Harvey Won’t Be Protected From Expansion by Angels

Barring a last-minute change or trade, there is only one major surprise on the 15-player protected lists that the Angels and Dodgers will submit to the Colorado Rockies and Florida Marlins before today’s 11 a.m. deadline.

Relief ace Bryan Harvey, who led the American League with 46 saves in 1991, will not be included on the Angels’ list.

The thinking, said a club source who declined to be identified, is that neither of the expansion teams will select Harvey as one of the 36 players they will draft Nov. 17 because:

--His 1993 availability is uncertain because of elbow surgery Aug. 14. He was on the disabled list twice during the season, going 13 for 16 in save chances with an 0-4 record before his last appearance on June 30.

--He is guaranteed $10.75 million over the next three seasons and it is unlikely that either team would take on a physical risk who carries that large of a financial commitment, particularly a relief pitcher.

Neither the Rockies nor Marlins are expected to have many save opportunities as they struggle for respectability in their first few seasons.

Harvey’s spot on the protected list, according to the source, will be taken by 24-year-old right-hander Ron Watson, who was 8-5 with a 1.29 earned-run average in 40 relief appearances at Class-A Quad City and is reported to be highly regarded by both the Rockies and Marlins, whose new pitching coach is former Angel pitching coach Marcel Lachemann.

Watson is one of seven protected pitchers on the Angels list. The others: Jim Abbott, Chuck Finley, Joe Grahe, Mark Langston, Troy Percival and Julio Valera.

The Angels will also protect catcher John Orton, infielders Gary DiSarcina, Damion Easley and Luis Sojo, and outfielders Chad Curtis, Luis Polonia and Tim Salmon.

It is known that Manager Buck Rodgers and executive Whitey Herzog have continued to differ on one spot.

While the Angels can protect four more players after the first round, Rodgers would prefer to protect outfielder Junior Felix, his runs batted in leader, among the initial 15 rather than second baseman Sojo.

Herzog, however, fears losing Sojo with no assurance Kevin Flora is ready or that free agent Rene Gonzales can be re-signed. Felix is also eligible for arbitration this winter, a concern at a time when the Angels are trying to reduce their payroll.

Rodgers, according to the source, might still win that debate, or both Felix and Sojo might be protected by exposing Watson, but as of now, “Watson and Sojo are on and Harvey and Felix are off,” with no plan to reinstate Harvey.

How will the Angels replace him if they have guessed wrong and he is drafted?

“Well,” the source said, “Joe Grahe did a terrific job replacing him last season (Grahe was 21 for 24 in save chances) and the money (that was to be paid Harvey) could be used on a (free-agent) hitter.”

The Dodgers will protect pitchers Pedro Astacio, Tom Candiotti, Kevin Gross, Greg Hansell, Orel Hershiser, Pedro Martinez and Ramon Martinez; catchers Carlos Hernandez and Mike Piazza; infielders Eric Karros and Jose Offerman, and outfielders Billy Ashley, Brett Butler, Raul Mondesi and Darryl Strawberry.

There was some speculation that the Dodgers would expose Gross and protect second baseman Roberto Mejia, but Mejia had a subpar season while bothered by a hand injury at Class-A Vero Beach and will soon have surgery, which might scare off the Marlins and Rockies.

Players on the protected lists can’t be traded or moved in any way until after the draft.