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LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- The Winter Meetings opened here Monday but the Angels appeared to express no sense of urgency.

General manager Bill Stoneman arrived late in the afternoon to the Swan and Dolphin Resort and did not meet with reporters, saving his first day to continue discussions with other clubs.

But that did not prevent a couple of reliable rumors to re-surface and one of those included the New York Yankees, according to an industry source. The Angels reportedly remain interested in third baseman Alex Rodriguez, a player that would satisfy a host of goals for the club this offseason.

The Angels identified a power bat as their No. 1 priority while looking to fill holes at third base, first base and center field. Gary Matthews signed a five-year, $50 million deal last month to take over in center but he doesn't quite satisfy the power prerequisite.

Rodriguez certainly would, but any deal could be complicated and would also command a high price tag in trade. The Yankees have expressed interest in both Ervin Santana and Scot Shields, two players that Stoneman has all but refused to trade. A deal for Rodriguez, though, would probably require yet another player, possibly Chone Figgins.

Another major snag to a deal is the Yankees themselves. General manager Brian Cashman has given no indications that he's ready to trade the two-time MVP, and Rodriguez, who has a full no-trade clause, has said he wants to remain in New York.

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