Stoneman Signs Players, Fires Back at Washburn

As the Angels renewed the contracts of two players Sunday, General Manager Bill Stoneman shot back, suggesting criticism of the compensation system for young players should be directed not at the club but at the players’ union.

The Angels made take-it-or-leave-it offers to shortstop David Eckstein, pitcher John Lackey and utilityman Shawn Wooten. Eckstein accepted his Sunday, at $425,000. Lackey and Wooten rejected theirs, so the Angels imposed salaries of $315,000 on Lackey and $337,500 on Wooten.

After ace Jarrod Washburn charged the Angels on Saturday with treating young players “unfairly” by slotting them within a salary scale and leaving no room for negotiations, Stoneman said the team was simply acting within the framework of the labor agreement.

“The negotiation was at the union level, with the owners,” Stoneman said. “The union has agreed that, for the first three years, the clubs have the right to name the price.”

Stoneman warned players that, if they did not accept an offer, they would be penalized upon renewal. Wooten, a third-year player, was offered $350,000 and renewed at $12,500 less. Lackey, a second-year player, was offered $325,000 and renewed at $10,000 less. Eckstein, also a third-year player, was told he would have been penalized $25,000 upon renewal.

“I’m obviously not happy,” Lackey said, “or I wouldn’t have renewed.”

Wooten, who also rejected the Angels’ offer, expressed dissatisfaction about the club’s refusal to negotiate or to consider salaries paid by other teams to comparable young players.

“We just didn’t see eye-to-eye,” he said. “If next year we don’t see eye-to-eye, I can go to arbitration.”

Stoneman said he was not concerned about the renewals affecting performance, noting that Washburn was renewed last spring and blossomed into an 18-game winner. Eckstein said he was looking forward to the season and said he could not complain about his contract.

“That’s the way the system is set up, so your opinion doesn’t matter,” he said. “Until you’re arbitration-eligible, you have no say.”

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Center fielder Darin Erstad made his spring debut Sunday but left after one at-bat, complaining of discomfort in his right hand. He underwent surgery on the hand in December, so the Angels have eased Erstad into his spring workload.

The Angels insist readiness for the regular season is not at issue. Erstad said he needed to concentrate on building strength in the hand, even if he must sit out a few exhibition games.

“I’m going to be smart,” he said, “so it’s not something we’re talking about in May when I’m hitting .110.”

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The Angels will start the season with a four-man rotation, Manager Mike Scioscia said. They have three days off within the first nine, so they do not need a fifth starter before April 12.

Whether they keep a fifth outfielder beyond then will depend in part on the condition of Tim Salmon, whose spring debut has been delayed as he recovers from off-season knee surgery. Scioscia reiterated that Salmon remains the primary right fielder but said extended rehabilitation in March could mean more time in April at designated hitter.

“We don’t anticipate him not being ready for the start of the season,” Scioscia said, “but I don’t know what his stamina is going to be like.”

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Scott Schoeneweis and Mickey Callaway, competing for the fifth starter’s job, each pitched two innings in the Angels’ 8-7 loss to Colorado on Sunday. Schoeneweis gave up four runs, Callaway none.