ANGELS NOTEBOOK: STONEMAN HOPEFUL FOR A WEAVER DEAL.

Byline: Gabe Lacques Staff Writer

TEMPE, Ariz. - With the Angels 10 days into spring training and still without first-round pick Jered Weaver in the fold, general manager Bill Stoneman maintains the club has a shot to get a deal done, even though offering more money than any other 2004 draft pick has yet to make it happen.

The Angels are believed to have presented a revised total package of nearly $7 million to sign Weaver, the Long Beach State standout picked 12th overall in the June 2004 draft. Weaver and agent Scott Boras had been seeking a package with a total value closer to $10 million.

``The door's wide open,'' Stoneman said Thursday. ``We're still hopeful.''

Chicago Cubs pitcher Mark Prior received a five-year, $10.5 million deal out of USC in 2002, and Boras has maintained Weaver is similarly major-league ready out of college.

But a source indicated the Angels do not want to re-define the parameters of first-round signing bonuses merely to sign Weaver, and they believe the package offered is very fair.

--Backed up: Kelvim Escobar's bout with shoulder tightness shouldn't force him to miss a regular-season start, but likely will force him to the back end of the rotation the first time through, manager Mike Scioscia said Thursday.

Escobar, who shut down his January throwing program in Venezuela when he felt the tightness, said he'll throw from 150 feet today and will throw off a mound for the first time Sunday.

He suffered a similar condition a few years ago with Toronto. He said he was limited during that spring training to eight innings, but still started the season with no complications.

``It doesn't matter if I'm ready the first game or the fifth game,'' Escobar said. ``I'll be ready. I'm good to go.''

--Still waiting: The arrivals of outfielder Juan Rivera and slugger Kendry Morales again have been delayed, and with visa and passport processing activities shutting down over the weekend, they may not reach camp until well into next week.

Gabe Lacques, [phone]

gabe.lacques(at)sgvn.com