Jarrod Washburn is available

Didn't have a great season and I'm not sure what the Halos would want for him but since we're all dying for some hot stove news, maybe this will be of interest. He makes 7 mill next year though.



Byrd enhances staff

By Gabe Lacques, Staff Writer

ANAHEIM -- The Angels moved aggressively Tuesday to upgrade the back end of their rotation, signing free-agent right-hander Paul Byrd to a one-year, $5 million deal and trading once-promising Ramon Ortiz to the Cincinnati Reds for minor-league pitcher Dustin Moseley.
Although the move gives the Angels five serviceable starters, general manager Bill Stoneman emphasized he is not done trying to improve the rotation. He is expected to meet today with Barry Axelrod, the agent for free-agent right-hander Matt Clement.

Axelrod said Stoneman informed him Tuesday evening that the Angels remain very much in the running for Clement, against Boston, the Chicago White Sox, Cleveland and Toronto. The Angels likely will present a final offer today.

The club is expected to aggressively shop left-hander Jarrod Washburn before Monday's deadline, enabling it to offer contracts to arbitration-eligible players.

Signing Byrd, 34, gives the Angels insurance in case they don't land Clement for three years and around $24 million. The club also could jump into the competition for Arizona left-hander Randy Johnson, if he would approve a trade to Anaheim.

Trading or non-tendering Washburn would save the Angels about $7 million. Their current payroll commitment for 2005 is $71 million for 11 players.

"Don't draw any conclusions about the signing of Paul Byrd completing our shopping list," Stoneman said. "He's a very important pitcher. But we're not necessarily done shopping. We're still talking pitching."

Axelrod said: "We're going to hook up (today) and try to bring this to a close, one way or the other."

Ortiz, 31, won 13, 15 and 16 games in 2001-03, but his ERA rose to 5.20 in '03, and he lost his spot in the rotation one month into last season. He twice demanded a trade, and the Angels were happy to oblige. They declined his $5.5 million option for next season; he'll probably receive about $4 million from Cincinnati.

Byrd does not throw hard, but he has a 60-53 record in nine seasons with Atlanta, Kansas City, Philadelphia and the New York Mets. He underwent ligament-replacement surgery in his throwing elbow before last season, but he returned to make 19 starts for Atlanta. He went 8-7 with a 3.94 ERA, solid numbers for a pitcher recently removed from major surgery.

Byrd said his elbow had been bothering him more than 10 years, and he was unable to throw between starts last season. He said he anticipates being able to throw sharper breaking pitches in 2005.

"I feel like next year the sky's the limit," said Byrd, who went 17-11 in '02 with Kansas City. "Now I'll be able to throw a sinker. I just felt like I was piecing together the remains of a season (in '04)."

Byrd said he received considerable interest from the Dodgers, Boston, Cleveland, Kansas City and Atlanta, some of which offered similar packages to the Angels. But the Tennessee native said it was an easy decision to come west.

"I'm used to having to win on last-place teams," he said. "When I viewed this team, it's like every position, there's no holes. It seems they've got a great thing going."

Moseley, who turns 23 in two weeks, was the 34th overall pick in the 2000 draft and is regarded by scouts as a potential No. 4 or 5 starter. Cincinnati GM Dan O'Brien said Tuesday he didn't foresee Moseley making an impact at the big-league level for at least two seasons.

To make room on the 40-man roster, the Angels designated infielder Alfredo Amezaga for assignment. He likely will be lost on waivers but is expendable with the acquisition of Maicer Izturis from Washington.

Ortiz's departure also means the Angels have one, and possibly two, vacancies in their bullpen. Even if Washburn is brought back for about $7 million, their payroll commitment likely will reach just $87 million, giving them room to tweak the bullpen or bench.

Or do something more significant. Axelrod said he expects Clement will sign within 48 hours.

"We're still in shopping mode," Stoneman said. "I'm not sure when it's ever not busy or we're not shopping."

Gabe Lacques, (626) 962-8811 gabe.lacques@sgvn.com