Guerrero’s an Immediate Asset

In a mere four innings of his first exhibition game as an Angel on Friday, right fielder Vladimir Guerrero displayed almost every skill that had persuaded owner Arte Moreno to shell out $70 million in a five-year deal for the former Montreal Expo star.

Guerrero had two hits in two at-bats, an RBI single in the first inning and a double in the third, to help the Angels defeat the San Diego Padres, 8-7, in the exhibition opener.

He ran the bases aggressively, scoring from first base on Tim Salmon’s double in the first. He made a strong throw to third in the second inning, though not in time to cut down a runner. He got a good jump on Phil Nevin’s fly ball to the right-field corner in the third and made a running catch.

“He looked well worth the money today,” said pitcher John Lackey, who gave up one run and three hits and struck out three in two innings.

“He ran the bases hard, made a couple of plays in the outfield and got a few hits.”

Guerrero gave the Angels a little scare in the third when he tagged from second on a fly ball, caught a spike near third base and appeared to twist his ankle.

“But I’m fine,” Guerrero said through an interpreter. “It’s only the first game, and I’m not ready for the season, but I feel excited. Hopefully, I can keep it going.”

New left fielder Jose Guillen made a good first impression, with two singles and an RBI in two at-bats and a nice running catch in the gap, and Salmon had two hits and two RBIs in three at-bats.

The Angels rallied for three runs in the eighth, with Jeff Mathis hitting a solo home run, Alfredo Amezaga knocking in the tying run with an RBI single and Jeff DaVanon driving in the winning run with a sacrifice fly.

Amezaga, who hopes to push David Eckstein for the shortstop job, was supposed to bunt with runners on first and second, but when the Padres put on a wheel play, in which the third baseman charges and the shortstop covers third, Amezaga alertly swung away and singled to left.

“That was a good read,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “You never want to bunt into a wheel play. He brought the bat back and slapped the ball. That was great to see.”

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The Angels outbid the Yankees, Dodgers and Diamondbacks to sign two Mexican League pitching prospects, 21-year-old right-han- der Francisco Cordova and 17-year-old right-hander Felipe Arredondo, who each received a signing bonus in excess of $200,000. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound Cordova is a power pitcher whose fastball has touched 96 mph, and the 6-4, 185-pound Arredondo has a good curve to go with a fastball that has reached 91 mph.