ANGELS : It’s Not Any Secret Who the Replacements Are

MESA, Ariz. — While several teams have been secretive about the identities of their replacement players, the Angels have been candid.

Their roster, which grew to 49 with the addition of infielder Jose Peguero on Tuesday, was released on the first day of camp.

Although many Angel hopefuls have hedged when asked if they’d cross the union picket line to play, General Manager Bill Bavasi said no players in camp have refused to become replacements.

When the Angels move from Gene Autry Park to Tempe Diablo Stadium for the start of their exhibition season next week, “we’re planning on going with what’s here,” Bavasi said.

Some teams have brought as many as 100 players to camp, mixing minor league prospects with potential replacements, but the Angels have kept those groups virtually separate.

About 150 minor leaguers will report to Mesa in early March, but only one player the organization considers a minor league prospect, 24-year-old pitcher Chris Gunnett, is in camp with the replacements.

“I think a lot of clubs brought in all their minor leaguers and are hoping some of them will cross,” Bavasi said. “But we put a premium on guys who would play.”

They put name tags on them too, despite fears that identifying replacements might subject them to union harassment.

“The whole problem in this process is secrecy,” Angel Manager Marcel Lachemann said. “But everyone knows what’s going on here. I have no problems being honest. Most of the guys here are replacement players.”