Vaughn Refused DH Role

Mo Vaughn bristled at the thought. In November, Angel General Manager Bill Stoneman met with Vaughn and explained that the team intended for him to be its designated hitter this year.

“He made it clear he wasn’t interested in DH-ing,” Stoneman said.

That apparently was the final straw for Vaughn, whose three injury-filled years in Anaheim ended in December, when the Angels traded the unhappy slugger to the New York Mets for pitcher Kevin Appier.

In September, the Angels gave outfielder Darin Erstad a trial run at first base. In October, during the interview in which he told a Boston radio station he longed for the East Coast and wanted to be traded, Vaughn also said of a move from first base to designated hitter, “I’m going to fight it as long as I can.”

Stoneman said Vaughn never issued a formal trade demand during their meeting, or at any other time. Then again, he didn’t need to, after his radio interview and after hiring a new agent to help orchestrate a trade. “It was subtle,” Stoneman said. “He never retracted his desire to go east.”

Did Stoneman believe Vaughn could no longer play adequate defense at first base?

“I wouldn’t go that far,” Stoneman said. “We thought we would be better served with [Scott] Spiezio at first base and Mo at DH than vice versa.”

The Angel players believe they are better served with Vaughn in New York. Garret Anderson said that Vaughn was “way out of line” for so publicly asking out of Anaheim before meeting with team officials, that “a lot of guys didn’t care for what he said” and that “if a guy doesn’t want to be here, it’s not good for him to be here.”

Said Vaughn, speaking before Monday’s exhibition game against the Dodgers: “I respect his opinion. I’m surprised he didn’t say more.

“You don’t want to be a distraction, and you don’t want to be somewhere where you’re always discussing how you want to leave. G.A. is right. He’s a friend, he’s always been a straight-shooter, and that’s what I love about him. I’m glad it got taken care of when it did. We’re both in a better position.”

Troy Percival, who also has applauded the trade, remained cool to Vaughn after the slugger failed to join teammates on the field in a 1999 brawl at Cleveland, prompted by Percival hitting the Indians’ David Justice with a pitch.

“Troy was probably looking at me as the player I was in 1995, ‘96, ’97 and ‘98,” Vaughn said. “He was looking for that player to add to his team and, when I wasn’t able to do that, he was probably disappointed.

“I can understand his frustration because I had the same frustration, and maybe more.”

From his beloved East Coast, Vaughn wishes the Angels well.

“I have no ill will against the Anaheim Angels,” he said. “I just wish I was healthy and could have played.”

*

Appier and Anderson made their Cactus League debuts in the Angels’ 10-9 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Monday. Manager Mike Scioscia said Appier was “a little out of whack” during a two-inning stint in which he gave up two runs, three hits and four walks.... Anderson, who led the Angels with 123 runs batted in last season, drove in a run in his first at-bat of the spring. Scioscia plans to bat Anderson fourth, putting his top run-producing man behind Tim Salmon, who has walked at least 90 times in six of the last seven seasons. But because Anderson would prefer to bat third, Scioscia invited him into his office to discuss the issue. “That’s basically a compliment, to call me in and ask me,” Anderson said. “Of all the managers I’ve had, I’ve never had one ask my opinion of anything.” Anderson had his say and vows to bat fourth without complaint.... Shawn Wooten, whose left hand was badly bruised when he was hit by a pitch Friday, was used as a pinch-hitter against the Cubs.... Adam Kennedy and Jorge Fabregas had three hits apiece for the Angels.

Staff writer Mike DiGiovanna contributed to this report.