Watkins Enlists Richard Brown

Donald Watkins, the Alabama businessman trying to purchase the Angels from the Walt Disney Co., has retained former Angel president Richard Brown as a consultant.

After making a preliminary offer of $250 million for the Angels in March, Watkins has retained bankers, accountants, lawyers and other business advisors in evaluating a potential deal. His representatives wanted to add someone with baseball experience and floated several names before Commissioner Bud Selig, who agreed that Brown would fit the bill.

Watkins and Brown met Friday in Los Angeles. Watkins did not extend Brown any promise of employment with the Angels should he succeed in buying the team.

Jonathan Rose, the attorney for Watkins, confirmed Brown’s involvement with the bid but declined to comment further. Brown also declined to comment.

Brown served as the Angels’ president from 1990-96, before Disney bought the team and installed Tony Tavares as president. He then returned to practicing law, with entertainment and sports transactions among his specialties. In April, Los Angeles Mayor James Hahn appointed him to the city’s planning commission.

*

Get older fast, get better fast: The post-Sept. 11 visa crackdown revealed

Ramon Ortiz is 29, not 26. After two inconsistent seasons in the Angels’ starting rotation, Ortiz has blossomed into one of the top pitchers in the American League.

The crackdown also revealed that minor league right-hander Hatuey Mendoza is 23, not 21. Mendoza, who won one game above the Class-A level in the first five years of his pro career, pitched a no-hitter Monday for the Angels’ double-A Arkansas affiliate.

Ortiz had thrown the last no-hitter by an Angel minor leaguer, at Class-A Cedar Rapids in 1997.

*

Infielder Benji Gil and reliever Donne Wall could begin minor league rehabilitation assignments this week. With Angel relievers pitching remarkably well--the bullpen has a 1.85 earned-run average over its last 39 innings--there is no immediate need for Wall.

Wall posted a 10.03 ERA in nine appearances before a sore right arm put him on the disabled list, but Manager Mike Scioscia believes the injury accounts for much of the poor performance. Wall, 34, won a job in spring training, when the Angels wanted to add a veteran long reliever, and Scioscia says that job will be waiting for Wall when he is ready to return.

“I don’t think the visions we had for Donne have changed,” Scioscia said.

*

For the first time this season, shortstop David Eckstein hit into a double play. He entered play Tuesday with 145 at-bats, the most of any major leaguer who had not hit into one.... Third baseman Troy Glaus drove in two runs, and his 36 runs batted in rank second in the league, behind Alex Rodriguez. The Angels are 16-3 when Glaus drives in at least one run.

TONIGHT

ANGELS’

AARON SELE

(3-2, 5.75 ERA)

vs.

TIGERS’

MARK REDMAN

(0-4, 5.24 ERA)

Comerica Park, Detroit, 4 p.m.

Radio--KLAC (570), XPRS (1090).

Update--Sele and the Angels beat Redman and the Tigers last week in Anaheim, 7-6. Sele has won his last three starts but given up two or three runs in the first inning of each one.