ANGELS

The Angels are expected to announce an agreement to play Aguascalientes of the Mexican League in an exhibition game at Edison Field on April 3, three days before the regular season starts.

The Angels traditionally play the Dodgers on the final weekend of the exhibition season, but the Dodgers excused themselves from two of three dates so they could play the New York Yankees at Dodger Stadium.

The Angels signed a working agreement with Aguascalientes last year, allowing the teams to pool resources for scouting amateur players in Mexico. The Angels also sent minor leaguers to play at Aguascalientes last summer.

The Mexican League is a member of the National Assn., the umbrella group of North American minor leagues affiliated with major league baseball. The National Association classifies the Mexican League at the Triple-A level.

In other news, the Angels signed left-handed reliever Steve Frey to a minor league contract. Frey, 35, pitched for the Angels in 1992-93 and went 6-5 with a 3.27 earned-run average.