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UPDATE (SATURDAY 1:27 PM): O'Brien clarified his position, noting that Williams would be happy to stay with the Angels.
"Jerome loves pitching for the Angels and will pitch in any role they want him to pitch in," O'Brien said on Saturday. "With that being said both Jerome and his agency, Full Circle Sports Management, believe that if given the opportunity to start 32-34 games in the big leagues in 2014, that Jerome could be a 15 plus game winner. So, if he is a non tender we will embrace this as a time to find the team that will give him that opportunity to prove his true value."
Original: Los Angeles Angels right-hander Jerome Williams is arbitration-eligible, and has been mentioned as a candidate to be non-tendered by Monday's deadline. Williams' agent, Larry O'Brien, says that the team has not indicated to him that they will tender Williams a contract, but he expects that they will.
O'Brien also expressed that he would be happy with the opportunity for Williams to test the free agent market as a non-tender.
"I certainly hope [the Angels] don't tender Jerome," O'Brien said in a text message on Friday. "There are many teams he could effectively start for."
Williams, who turns 32 on Wednesday, was 9-10 with a 4.57 ERA in 37 appearances (25 starts) with the Angels in 2013. The team has not clarified his role for next season, and is expected to use him as a reliever if he returns to Anaheim.
Williams made $2 million in a deal to avoid arbitration last season, and is expected to receive a small raise this offseason if he is tendered a contract.
