Davis’ Non-Arrival Is No Longer Joking Matter

The jokes and smiles are diminishing as the days pass and designated hitter Chili Davis fails to report to training camp at Tempe, Ariz.

Davis has been attending to personal matters, but Manager Marcel Lachemann expressed disappointment with his absence.

Davis, who will earn $3.8 million this year, is counted on to be a role model for the youthful Angels and that, perhaps, is what troubles Lachemann most of all.

“I know he’s trying to get his desk cleared before he concentrates on baseball, but he’s an important part of the club,” Lachemann said.

Davis lives in nearby Scottsdale, so it’s not as if he has far to travel.

Lachemann believes Davis, who batted a career-best .318 in 1995, with 20 home runs and 86 runs batted in despite spending time on the disabled list because of a pulled hamstring, will arrive in shape.

“Chili’s not dumb,” Lachemann said. “He knows what it takes to get ready for the season.”

*

It appears the Angels won’t sign free-agent catcher Joe Oliver. They believe he will soon sign with the Cincinnati Reds. In the end, Oliver’s asking price--at one time about $1 million--was too much for the Angels.

“We’ll keeping looking,” General Manager Bill Bavasi said.