Rodriguez is ready to sign for long haul

Francisco Rodriguez didn’t exactly go Carlos Zambrano on the Angels Thursday, but the closer did hint at the possibility of pitching elsewhere if the Angels don’t secure him to a multiyear contract before he becomes a free agent after 2008.

“Sooner or later I know I will have that contract, either with the Angels or another team,” Rodriguez said before the team’s first workout for pitchers and catchers. “Every player wants that security for their family, career and life, but I understand this is a business, and I can’t control it.”

Talks with Paul Kinzer, Rodriguez’s agent, failed to net a long-term deal last winter, and the sides haven’t agreed on a multiyear contract this winter.

Arbitration was avoided when Rodriguez signed a one-year, $7-million deal in January, “but we haven’t discussed a multiyear contract at all since then,” Kinzer said. “We’re hoping to.”

Rodriguez, 25, has quickly established himself as one of baseball’s best closers, leading the American League in saves in the two seasons since he replaced Troy Percival as the Angels’ closer.

The right-hander went 2-3 with a 1.73 earned-run average and 47 saves in 51 chances last season, winning the AL Rolaids Relief Man Award, and with Mariano Rivera nearing retirement in New York, the Yankees are believed to be eyeing Rodriguez as a possible replacement.

If Rodriguez is as effective in 2007 and 2008 as he was the last two years, he’ll be in line to make more than $10 million a year. Rodriguez would sacrifice some salary for the security of a long-term deal, but the Angels have shown no aversion to going year to year.

“I don’t want to keep waiting for it,” said Rodriguez, who, for the first time in three years, was in camp for the team’s first workout. “I have to focus on this year and keep putting up numbers. If they want to talk about it, the door is open.”

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An increase from 76 total innings in 2005 to 200 innings with the Angels and triple-A Salt Lake in 2006 took a toll on right-hander Jered Weaver, who chose to rest his shoulder longer than usual this winter and, as a result, is a little behind schedule.

While most pitchers threw off a mound Thursday or will throw off a mound today, Weaver, who went 11-2 with a 2.56 ERA in 19 starts as a rookie, was relegated to long toss and probably won’t pitch off a mound until next week.

“He had a long season last year, and it’s going to take a little more time to get back to where he needs to be,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “We don’t want a guy to get on the mound until he’s comfortable with his flat-ground work. There’s no reason to worry.”

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Like Rodriguez, setup man Scot Shields will be a free agent after 2008, and like Rodriguez, Shields, who signed for $3.4 million in January, has been unable to come to terms on a long-term deal for the last two winters.

“There’s been a little bit of talk, but they’ve treated me well the last few years, and I’m happy with the contract I have now,” said Shields, who went 7-7 with a 2.87 ERA in 87 2/3 innings last season. “I’d like to sign a long-term deal. The numbers haven’t added up right, but I’m happy to go year to year. I want to stay here.”

mike.digiovanna@latimes.com