Bob Boone, who left the Angels for...

Bob Boone, who left the Angels for Kansas City two years ago and is now a free agent, believes an Angel halo would fit him perfectly next season.

Whether the Angels think Boone, who turned 43 on Monday and has caught a major league-record 2,225 games, fits into their plans is another matter. But the backup spot behind Lance Parrish did open when Bill Schroeder was released, and John Orton remains unproven after hitting .190 in 31 games with the Angels and .241 with triple-A Edmonton.

“I believe I can still play and I want to play, but obviously I need some cooperation from an employer,” said Boone, who lives in Villa Park. “I know I can still catch. I’d like to be the (Angels’) No. 1 catcher and yet, backing up is not hateful to me.”

Boone left the Angels after two years of acrimonious contract talks with General Manager Mike Port and a year in which he was forced to go to arbitration to keep his $883,000 salary after winning consecutive Gold Glove awards.

He signed with the Royals for the promise of being the starting catcher and $883,001--one dollar more than his Angel salary. His 1990 salary was $1.9 million, but he played in only 40 games.

Port said it’s too early in the off-season to evaluate Boone’s situation.