Glaus’ Raise Not Very Glossy

The Angels made a point in the ‘90s of rewarding outstanding young players with multiyear contracts after breakthrough seasons, a strategy that made millionaires of Tim Salmon, Jim Edmonds, Garret Anderson and Darin Erstad but also saved the Angels millions in future player costs.

Those days may be over if the team’s handling of Troy Glaus’ contract this spring is any indication. Glaus hit .240 with 29 homers and 79 runs batted in in 1999, his first full big league season, and established himself as one of the American League’s best defensive third basemen.

But when his agent, Craig Fenech, approached General Manager Bill Stoneman about a multiyear deal or what he considered fair-market value for one year, he ran into a brick wall.

The Angels renewed Glaus’ contract at $275,000, a $63,000 raise over Glaus’ 1999 salary of $212,000. As a comparison, Erstad’s salary jumped to $500,000 in 1998, his second full season in the big leagues.

“They weren’t interested in negotiating,” Fenech said. “They said, ‘This is it.’ They didn’t entertain any discussions. Troy was not happy. I think that’s the new Disney policy, via the hiring of Bill Stoneman.

“They want to dictate salaries. That may save money in the short run, but I don’t think it helps in the long run. Players who negotiate fair contracts are generally a lot happier than ones who have contracts imposed on them.”

Glaus, who had two hits in the Angels’ 12-4 Cactus League loss to Oakland Saturday, acknowledged he wasn’t pleased about his contract, “but there’s no way it will affect what happens on the field and in the clubhouse,” he said.

Until players have three years of major league service time and are eligible for arbitration, they have no leverage in contract talks.

“Stoneman had every right to do what he did--I don’t have any pull,” Glaus said. “I have to wait my turn. There’s been a changing of the guard. Different people are making decisions. I’m not going to be bitter.”

Stoneman would not rule out the possibility of signing a young player to a multiyear deal, “but right now we have a certain scale [for players with less than three years experience],” he said. “Troy is at the top of that scale. He may not be happy with it, but every club hears the same thing.”

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Pitcher Ken Hill, who has tinkered with his windup in an effort to relieve stress on his arthritic elbow, went back to lifting his hands over his head as he began his motion Saturday. Hill gave up two runs on four hits in two innings, but his velocity was good.

“I think that’s a sign of him being healthier,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “He’s looking for the rhythm of his windup, and he feels good about it.”

Pitchers Ramon Ortiz (three strikeouts in two hitless innings) and Tom Candiotti (one hit in two innings) looked very sharp Saturday, and Jason Dickson, who sat out last season because of shoulder surgery, gave up two hits and struck out two in two scoreless innings of a morning B game.

“I like the way Dickson spotted his fastball,” Scioscia said. “It looks like his velocity is back, and his breaking ball was crisp. The last thing to come back is your command, and I think he’ll have that by the end of camp.”