Donnelly, Rodriguez on Most-Coveted List

If the Angels wish to make a significant trade to upgrade their roster, they might have to surrender Brendan Donnelly or Francisco Rodriguez to complete the deal.

As owners keep general managers on increasingly tight financial leashes, teams trading away top players prefer to receive young, cheap talent in return. Aside from triple-A shortstop Alfredo Amezaga, whom they need to keep because he might start in Anaheim next year, the Angels have no prospects at triple A or double A ready to play regularly in the majors.

So potential trade partners looking for immediate help would ask for major league players, and the bullpen is the only area in which the Angels have a surplus of talent. Donnelly and Rodriguez would be attractive to other teams for the same reasons General Manager Bill Stoneman would want to retain them -- they are talented pitchers with salaries that can be dictated by the club in the next two seasons.

Donnelly’s 0.45 earned-run average is the best in the majors. Opponents are batting .188 against Rodriguez, who has a 1.13 ERA over his last 13 appearances.

Stoneman acknowledged he receives plenty of calls from opposing general managers interested in obtaining a reliever from the bullpen with the best earned-run average in the American League.

“That’s certainly a deep area for us,” he said. “If we can help address something else and it’s a fair deal, we’ll look at it.”

Although the Angels did not want Chuck Finley, 40, to return as a starter, they are open to the possibility of acquiring a starting pitcher who could remain in the rotation for several years.

They have internally discussed Jeff Weaver of the New York Yankees, but they are skeptical about gambling $15.5 million -- the amount he is guaranteed over the next two seasons--on the chance he recovers the form that made him an ace in Detroit.

Weaver, 26, is 3-6 with a 5.73 ERA for the Yankees. In six career games in Anaheim, he is 3-1 with a 1.88 ERA.

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The weekend series against the Dodgers is nearly sold out, with single seats and obstructed-view seats all that remain for each of the three games.... Bruce Springsteen recently announced summer concert stops at four ballparks, including Boston’s Fenway Park. Kevin Uhlich, Angel senior vice president, said the team inquired about adding an Edison Field date and was told the tour would not extend to the West Coast.

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ON DECK

Site--Edison Field.

Radio--KSPN (710), KFWB (980), KWKW (1330), XKAM (950)

TV--Fox Sports Net tonight and Saturday, Channel 9 Sunday.

Records--Angels 37-39, Dodgers 45-32.

Season series--Dodgers lead, 2-1.

Tonight, 7--John Lackey (4-7, 5.92) vs. Kevin Brown (10-2, 2.22).

Saturday, 7 p.m.--Kevin Appier (5-4, 4.82) vs. Kazuhisa Ishii (7-2, 2.78).

Sunday, 1 p.m.--Aaron Sele (3-6, 7.01) vs. Odalis Perez (4-6, 4.53).

Tickets--(714) 663-9000.