SOURCES: ANGELS, VAUGHN CLOSE.

Byline: Bob Keisser

Within the next 48 hours, beleaguered Angels fans might actually have reason to be thankful.

A variety of sources say the team is close to signing free-agent first baseman Mo Vaughn to a six-year, $72 million contract. Official papers have been written and exchanged, and Angels executives have been advised to keep their Thanksgiving plans fluid.

And if that's not enough, here's the cranberries: The Angels are still in the chase for Randy Johnson, to the degree that their future first baseman and the former Mariners left-hander have discussed the possibility of playing on the same team.

Seattle traded Johnson to Houston last summer when contract talks broke off. Despite his going 10-1 and helping them win the NL Central title, the Astros bailed out of negotiations Tuesday. They would not extend their offer to Johnson beyond three years.

A source close to the Angels said, ``We let Randy know how much we want him.'' (The club entertained Johnson last week.) ``The question now is how much more we're willing to go.''

Clearly, Angels fans are no longer dealing with the Disney Sports group that once resided in Fantasyland. Among themselves, Disney chief Michael Eisner and Angels president Tony Tavares might continue to believe no single ballplayer is worth $10 million annually. But they seem to have recognized that $10 million or more is the market for players like Vaughn and Johnson, and that the alternatives aren't good business.

It was Tavares who said no player is worth $10 million. In terms of dollar-for-dollar value, he's correct. But in terms of team-by-team competitiveness, he's wrong. The baseball community is one of the quickest in separating contenders from pretenders, perhaps because newspapers print the standings each day.

The education offered this past season was convincing. The Padres gambled on Kevin Brown and won. The Astros gambled on Randy Johnson and won. The Rangers gambled on Todd Stottlemyre and won. The Angels did not make a deal and they reeled in September.

Disney brass might not know a slider from a sinker, but it seems to have learned the difference between Mo Vaughn and Cecil Fielder.

Perception often is reality in sports, and Disney is viewed as somewhat of a Scrooge outfit, renowned in the entertainment industry for squeezing every bit of green out of a buck. But the Angels' total team salary last season was $46 million, which is an increase of $20 million over what it was five years ago when the late Gene Autry and his wife Jackie ran the show.

Now, if Vaughn and Johnson decide to become Angels, the annual tab will climb past $65 million. Add that to the $100 million Disney spent to renovate the park and you have a sizable financial commitment.

The other thing the Vaughn and Johnson negotiations have done is give the team some off-the-field credibility. Before this, the Angels were viewed by agents and some rival general managers as small-timers, a team that would blink once the game began or, worse, not even play.

CAPTION(S):

Photo

PHOTO The Angels are still in hot pursuit of ace Randy Johnson.

Rusty Kennedy/Associated Press