Angels Win Despite the Distraction

As the Angels tried to keep the red-hot Texas Rangers in their sights in the American League West, their attention was diverted by a potentially divisive off-the-field issue before Wednesday night’s 2-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins in front of 17,766 in Edison Field.

An unspecified number of players met with General Manager Bill Bavasi on Wednesday afternoon to discuss concerns about Manager Terry Collins in the wake of news that the team was nearing a contract extension with him.

Bavasi wouldn’t say how many players he spoke with, nor would he divulge the nature of the conversations, but he confirmed the meetings were initiated by the players, not the front office.

“First of all, I want to say how disappointed I am that this is in the newspaper and didn’t remain in the clubhouse,” Bavasi said. “There are players who have issues with our field management style, and it appears we have two groups.

“One group is disturbed by the management style, and one group is disgusted and dismayed that there is a group disturbed by his style.”

Bavasi would not say how many players made up the group that is unhappy with Collins, only to say that “it’s not big.”

The general manager added: “All I can tell you is I will be tireless looking into this, and I will sort it out. In my mind, this can be resolved.

“In the world you and I live in, this would be minor. You would not bat an eye.”

Collins held a pregame meeting of his own Wednesday in an effort to smooth things over with his displeased players.

There was some tension earlier this week when second baseman Randy Velarde criticized Collins for retracting the green light he had to steal bases when Mo Vaughn was batting, and that uneasiness seemed to linger.

Bavasi said it won’t for long, though.

“Nothing will dilute our concentration toward the task at hand, which is the game tonight,” Bavasi said.

“Every inning of every game is of monumental importance. As the GM, I will do whatever I can to make this a blip on the screen.”

Just like the Twins’ offense, which was reduced to a blip by Angel ace Chuck Finley, who gave up one run and five hits in eight innings and struck out five to improve to 4-5.

Finley moved into 49th place on the career strikeout list with 2,016, passing Rick Reuschel and John Clarkson.

Garret Anderson homered in the sixth to tie the score, 1-1.

In the eighth, Darin Erstad doubled, took third on Velarde’s sacrifice bunt and scored the winning run on Vaughn’s single through a drawn-in infield.

Troy Percival pitched a scoreless ninth for his 15th save.

The Angels handed Minnesota right-hander Brad Radke, who entered the game with a 7-1 record and 1.57 earned-run average against the Angels, his first loss in Edison Field.

“We hardly ever seem to score many runs for Chuck, and all he does is go out there in Finley style and pitch, and pitch well,” Collins said.

“We didn’t waste it this time.”

Another off-the-field matter arose Wednesday, but this one was more pleasant. Right fielder Tim Salmon, out since May 3 because of a sprained left wrist, was reexamined and cleared to begin range-of-motion and strengthening exercises with a projected return of early July.

Salmon saw two reasons to be optimistic: He left the Kerlan-Jobe Clinic in Los Angeles wearing a splint instead of a cast, and Dr. Norman Zemel, a hand and wrist specialist, did not order another arthrogram, an X-ray in which dye is injected into the wrist to better detect ligament and cartilage tears.

“It’s scarring, the pain is down, I’ve made some progress,” Salmon said.

“Everything is upbeat.”

Not so upbeat that Salmon would pinpoint a return date, though.

“It could be two weeks, it could be four or five weeks,” he said. “This is good news, and I’m optimistic, but I also have to be cautious. I’m not going to touch a bat for another week. It’s not like I’m going to be 100% ready to play very soon.”

Salmon may soon have more company on the disabled list. Catcher Charlie O’Brien strained his right foot rounding first base on a second-inning flyout, and he will undergo an MRI test today.