Belcher’s Chances Damaged by Padre Buzz Saw

A giant bee swarm congregated around home plate in the middle of the fifth inning Saturday, causing a five-minute delay in an exhibition game between the Angels and San Diego Padres at the Peoria Sports Complex.

“Where were they in the third inning?” Angel pitcher Tim Belcher cracked.

The veteran right-hander could have used such a delay--anything to break up a 30-pitch inning in which he was stung for six runs on six hits, including three-run homers by Damian Jackson and Bubba Trammell.

Belcher lasted only 3 2/3 innings in an 8-7 loss to the Padres, giving up eight runs on eight hits, striking out two and walking two. It was exactly the kind of performance Belcher, 39, felt he had to avoid to have any chance of making the Angel rotation.

“I wouldn’t want the guy who was out there today on my club,” said Belcher, whose spring earned-run average soared to 9.24. “It’s discouraging. I felt fine. I just made a lot of bad pitches, all together, over the course of one inning. Hopefully I’ll have a chance to go out there again.”

The Angel rotation appears virtually set with Jarrod Washburn, Pat Rapp, Ramon Ortiz, Scott Schoeneweis and Ismael Valdes. Belcher, who sat out most of 2000 as he struggled to recover from elbow surgery, knows his chances are remote, and the Angels will have to make a decision on him soon.

Belcher’s contract includes a $750,000 base salary if he makes the team and a chance to make $1.75 million if he starts 32 games and throws 200 innings, but he will be granted his release if he is not on the major league roster by March 25.

“I know Tim feels bad, but he shouldn’t read too much into one bad game,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “I’m not going to make a determination on the rotation yet. You don’t die with one outing.”

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Not only would the Padres have gladly traded shortstop Chris Gomez to the Angels when spring training started in February, they would have picked up more than $2 million of his $3-million contract.

Not anymore. Gomez, the seven-year veteran who underwent three knee surgeries from June 1999 to June 2000, has emerged as the starter in San Diego this spring, and the Padres are counting on him to play about 100 games.

The job was Santiago Perez’s to lose going into camp, and Perez has lost it, batting .160 in nine spring games. If the Angels are in the market for a shortstop before the season, Perez, once a top prospect in the Tiger organization, probably will be available on waivers.

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The Angels gave Scott Spiezio an intense individual workout at second base Saturday morning, but that doesn’t mean Spiezio is a candidate to replace Adam Kennedy, who will be out until early April because of a broken bone in his right hand.

“We just want to reacclimate him with the footwork of the position,” Scioscia said. “He’s in the running to be our starting first baseman, and we don’t want to impact that. He’s an option at second base, but we want him to focus on first.”

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Reserve outfielder Scott Morgan had a big day for the Angels Saturday, hitting a three-run homer, two doubles and a single to pace a 17-hit attack. Bengie Molina added three hits, and Garret Anderson and Larry Barnes each had two hits. Closer Troy Percival struck out one and walked one during a hitless sixth inning. . . . Pitchers Bart Miadich and Elvin Nina were optioned to triple-A Salt Lake City. . . . The Angels will play the White Sox today in Tucson, where Valdes will oppose new Chicago left-hander David Wells.