Salmon Sees Opportunity, Plans to Adjust Contract

With Garret Anderson’s injury creating the possibility of an additional roster opening, Tim Salmon plans to waive the contract clause that requires the Angels to decide whether he will make the team next Wednesday.

“There’s a legitimate opportunity for me here,” Salmon said Wednesday. “I’m not going to hold them to that date. I don’t foresee them being in a position where they can commit, and I don’t see myself in a position where I’m out of the woods to be confident soliciting other teams.”

Salmon said he planned to discuss his situation with club officials in the next few days and said his decision is unrelated to Anderson’s condition. Still, the Angels probably won’t know whether Anderson can be ready for the opener by the time they would have had to decide on Salmon.

Salmon, 37, the franchise leader in home runs, sat out last season after shoulder and knee surgery. He is in camp on a minor league contract, and the clause that Salmon intends to waive calls for the Angels to add him to the major league roster by next Wednesday or release him so he can sign with another team.

He walked twice and doubled -- his first extra-base hit in 25 at-bats this spring -- in the Angels’ 8-5 victory over Texas on Wednesday. He is hitting .360.

Anderson has not played in 10 days because of a painful strain in the tissue that supports the arch of his left foot. He said he did not expect to sit out the opener.

“I don’t anticipate that, but I can’t see down the line,” he said. “I can’t foretell that.”

Salmon twice had a similar injury that restricted him to designated hitter and eventually required surgery, but the Angels categorized Anderson’s strain as “mild” and nowhere near as severe as Salmon’s. The team hopes Anderson can return within two weeks.

Anderson said doctors did not mention surgery as a possibility and do not consider the injury related to the back and knee injuries of the previous two seasons, or to his arthritic condition. He also said doctors did not broach the topic of playing DH rather than left field, which would minimize the time he spends on his feet.

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The Angels tentatively plan to start Bartolo Colon, John Lackey and Jeff Weaver in the season-opening series in Seattle April 3-5, with Kelvim Escobar starting the home opener against the New York Yankees on April 7 and Ervin Santana next in the rotation. ... The Angels hope to announce their television schedule next week, with about 50 games expected to air on Channel 13 and about 100 on FSN West. ... Vladimir Guerrero hit his first home run of the spring, and Orlando Cabrera and Casey Kotchman also homered. Lackey, bothered earlier in camp by a stiff shoulder, threw three shutout innings and said he “felt awesome.” ... Escobar, closer Francisco Rodriguez, outfielder Juan Rivera and infielder Edgardo Alfonzo are expected in camp today since Venezuela has been eliminated from the World Baseball Classic. ... The Angels sent shortstop Brandon Wood, pitcher David Austen and catchers Michael Collins and Bobby Wilson to minor league camp.