ANGELS : Gaetti Gets Early Start on Adjusting to New Job

MESA, Ariz. —  Deciding that the best way to ease his mind is to tire his body, third baseman Gary Gaetti began working out with his new Angel teammates a day before infielders and outfielders were required to be on the field at Gene Autry Park.

After his first session Tuesday, Gaetti pronounced his feet sore but his heart lighter than it has been since he signed his four-year, $11.4-million contract last month. His doubts about leaving the Minnesota Twins haven’t vanished, but being involved in spring drills should keep him too busy to dwell on his uncertainty.

“There are times it tries to creep up on you, but with each step you take it works itself out,” said Gaetti, whose early appearance was sanctioned by Angel General Manager Mike Port. “You meet the guys, you get adjusted.

“I wanted to take a day to get a lot of the hellos out of the way and learn how they do things here. I’ve been looking forward to this. There’s a lot of things that kept me distracted until the time I got here, but once you see your uniform sitting there, you get excited.”

Another early arrival, infielder Fred Manrique, took swings off a tee, but outfielder Luis Polonia limited his activity to heckling teammates during batting practice. “It’s nice to see a few of them come in,” Manager Doug Rader said. “(Today) is going to be a good day.”

For once, Jim Abbott is performing under less scrutiny than his teammates. No longer merely a curiosity because he lacks a right hand, Abbott is savoring his first “normal” spring training.

“The first year everything was so new, and last year everything was so quick,” said Abbott, who was 12-12 as a rookie and 10-14 last season. “This is a lot more controlled. You know you can go in with some goals and realistic expectations.

“I’ve set goals for spring training--to be in really good shape and to come into the season with better mechanics and a little better consistency with my off-speed pitch. The first couple of days, my legs felt really stiff, but I feel really good, like we’re getting stuff done.”

Abbott’s 1991 contract, however, remains undone. Dan O’Brien, Angel senior vice president, said he spoke to Abbott’s agent, Scott Boras, last Friday and isn’t concerned that they haven’t reached an agreement. “A lot of agents prefer to wait and see where the market’s going,” O’Brien said.

Abbott has until next Tuesday to sign a new contract or be subject to a renewal. The Angels renewed his contract last year, increasing his salary from $68,000 to $185,000.

Rader said he plans to carry 11 pitchers, including starters Chuck Finley, Bert Blyleven, Mark Langston, Kirk McCaskill and Abbott. “The bullpen as it stands now--if the givens are (Floyd) Bannister, (Bob) McClure, (Bryan) Harvey and (Jeff Robinson)--leaves pretty good competition for the last two spots,” Rader said.

The top contenders are left-handers Scott Bailes and Cliff Young and right-handers Mike Fetters, Matt Keough and Mark Eichhorn. Rader might add a starter if Blyleven’s right shoulder isn’t healthy, but Rader said Blyleven continues to progress rapidly.

Rod Carew, going into baseball’s Hall of Fame in July, will be inducted into the Angels’ Hall of Fame on Aug. 6 at Anaheim Stadium.

Carew will join Bobby Grich, Jim Fregosi and Don Baylor in the Angels’ Hall of Fame.