Langston, Yankees Will Talk : Angels: Negotiations might lead to a trade. Pitcher could become a free agent next year.

The New York Yankees have received permission from the Angels to negotiate a contract with left-handed starter Mark Langston in a possible prelude to a trade.

Langston, in the final year of a five-year, $16-million contract, has a no-trade provision that requires the Angels to seek his approval of any trade. Langston told them that he is willing to listen to the Yankees and is expected to receive a three- or four-year contract proposal this week.

The Angels and Yankees have discussed in detail the principals involved if Langston agrees to such a trade. For Langston, the Angels would receive veteran second baseman Mike Gallego, starting pitcher Mark Hutton, and either starter Domingo Jean or reliever Bobby Munoz. The pitchers are all highly touted prospects who made their major league debuts this season.

Still, it remains questionable if Langston would be willing to play for the Yankees. Langston, 16-11 with a 3.20 earned-run average last season, has been opposed to playing in New York. Even so, the Yankees promised him that he would be on a pennant contender, would play for an owner obsessed with winning the World Series, and would be reunited with two of his best friends, pitching coach Billy Connors and pitcher Jim Abbott.

Langston and his agent, Arn Tellem, would not comment on details of the talks Monday, but indicated that Langston would prefer to stay with the Angels.

“Mark’s real goal is to stay here,” Tellem said, “I just can’t comment on anything else.”

Langston and Tellem met last week with Angel General Manager Whitey Herzog to discuss a contract extension, but it was far from a peaceful discussion.

Langston said he was seeking a four-year contract worth nearly $24 million to remain and forgo free agency in a year. The Angels countered with a three-year offer of about $14 million that includes incentives.

Langston, 33, told Herzog that his primary objection to re-signing with the Angels is not so much the monetary difference but the prospect of finishing his career without having been in postseason play.

Langston, who has a 144-126 record, never has played for a team with a winning record in his 10 major league seasons. The Angels have finished a combined 84 games out of first place since Langston signed with them.

Herzog argued that the Angels are headed in the right direction and that no one can guarantee a World Series. He also asked that, if Langston has no intention of staying with the Angels past the 1994 season, he provide a list of teams for which he would be willing to play.

Langston, the only active major league player who has pitched at least 223 innings the last eight years, said that his first choice would be to pitch for the Dodgers. It was during this discussion that he expressed interest in at least talking with the Yankees.

The Angels’ last trade with the Yankees also was precipitated by a snag in contract talks. The Angels traded Abbott on Dec. 9, 1992--when they failed to reach an agreement on a four-year contract--for first baseman J.T. Snow, and pitchers Russ Springer and Jerry Nielsen.

A year later, the Angels are left with an even tighter budget. The 1994 player payroll will be $19 million to $21 million, according to a club executive, including player incentives.

Langston is scheduled to be paid $3.25 million this season. The package of players the Yankees are offering will earn a total of about $1.5 million in 1994, including Gallego’s $1.075-million salary.

“We’re just going to have to wait and see what happens,” said Herzog, who underwent cataract surgery Monday in St. Louis. “We’d like to have Mark back.”