Money Doesn’t Always Talk

You’ve heard the talk. You’ve studied the numbers. You’ve seen this before.

The Angels, refusing to sign any contract bigger than David Eckstein’s bangs, have disappointed their players to the point of distraction.

The Angels, by allowing money to be stirred into their perfect chemistry, are in danger of becoming the Clippers.

This is your theory.

Then you show up at their spring training site Wednesday at 9 a.m., 30 minutes before the start of the daily workout.

And discover you are late.

At 8 a.m., there were veterans outside taking grounders.

At 8:30, there were hitters swinging in the batting cages.

By the time you arrive, the clubhouse is already full, players perched on the edges of their folding chairs, rolling bat handles between their fingers, pounding on gloves, looking at the clock and each other.

Tim Salmon is already sweating. Benji Gil is already cackling. Darin Erstad is already glaring.

“There are some things money can’t buy,” says Scott Spiezio, his contract disappointment obscured in a tangle of matted hair that has seemingly been stuck under a cap since dawn. “Money can’t buy a guy’s work ethic.”

*

Where is the anger?

“That what?” asks David Eckstein.

Where is the outrage?

“At who?” asks Ben Weber.

Where is the subtle, subconscious retaliation for not being contractually treated like world champions?

“These guys?” asked Bill Stoneman, laughing. “They understand the elements that made us successful. They’re not going to change that.”

If that remains true, then Stoneman is luckier than a Spiezio fly ball.

The general manager, under orders from his clearance-sale bosses, has spent the last several months handing out world championship zings.

Spiezio, the Game 6 World Series hero, wanted a long-term contract. He was only given one season.

Jarrod Washburn, who finished fourth in the Cy Young voting, wanted a long-term contract. He was only given one season.

Brad Fullmer, who batted .333 in the league championship series, took a $2.75- million pay cut.

Then there were postseason stars Eckstein and John Lackey.

For his inspiration, Eckstein was given $425,000, or $125,000 less than the Dodgers’ Eric Gagne.

For his Game 7 World Series victory on three days’ rest, Lackey was given $15,000 above the major league minimum.

By the time negotiations -- or lack of them -- had been completed last weekend, Washburn had seen enough.

“If they want to treat them unfairly, that’s their decision,” he told The Times’ Bill Shaikin, referring to the team’s younger players. “People wonder nowadays why players leave for different teams, why players don’t show loyalty. Why would you show loyalty when they don’t treat you well while you’re young?”

Stoneman countered by saying that any anger toward the club was misdirected, that the players should look instead to the union bosses who agreed to a labor agreement that gave few options to kids.

“Their union agreed to the rules, we’re just living by them,” he said.

So then it was Washburn’s turn, and this had all the makings of Michael Olowokandi and Donald Sterling and selfishness and then....

And then it didn’t.

Once again, Mike Scioscia saw trouble coming and blocked the plate.

Scioscia had his contract renewed as a player, just like Lackey’s was renewed, so he understands the feeling.

Scioscia also is considerably underpaid as a manager, with a four-year, $3-million contract that is nearly five times smaller than the $14-million deal recently signed by the guy he beat in the World Series, Dusty Baker.

But Scioscia refused to complain in the early 1980s, and he refuses to complain now.

“If we went bad last year, they weren’t going to ask for any of their money back,” Scioscia said. “So because we won the World Series, how can I ask for more?”

And if he’s not complaining, he’s not going to let his players complain.

So earlier this week, Scioscia summoned Washburn to the woodshed, er, his office.

Said Scioscia: “I didn’t get mad, I just told him that this is how the system works.”

Said Washburn: “I like to voice my opinion, and sometimes that gets me in trouble.”

Through Washburn, it was made clear to the rest of the team that they should look in the mirror and remember who they were.

They are not the sort to let money change their play. It didn’t last year, when Washburn was renewed and still won 18 games.

They are not the sort to let distractions divide the clubhouse. They didn’t last year, not even after a turmoil-filled opening playoff loss in New York.

The Angels will never be the Clippers. It’s simply not their nature.

“I can’t imagine this team not having the same hunger as last year, because it wasn’t like they only stepped up last year,” said Scioscia. “Remember, this team has been like this for a couple of years. Last year was more of a culmination than a revelation.”

And by Wednesday afternoon, it was another hardball celebration, with Fullmer legging out a double and a triple against the Seattle Mariners, while Eckstein was recovering from flu by batting three times in the leadoff position, while Spiezio was diving around first base.

The winter is over, baseball is back, and Washburn had a sprained left shoulder to prove it.

Two days after his complaint about club unfairness, he hurt it while hustling on a fielding drill that he was treating as if it was a World Series game.

“Yeah, no matter what happens, the bottom line around here is still the same,” Washburn acknowledged with a grin. “All we care about is winning.”

Bill Plaschke can be reached at bill.plaschke@latimes.com.