expected during the GM meetings or soon after.

Vaughn has had a stormy relationship with the Red Sox at times but has been quoted as saying he would take less to stay in Boston.

However, a source familiar with his thinking said that “any attempt to paint the Red Sox as having an inside track is totally inaccurate.”

Perhaps, but many in baseball are skeptical that he would leave the East Coast and Boston, in particular, where he has established roots and is active in community programs.

Vaughn, of course, is a bona fide left-handed slugger and clubhouse leader likely to react strongly to any hint of a familiar capitulation by the Angels down the stretch.

His acquisition would send Darin Erstad to the outfield and allow the Angels to trade either Jim Edmonds or Garret Anderson for a pitcher.

Would the Angels would go much beyond six years and $70 million?

A source said that the structure of the deal could be as important to Vaughn as the money.

The inference seemed to be that he is likely to demand a series of options extending the contract to seven or eight years, putting it in the neighborhood of Mike Piazza’s seven-year, $91-million deal with the New York Mets.

That neighborhood, sources said Saturday, is one the Dodgers are not likely to visit.

Although still interested in Vaughn, they have yet to make an offer, are concerned about the price and remain focused, sources said, on talks with the representatives of free-agent pitchers Johnson and Kevin Brown. Should those talks fail to produce a deal, the Dodgers might be more inclined to meet Vaughn’s demands.

Could the Angels, meanwhile, sign both Vaughn and Johnson?

It seems unlikely, a source said, adding that despite the impressive offer to Vaughn, there seems to be more internal lobbying for Johnson, who would be less expensive and would fill the need for a No. 1 pitcher capable of enhancing the Angels’ playoff capability.

Johnson, 35, was 10-1 with Houston after his July 31 acquisition. The Astros have reportedly offered him three years at $30-$33 million, but a competitive market is likely to drive the package into the five-year range, a potential risk given Johnson’s age and history of back problems. The former Seattle Mariner left-hander is believed interested in signing with a club close to his Arizona home and returning to the American League, which might translate to a bidding war between the Angels and Texas Rangers.

Angel Manager Terry Collins and scouting director Bob Fontaine Jr., who originally signed Johnson for the Montreal Expos, recently visited Johnson at his home in the Phoenix area. Johnson, in turn, is expected to make a scouting foray soon to both Anaheim and Los Angeles. The Dodgers thought they had traded for Johnson in July before the Mariners backed out of a deal for Ismael Valdes and Wilton Guerrero. Johnson would now cost Fox about $40 million or so. Would you believe that Disney may be more apt to pay it?

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Putting Up Big Numbers

Mo Vaughn ranked among the American League leaders in several offensive categories:

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Category No. (Rank) Batting Avg. .337 (2) Hits 205 (2) Home Runs 40 (8) RBI 117 (11) Slugging % .591 (6) On-base % .402 (6)

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