The Angels have begun negotiations with John Lackey on a contract extension, and the pitcher would prefer to have a deal in place before the season begins. Lackey has a 91-63 record and 3.81 earned-run average in six-plus big league seasons. "It's a great place to play, obviously," Lackey said. "But I feel like I've done some things that need to be taken care of." That means he wants to get paid for his past performance. "I'd like to get it done before the regular season," Lackey said. "But I'll do my thing on the field regardless of what's going on. Motivation is not my problem. Hitting is. I've seen six strikes this year."