Scioscia Enjoys Angel Additions

Angel Manager Mike Scioscia said Wednesday that he likes his club’s look--and he wasn’t referring to its new uniforms.

As he watched several players model their redesigned game wear for fans, local dignitaries and about 800 school children at Edison Field, Scioscia focused on how two recent veteran additions have bolstered the Angel pitching rotation.

In two days last month, the club signed free-agent right-hander Aaron Sele to a three-year, $24-million contract, and acquired right-hander Kevin Appier from the New York Mets in a trade for Mo Vaughn.

Sele was 15-5 with a 3.60 earned-run average for Seattle last season. Appier was 11-10 with a 3.57 ERA. They are set to join young-but-promising Jarrod Washburn, Ramon Ortiz and Scott Schoeneweis in a suddenly formidable five-man rotation.

“That’s a championship-caliber staff and hopefully that is going to make us contenders not only this year, but a perennial contender,” Scioscia said. “I thought everyone did a good job targeting some things we hoped to improve on. There are some things that still have to come together, but I really feel that we’ve got the ingredients that put us in position to contend in our division.”

The Angels, who are scheduled to begin spring training in mid-February, finished third in the American League West last season, 41 games behind Seattle. And until lately, not much positive had happened during the off-season. First, Vaughn surprised the team by telling a Boston radio program that he wanted to leave the Angels and return to play in the East. Then, at the winter meetings, a trade that would have sent outfielder Darin Erstad to the Chicago White Sox was nixed at the last minute by Disney executives above General Manager Bill Stoneman.

But then Sele signed, Appier was acquired and last week Paul Pressler, who oversees the Angels as chairman of Disney’s parks and resorts division, acknowledged that the best way to attract fans to Edison Field is with a winning team.

Outfielder Tim Salmon said the signing of Sele and the trade for Appier showed that Angel decision-makers are on the right track.

“They are making the right moves,” Salmon said. “They made their assessment--that we need pitching--and they are going out and doing what they need to get it.

“As a player, I’m pretty comfortable with that direction.”

So is third baseman Troy Glaus.

“We’ve all played this game our entire lives to win, and we play because it’s fun,” Glaus said. “When you’re losing it’s not fun. For an organization to set forth that they are going to do what it takes to win, that’s what we all want to do.”

Pressler, who has seen attendance fall 25% the last three seasons, said: “I think we’ve given the fans hope this year. We’ve set ourselves up for success.”

The improved pitching staff will no doubt help the Angels’ chances, but questions on offense remain. Last season, the Angels ranked 11th in the American League in batting and 12th in runs. Salmon struggled through injuries and batted a career-low .227 with 17 home runs and 49 runs batted in. Erstad, who batted .355 in 2000, also tried to play through injuries and hit .258 with nine homers and 63 RBIs.

“The biggest thing we’re looking for is for guys like Tim Salmon and Darin Erstad to rebound,” Scioscia said. “If they get close to what you’re looking for in terms of their average stats, we’ll be in good shape.”

Salmon said he is feeling, “healthy and strong,” and plans to regain previous form.

“If I come back with my normal numbers, that’s like picking up another player,” he said. “Troy is going to give you the big numbers and Garret [Anderson] is too.”

The Angels, however, are still searching for a few missing pieces. They bid unsuccessfully for the right to negotiate with Japanese pitcher Kazuhisa Ishii.

They could move Erstad to first base and try to add another outfielder, or leave switch-hitting Scott Spiezio at first.

Outfielder Kenny Lofton and first baseman Andres Galarraga are among the available free agents.

“I don’t know how many of the guys still out there are going to have a major impact on us,” Scioscia said.

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Times staff writer Bill Shaikin contributed to this story.