Salmon Says He’ll Stay Put

The Angels are set to begin negotiations with Tim Salmon on a contract extension that probably will keep the popular right fielder in Anaheim for the rest of his career.

Salmon had questioned this winter whether the Angels were committed to winning, and he considered playing out the final year of a four-year, $22.5-million deal and becoming a free agent, a scenario that would have increased his chances of being traded this season.

But after a meeting with General Manager Bill Stoneman early this month and several telephone conversations with Manager Mike Scioscia, Salmon decided he wants to remain an Angel.

“I’m open to signing a new deal,” said Salmon, who has a .291 average over eight seasons with a franchise-record 230 home runs and 757 runs batted in. “I feel better about the situation enough to say, OK, let’s open the lines of communication.”

Neither Salmon nor Stoneman would discuss the specifics of their meeting, but Scioscia said his conversations with Salmon centered on the team’s desire to become a perennial contender, a goal that didn’t seem to jibe with the Angels’ reluctance to pursue high-priced free agents during the off-season.

“There’s been a lot of uncertainty in the organization in the last 18 months--we have a new GM and one of our stars [Jim Edmonds] was traded,” Scioscia said. “Players weren’t sure what direction the club was going in.

“I told Tim we’re out to win, that there is a plan, and that in every conversation I’ve had with Bill [Stoneman], the desire is to sign Tim and make him a big part of that plan. He seemed comfortable with that.”

Salmon, who spent the winter rehabilitating from minor shoulder and foot surgeries, signed a four-year contract after winning American League rookie-of-the-year honors in 1993 and a four-year extension before 1997. Another four-year extension would lock up Salmon, now 32, through 2005, when he’ll be 36.

*

An 11:30 a.m. team meeting before the first spring training workout started right on time Thursday but without new pitcher Ismael Valdes, who was 20 minutes late and, much to his chagrin, had to knock on the locked clubhouse doors to gain entry.

Valdes, a former Dodger, got lost on his way to Tempe Diablo Stadium and wound up at the Oakland A’s camp a few miles away in Phoenix. It wasn’t the kind of first impression the right-hander was hoping to make with his new teammates, but he recovered quickly.

“He volunteered to buy lunch, so he bought pizzas for everyone,” said Scioscia, who did not fine Valdes. “Believe me, Ismael wants to be in camp. He felt bad about what happened, but no one questions his motivation. If that’s all we have to worry about, we’ll be OK.”

*

This is Tim Belcher’s 18th spring training, but the 39-year-old right-hander feels like a rookie--not because his arm feels sound after an injury-marred 2000, but because he has to win a rotation spot in camp.

“Being in a position where I have to make the club, where I have to perform, is kind of exciting, kind of invigorating,” Belcher said. “I haven’t been in this situation in 10-12 years. . . .

“If I get knocked around my first couple starts, I won’t be able to say, ‘It’s early, I have a ways to go.’ In reality, it could be my last start, and I might not be back the next morning. But that’s OK. . . . The alternative to this is going home and being with my kids, so it’s a win-win situation.”