ANGELS NOTEBOOK: CLEMENT ATTRACTS ADDITIONAL SUITOR.

Byline: Gabe Lacques Staff Writer

ANAHEIM - While Angels general manager Bill Stoneman remained highly confident Sunday his club would sign a free-agent starting pitcher and reliever this week, the agent for right-hander Matt Clement said another team unexpectedly joined the bidding for his client.

Stoneman spent much of a quiet Sunday at the winter meetings holding informal discussions with other clubs, but he said there was no discouraging progress in their hunt for a free-agent starter, strongly believed to be Clement, late of the Chicago Cubs.

``We'll eventually get there,'' Stoneman said, speaking generally about adding a free-agent starter. ``Common sense suggests things should work out from a player's standpoint, from our standpoint. We will get there. There's too much that makes sense, not just from our side.''

Clement's agent, Barry Axelrod, who already has left the meetings, said Sunday another club has expressed interest. The Angels, Dodgers, Cleveland, Arizona and possibly St. Louis are believed to be in contention for Clement.

``A new team I hadn't thought of jumped in,'' Axelrod said. ``Not one that traditionally has had wherewithal, but might in this case.''

Axelrod said it was ``his fondest hope'' Clement would sign by Wednesday. Stoneman envisioned a similar time frame, noting that ``it's not stuff that's going to drag on for a week.''

Axelrod denied a broadcast report that the Angels were going to sign Clement for four years and $40 million, but he said the offer ``may eventually'' come to that. Clement is expected to fall in the range of a three-year deal for $7 million to $9 million per season, and Stoneman said having to pay more than perceived market value for a starter ``isn't an issue, and isn't going to be.''

Stoneman confirmed he had been in contact with left-handed relievers, believed to be St. Louis' Steve Kline and Seattle's Ron Villone, but reiterated there's not a pressing need to add a lefty in the bullpen. The market for right-handed relievers is not inspiring, so the club could opt for a lefty or cull the trade market, which Stoneman confirmed the Angels have been tracking.

--McPherson power: With Troy Glaus and Jose Guillen gone, manager Mike Scioscia confirmed Sunday what was obvious: The club will rely heavily next season on 24-year-old third baseman Dallas McPherson for power. McPherson hit 40 home runs at Double-A and Triple-A and three in September for the Angels.

``Whoever's playing third for us has to produce,'' Scioscia said. ``We need Dallas to step up and give us the lion's share of that.''

Scioscia said he doesn't envision a platoon of Robb Quinlan with the left-handed McPherson, and he said if McPherson ``does what he can do,'' the job is his. McPherson struck out 186 times last season.

--DH by committee: The past three seasons, the Angels entered the season with a clear-cut designated hitter, either Brad Fullmer or Tim Salmon. They are strongly expected to go DH-by-committee in 2005.

Quinlan, newly acquired outfielder Juan Rivera and switch-hitting 21- year-old Cuban star Kendry Morales likely will assume much of the load at DH. If Morales pans out in spring training, he and Quinlan would make for a natural platoon. Stoneman said the early book on Morales is he's a ``good hitter from both sides, with power from both sides.''

--No Percy, no cry: Troy Percival is no longer an Angel, but Scioscia said new closer Francisco Rodriguez ``has closed games, has pitched in big games, knows what it's about.''

And Oakland manager Ken Macha doesn't think the Angel bullpen will be any less effective without Percival.

``As usual,'' Macha said, ``if they have a lead after six innings, it's trouble.''

Gabe Lacques, [phone]

gabe.lacques(at)sgvn.com

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MATT CLEMENT

Agent hopes free-agent right-hander will sign with Angels or another club by Wednesday.