Banner Year a Salmon-Saver

SEATTLE —  The day will come soon enough, probably in 2006: The Angels will retire Tim Salmon’s uniform number.

Salmon, 35, at the heart of the Angel lineup for so long, is coping with a diminished role. For the first time in a month, he has played in four consecutive games, because of injuries to Garret Anderson, Vladimir Guerrero and Jeff DaVanon.

Salmon wouldn’t say whether he plans to retire after the 2005 season, when his contract expires, but he did say he would finish out the contract and would not play for another team.

He would join Nolan Ryan, Rod Carew and Jim Fregosi as players whose numbers have been retired by the Angels, but only Salmon would have played his entire career for them.

While Salmon will humbly accept whatever honors the Angels might bestow upon him, he said no thrill will compare to winning the World Series in 2002. Salmon is the Angels’ all-time leader with 290 home runs, and no active major leaguer has hit more without appearing in the All-Star game.

“The one thing I’m real proud of is that banner,” he said. “... That did away with any sense of hard feelings from never making the All-Star team or anything. That’s the thing I’ll be most proud of 50 years from now.”

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The city of Goodyear, Ariz., hopes to conclude negotiations with the Angels sometime next month on an agreement to build a new training complex for the team. The Angels are reviewing the latest proposal from the city. With an agreement next month, and with voter approval in a Sept. 7 election, Goodyear Mayor Jim Cavanaugh said the Angels could move to the new complex in 2006.

Angel owner Arte Moreno said he is deciding between Goodyear and Tempe, the team’s current spring home. Tempe City Manager Will Manley said he has heard “not a word” from the Angels in recent months.

The Angels could delay a decision on their spring home until the Cleveland Indians make one on theirs. Moreno has agreed to front $20 million toward the $40 million cost of the Goodyear complex, but he cannot be reimbursed from state funds unless another team replaces the Angels in Tempe. The Chicago White Sox are expected to be that team, and Arizona officials hope to lure the Indians to Tucson to replace the White Sox. The Indians now train in Winter Haven, Fla.

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Anderson, who suffered a strained groin last Thursday, started at designated hitter Sunday but left after one at-bat, the injury no worse but no better, according to Manager Mike Scioscia.

Scioscia believes Anderson and Guerrero (bruised wrist) can return during the series that starts tonight against first-place Texas.

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ON DECK

Opponent -- Texas Rangers, three games.

Site -- Angel Stadium.

TV -- Fox Sports Net Monday and Wednesday; Channel 9 Tuesday.

Radio -- KSPN (710), KTNQ (1020).

Records -- Angels 52-46, Rangers 55-41.

Record vs. Rangers -- 3-6.

Tonight, 7 -- Kelvim Escobar (5-7, 3.95) vs. Ryan Drese (6-5, 3.58).

Tuesday, 7 p.m. -- Bartolo Colon (8-8, 5.83) vs. Nick Regilio (0-0, 7.20).

Wednesday, 7 p.m. -- John Lackey (8-9, 4.84) vs. Kenny Rogers (13-3, 4.36).