Efforts Continue to Sign Clement

Negotiations for free-agent pitcher Matt Clement were in a holding pattern Sunday, but Angel General Manager Bill Stoneman said he was “just as optimistic” as he was Saturday about landing the Chicago Cub right-hander.

The Angels are also on the verge of signing hard-throwing right-handed reliever Esteban Yan to a two-year contract for about $3 million, a deal that should go a long way toward replacing the bullpen depth lost when closer Troy Percival signed with Detroit in November.

Barry Axelrod, the agent for Clement, said the Angels “are definitely a significant part” of the pursuit for the 30-year-old and that he was expecting to receive final offers from the five or so finalists Sunday night and today.

The Angels are believed to have offered Clement a three-year deal in the $21-million range, but Axelrod was under the impression that was not their last offer. He was scheduled to speak with Stoneman again late Sunday night, and the Angels were expected to nudge their offer upward.

“There’s been no movement forward, but there was none backward,” Stoneman said during the winter meetings in the Anaheim Marriott. “I still feel good that something will get done.”

The Toronto Blue Jays are making a strong push for Clement, offering a three-year deal in the $25-million range, and the Cleveland Indians have offered three years at about $19 million. The Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals are also in the mix.

“We’re still gathering some more information; we want to have all the facts,” Axelrod said. “We’re going to throw everyone’s best proposals in front of Matt and then make a choice. [A decision] could come some time in the next day or so.”

Clement was 9-13 with a 3.68 earned-run average last season, striking out 190 and walking 77 in 181 innings and limiting batters to a .229 average.

Stoneman, who said he was more focused on trade talks Sunday than he was with free-agent negotiations, was willing to remain patient -- to a point.

“Will it get done before [this morning’s] Rule 5 draft and everyone leaves? Maybe not,” Stoneman said. “But we’re not going to let this drag on for more than a week. At some point you have to walk away.”

Yan, 29, is a 6-foot-4, 255-pounder from the Dominican Republic who has the power arm the Angels covet. With a 96-mph fastball, nasty slider and split-fingered fastball, Yan was 3-6 with a 3.83 ERA and seven saves in 69 games for the Tigers last season, striking out 69 and walking 32 in 87 innings.

Yan filled a variety of roles in Detroit, from middle relief to closer, and occasional mechanical and mental lapses have led to some inconsistency -- he led the major leagues with 10 blown saves in 2004.

But Yan, who probably will serve as third short reliever in front of set-up men Brendan Donnelly and Scot Shields and closer Francisco Rodriguez, also has a reputation for getting out of jams -- of the 32 runners in scoring position he inherited last season, only nine scored.

Yan was not offered salary arbitration by the Tigers, so the Angels will not have to surrender a draft pick to Detroit when they sign him. Clement was offered arbitration, though, so if the Angels sign him, they will lose a draft pick to the Cubs.

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Manager Mike Scioscia confirmed that versatile utility player Chone Figgins would enter camp as the Angels’ starting second baseman in place of Adam Kennedy, who is expected to sit out the first month or two of the season while recovering from knee surgery.

There is no clear-cut favorite for designated hitter, but Scioscia said he was confident reserve infielder Robb Quinlan and backup outfielder Juan Rivera will provide production in that capacity. He also expects Kendry Morales, the 21-year-old Cuban slugger who recently agreed to terms with the Angels, to contend for the job.