Owner Already Getting Advice

Arturo Moreno is expected to attend Thursday’s Angel-Yankee game here, hours after major league owners ratify his purchase of the Angels. While new owners often consider making a splashy entrance by signing a flashy and expensive free agent, Angel players suggest that such a move might be unnecessary and perhaps unwise.

“It’s that business adage of not putting all your eggs in one basket,” outfielder Garret Anderson said. “You don’t put all your money into one person, especially in our business, where you’ve got nine guys out there. In this game, the big thing is to fill the holes you have and not just go and sign a big name, and they’ve done a good job in the last few years here doing that.”

While this fall’s class of free agents could include such stars as Montreal outfielder Vladimir Guerrero and Oakland shortstop Miguel Tejada, infielder Adam Kennedy suggested the Angels ought to keep some pennies free for Anderson, whose four-year, $20-million contract expires after the 2004 season. Anderson plays alongside Tim Salmon, whose four-year, $40-million contract extends through 2005.

“We have a superstar, and that’s Garret,” Kennedy said. “Name five better hitters in the game than him. You’d like to keep him around forever.”

Still, pitcher Jarrod Washburn said Guerrero or Tejada would look good in red.

“I don’t think you can go wrong bringing in a star player,” Washburn said. “Guys like that would be a good addition to anybody’s club. At the same time, the club we have won the World Series last year. I don’t think it would be necessary to do something like that. But if Mr. Moreno wants to bring in a guy like that, I wouldn’t complain.”

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As Angel General Manager Bill Stoneman stood near the cage during batting practice Tuesday, a Yankee Stadium security guard approached him and asked, “Excuse me, sir, do you have an ID?”

Stoneman, far too humble to consider flashing his World Series championship ring or asking why the guard did not know who put together the team that knocked the Yankees out of last year’s playoffs, obediently retrieved his major league identification card from his wallet.

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Center fielder Darin Erstad will not return during this six-game trip and probably will not return during the six-game home stand that follows. Manager Mike Scioscia said that Erstad, out since April 19 because of tendinitis in his right hamstring, will require a minor league rehabilitation assignment.... Brendan Donnelly’s season-opening streak of 20 consecutive scoreless innings ended, but only because Salmon’s throwing error gave the Yankees an unearned run.