Club Sure Colon Will Carry His Weight

Even though concerns about his size prompted the Cleveland Indians to include a weight clause in his contract and caused several clubs to remain skittish about offering him a long-term deal, Bartolo Colon faces no such stipulations as an Angel.

Mitch Frankel, Colon’s agent, said the 5-foot-11, 240-pounder does not have a weight clause included in the four-year, $51-million contract he signed Tuesday.

“I’m confident this guy is going to be in pitching shape and that he’s competitive enough and wants to win that he’ll be in shape to do a good job for us on the mound,” Angel General Manager Bill Stoneman said. “We have a strength and conditioning guy, trainers and a good staff downstairs who do a good job with our players to make sure they’re in shape.

“I think he’s going to be fine.”

Frankel said Colon was “younger, less mature” when the Indians made his weight an issue. A personal trainer traveled with Colon last season when he played for the Chicago White Sox, Frankel said, an arrangement the pitcher hopes to repeat in 2004.

“He has an understanding now of the importance of being ready to pitch,” Frankel said.

Colon’s contract, which includes an $8-million signing bonus, will pay him $9 million this season, $8 million in 2005, $12 million in 2006 and $14 million in 2007. The right-hander could make as much as $15 million in the final year if he finished among the top three in Cy Young Award voting the previous season.

Colon also can block trades to four teams of his choosing.

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The Angels are in talks with free-agent catcher Brent Mayne, 35, who lives in Corona del Mar. Mayne, a career .268 hitter, could serve as a backup to Bengie Molina and left- handed pinch hitter.