Angels Present Offer to Spiezio

In a last-ditch effort to retain Scott Spiezio, the Angels have offered their first baseman a contract and could sign him today.

The Angels offered Spiezio a two-year contract, agent Barry Meister said Saturday night. After Spiezio rejected the offer, Meister said he presented General Manager Bill Stoneman with a series of counterproposals ranging from one to three years in length.

“We’re trying to be flexible,” Meister said.

Meister declined to discuss the value of the Angels’ offer or the counterproposals but said Spiezio is eager to return to the Angels and has instructed him to “do everything we can” to make that happen. Spiezio has said he expects to take a pay cut from the $4.25 million he earned last season.

Stoneman has said he does not expect to offer salary arbitration to Spiezio, who would probably receive a raise in a potential arbitration hearing. If the Angels do not sign Spiezio or offer him arbitration today, they would forfeit until May 1 the right to negotiate with him.

-- Bill Shaikin