Holtz Ready for Next Wave of Challengers for His Job

It was Greg Cadaret in 1998, Mike Magnante in 1999, Cadaret again in 2000 and Mark Lukasiewicz and Rendy Espina this season. Every spring, the Angels bring in pitchers to compete for the left-handed relief job, and every spring Mike Holtz must prove he’s worthy of the position.

“I don’t take it personally,” said Holtz, who has spent most of the last five seasons with the Angels, going 13-16 with a 4.49 earned-run average in 238 appearances.

“If I was a general manager, especially with the way I came out of camp last year, I’d do the same thing. If you don’t have someone who can step in and do the job, you’re going to be in trouble. I don’t feel threatened by that. I’m going to compete.”

Holtz made that point Wednesday, snapping off several impressive curveballs while striking out Troy Glaus, Jose Canseco and Scott Spiezio, the only batters he faced, in a 4 1/2-inning intrasquad game that was cut short by rain at Tempe Diablo Stadium.

It was a good start to what Holtz hopes will be a far better spring than last season, when the 5-foot-9, 185-pounder, slowed by shoulder tendinitis and flulike symptoms, had a 9.82 ERA in 7 1/3 spring innings.

Holtz opened 2000 at triple-A Edmonton and spent a month there before being recalled by the Angels. He made 61 appearances in five months, going 3-4 with a 5.05 ERA and limiting left-handed batters to a .213 average.

In an effort to avoid the problems that plagued him last spring, Holtz began throwing earlier and worked with a physical therapist this winter. He believes he’s primed for the mental rigors of a job that is often limited to facing one batter, the opponent’s best left-handed hitter, with runners on late in the game.

“With experience, you realize what it takes to do this job, and you know you’re going to take some lumps,” Holtz said. “But I have confidence going into this season because of the job I did against lefties last year.”

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Ted Updike, the agent for Tim Salmon, said that negotiations on a contract extension have intensified and that he hopes to have a deal in place by the end of spring training. Salmon, 32, is beginning the final year of a four-year, $22.5-million contract and will be eligible for free agency after this season.

He would like a contract in the four- to six-year range, one that would ensure he finish his career in Anaheim, but the sides are also exploring the possibility of an escape clause that would allow Salmon to leave after two or three years if the team is sold or he’s not happy with the direction of the franchise.

The market for power-hitting outfielders has soared past the $10-million-a-year range for some, but Updike intimated that the Angels would likely be given a “home-team discount” because of the way they’ve treated Salmon during his eight-year career.