Julio Franco on Their Shopping List

The Angels are one of three teams believed to be in the running for infielder Julio Franco, who was designated for assignment by the Cleveland Indians Aug. 1 and will become a free agent when he clears unconditional release waivers today.

The Milwaukee Brewers and San Francisco Giants are also pursuing Franco, who was hitting .284 with three home runs, 25 RBIs and 46 runs but slumped in June and was benched after the All-Star break.

Franco, 36, has been working out twice a day in the Dominican Republic and believes his slump may have stemmed from a vision problem, which he believes he has corrected with new glasses.

The 15-year veteran, who can play first base, second base or designated hitter, has a career .302 average.

If the Angels sign Franco, they would have to pay him only for the rest of the season, at the pro-rated major league minimum salary of $150,000.

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Reliever Rich DeLucia, who thought his season was over when he had an aneurysm removed from his right shoulder in late July, was cleared to begin throwing Tuesday and hopes to return to the bullpen in about three weeks.

“This is a good sign,” said Delucia, 6-3 with a 2.41 earned-run average and three saves in 29 appearances. “The doctor said to do whatever I can handle, that everything is healed and I’m ready to go. I just don’t want to rush it and suffer any setbacks.”

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Manager Terry Collins tried catcher Todd Greene in the cleanup spot Tuesday night, but that experiment probably won’t last long. The rookie went 0 for 4, including an infield pop with two on in the sixth inning. . . . The Angels have signed four more players from the June draft, pitcher Michael Brunet (fifth round, Pasco Hernando Community College in Florida), catcher Robert Garrick (seventh round, Texas A&M;), pitcher Steve Green (10th round, Fort Scott Community College in Kansas) and shortstop Steve Ahlers (53rd round, Livermore High School).

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TONIGHT’S GAME

ANGELS’ ALLEN WATSON (10-6, 4.54 ERA) vs. WHITE SOX’S SCOTT EYRE

(0-2, 8.68 ERA)

Comiskey Park, Chicago, 5 p.m.

Radio--KTZN (710)

* Update--Many Angel fans bashed the J.T. Snow-for-Watson trade in April, when Watson went 0-2 with a 7.50 ERA in his first five starts, but the left-hander has gone 10-4 with a 3.78 ERA since, and no one is criticizing the deal with the San Francisco Giants any longer. Watson has gone six innings or more in nine of his last 10 starts and given up three earned runs or less in eight of those 10 games. He has given up 22 home runs, but none in his last two starts. Eyre, the White Sox right-hander, made his first big league start against the Angels Aug. 1 and was pounded for six runs on six hits in 4 1/3 innings.