Ortiz Now Content With Role

Although any team interested in acquiring displaced starter Ramon Ortiz can keep him beyond this season without exercising his $5.5-million option for next season, Ortiz now says he is at peace with his status as an Angel reliever.

“I want to finish the season here,” he said. “I want to finish strong.”

Ortiz, bumped to the bullpen twice this season after winning 16 games last season, twice had asked the Angels to trade him. The option for next season is prohibitively expensive, at a time middle-of-the-rotation starters can be signed at perhaps half the price.

But Ortiz is ineligible for free agency until after the 2005 season. So the Angels -- or any team trading for him -- can keep him by paying a $100,000 buyout, then offering him arbitration, in which he probably would receive a salary similar to the $3.1 million for this season.

Ortiz could return to the Angel rotation if Aaron Sele, with a 7.08 earned-run average in his last four starters, falters again today.

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After Scott Spiezio rejected the Angels’ offer of a bench job, the Seattle Mariners signed him as a starting infielder, for three years and $9 million. Although Spiezio entered Friday’s game hitting .211, Seattle General Manager Bill Bavasi would not say he made a poor investment.

“You can’t say that yet. It’s a three-year deal,” Bavasi said.

Bavasi said Spiezio would be Seattle’s first baseman next season. In this last-place season, the Mariners have cut shortstop Rich Aurilia and first baseman John Olerud, and second baseman Bret Boone and designated hitter Edgar Martinez were hitting below .250 before Friday’s game.

“We’ve had failures in other spots that were supposed to be more productive,” Bavasi said. “He was brought here to be an everyday player, not to carry the club. Guys like him and [Raul] Ibanez have been trying to carry the club when they’re not supposed to.”

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Garret Anderson did not test his strained groin Friday, hoping to return within a few days and unwilling to risk aggravating the injury. Chone Figgins moved from third base to center field, with Robb Quinlan at third. The Angels are expected to recall infielder Alfredo Amezaga from triple-A Salt Lake today and put either catcher Josh Paul or outfielder Jeff DaVanon on the disabled list.... For the first time in his 12-year career, Tim Salmon batted eighth.... Infielder Shane Halter accepted the Angels’ offer to play at triple-A Salt Lake.