Tim Harkrider

Tim Harkrider can proceed with his lawsuit against the Angels after a Texas judge denied the team's request to dismiss the case. Harkrider charges the Angels with failing to fulfill their contractual obligation to provide quality medical care, preventing him from recovering from an ankle injury and advancing to the major leagues. The Angels deny the charges.

Tim Harkrider can proceed with his lawsuit against the Angels after a Texas judge denied the team's request to dismiss the case. Harkrider charges the Angels with failing to fulfill their contractual obligation to provide quality medical care, preventing him from recovering from an ankle injury and advancing to the major leagues. The Angels deny the charges.

As Tim Harkrider extends his right hand, the ring commemorating a minor league baseball team's championship sparkles in the sunshine. He wears the ring proudly, despite its Angel logo. "I don't hate them," he said. He is, however, suing them. In a lawsuit filed in his home state of Texas, Harkrider, 28, charges the Angels with inferior medical care that prevented him from recovering from an ankle injury, regaining his status as a top prospect and, ultimately, playing in the major leagues.

As Tim Harkrider extends his right hand, the ring commemorating a minor league baseball team's championship sparkles in the sunshine. He wears the ring proudly, despite its Angel logo. "I don't hate them," he said. He is, however, suing them. In a lawsuit filed in his home state of Texas, Harkrider, 28, charges the Angels with inferior medical care that prevented him from recovering from an ankle injury, regaining his status as a top prospect and, ultimately, playing in the major leagues.

The Angels have settled a lawsuit with a former prospect who charged the team with failing to fulfill its contractual obligation to provide quality medical care. Mike Parker, the attorney for shortstop Tim Harkrider, said Tuesday the two sides concluded a settlement agreement last week. Parker said a confidentiality agreement precluded him from discussing terms of the agreement. Thomas A. Connop, an attorney representing the Angels, declined to comment.

The roster was reduced to 25 as outfielder Orlando Palmeiro and catcher Chris Turner were sent to Vancouver.

Ryan McGuire didn't make the final roster of the United States Olympic baseball team this summer, but he found another place to make his mark. McGuire, a former El Camino Real High standout, had two doubles Thursday to lead Anchorage, Alaska, to an 18-3 rout of the Valley Rangers in an elimination game of the National Baseball Congress World Series at Wichita, Kan. McGuire, a first baseman who will be a junior at UCLA in the fall, drove in four runs to lead Anchorage.

Angel shortstop Dick Schofield and pitchers Kyle Abbott, Mark Eichhorn, Jason Grimsley, Bryan Harvey and Steve Ontiveros exercised their options and became free agents. The Angels also activated infielder Tim Harkrider from the 60-day disabled list and outrighted him to triple-A Vancouver. * Sandy Alderson, general manager of the Oakland Athletics, is also getting his old job back as team president.

The Angels made perhaps their final move before spring training opens this month, signing relief pitcher Mark Eichhorn to a minor league contract Friday. Eichhorn, who pitched for the Angels from 1990 to '92, has been invited to spring training as a nonroster player. The club still hopes to acquire a standout catcher and re-sign outfielders Garret Anderson and Jim Edmonds, reliever Troy Percival and first baseman J.T. Snow.

Second baseman Kevin Flora, in an attempt to revitalize his career, has agreed to play in the Arizona Fall League and will report Sept. 30 to the Tempe Rafters. "Kevin's really excited about coming," said Bill Moore, Flora's agent. "His attitude is totally different now." Flora, projected to be the Angels' everyday second baseman this season, rejected the club's invitation to play in the fall league last winter while continuing to mourn his wife, who died April 22, 1993.

Right-hander Ramon Ortiz experienced stiffness in his right biceps while warming up for Monday's exhibition game and did not make his scheduled start against the Chicago Cubs. Ortiz, the team's best prospect, was examined by local physician Fred Dicke and will be reexamined today by team physician Lewis Yocum. The preliminary diagnosis was mild tendinitis and Ortiz is tentatively scheduled to throw in the bullpen by the weekend.