Anderson would rather be a better man than a bitter one

I spent four years trying to understand Jeff Kent, so many trying and aggravating chats before making a breakthrough here and there.

As bright as he was, Kent had so much to offer but was so unwilling to share it. His final days with the Dodgers were bitter ones, and off to himself as if he could separate himself any more from the team, he finally got his wish, leaving without any fanfare.

I also spent eight years with Garret Anderson, the first four or so trying to run him down, which sounds silly when you consider how slowly Anderson appears to be running.

Lucky for me he let me catch up, Anderson nothing like Kent, but still guarded and wary of outsiders.

Once past that, I can’t imagine finding a more down-to-earth athlete in Southern California than Anderson, blessed with unusual skills to play baseball, but just a regular guy driving the kids to school beyond that.

At one time both Kent and Anderson were considered two of the game’s better performers, time now catching up with them, interesting to see how each has handled it.

Kent wanted so badly to play second base for the Dodgers in the playoffs -- one last chance to win a World Series -- but the team stuck with Blake DeWitt, so Kent pouted.

Anderson, reading in the papers for months the Angels would most likely not pick up his option to play for the team next season, was one of the team’s best hitters the second half of the season.

When he did receive news from Angels General Manager Tony Reagins the team would not be picking up his $14-million option for the 2009 season, Anderson admittedly took the news hard.

He has always been an Angel, he thinks he’s still a productive player as evidenced by his .293 batting average, but now what?

The next day he returned a Page 2 call but said he’d like time to separate emotion from business, the pro’s pro stepping back once again to do the right thing.

The phone rang Wednesday and it was Garret Anderson following through on his promise to chat when ready.

“The first few days were very tough, the anxiety and just not knowing,” he said, “but I’m not bitter at all. If I was bitter, I’d retire rather than be sour the rest of my days in baseball.”

The California Angels drafted Anderson in the fourth round in 1990, and 7,989 at-bats later at the major league level, he has compiled a .296 batting average, the model of consistency until being knocked off course last week.

“I was surprised when it happened and wasn’t surprised. I had a good season, so picking up the option -- I thought I had earned it. On the flip side, I had been reading the papers, and writers are sometimes right.”

Although Anderson’s option called for $14 million, the Angels bought him out for $3 million, so in essence the Angels elected not to bring him back for $11 million.

The Angels have not been in touch with Anderson since Reagins personally delivered the news he was off their roster, and have given him no indication whether they will make an attempt to negotiate a new deal.

“Based on what I’m reading in the newspapers, they are trying to sign Mark Teixeira and I would imagine a lot of their plans depend on whether they do that or not. I’m definitely not high on their list and I respect that. They don’t owe me anything.

“Teixeira’s a good player and I’ve seen a lot of people come and go in my time. Arte Moreno has brought in a lot of good players, and the organization has to keep moving on so it doesn’t get too old.”

Anderson’s first choice remains to play for the Angels, and if they are also interested, he will represent himself in contract talks. If he remains free next week when teams will be allowed to start signing free agents, he will hire an agent to shop his skills.

“I like familiar. I was talking to Torii [Hunter] and he was telling me what it’s like to be the new guy, playing in a new system and in a new city. I’ve never had to deal with that, but it’s something I’m going to have to start dealing with whether I like it or not.

“But if I do go on to play elsewhere, I want to thank the fans here. I’m so thankful for the 14 years I had here, and would like to get that message to them.”

It’d be nice to put that thank you message on hold for a few more years, but business, the performance on the field, as Kent always maintained, is more important than anything that takes place off it. His way of saying nice guys finish last, I guess.

So how come he left looking like such a loser?

THE CLIPPERS will celebrate the contributions made by their longtime team doctor, Dr. Tony Daly, who recently passed away, before Friday’s game with the Rockets. It’s not clear if they will go so far as to win a game, but they will also dedicate the training and conditioning wing of their new practice facility in his honor.

SO IT doesn’t sound as if the Dodgers are going to bring back Rafael Furcal or Derek Lowe, and now they’ve declined the option on Brad Penny.

The Dodgers should have plenty of money now to sign Manny Ramirez. If not, then they should have plenty of money for Ned Colletti to start signing players.

Put that way, Ramirez is extra-double appealing, isn’t he?

THE NEXT time you think you’re having a bad go of it, look on the bright side. You are not Ryan Leaf.

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t.j.simers@latimes.com