TEMPE, Ariz. - The allegations surrounding Gary Matthews Jr. are a cloud hanging over the Angels' preseason preparations. And Angels owner Arte Moreno would like him to clear the air.

"All I've said from the start is I think it's important for him to come out and be straight up with people," Moreno said after the Angels' 6-4 victory over the San Diego Padres on Wednesday. "I think obviously they (Matthews' representatives) should have enough information now that he should be able to step forward and make a public statement of the facts.

"Right now, he continues to pass the ball to lawyers or a PR agency. To me, I have fans to answer to."

Asked if that meant he wished Matthews would make a public statement of guilt or innocence about charges that he bought human growth hormone via the Internet, Moreno did not back away.

"Somewhere along the way he's going to have to cross that bridge," he said. "The longer it takes, the more of a distraction it becomes."

In that regard, Moreno is asking for something Matthews' own father has not. Former major-league player and coach Gary Matthews Sr. was at Tempe Diablo Stadium "as a dad to support my son. Period." He said he has not asked his son to explain how his name became linked with the large-scale investigation into the sale of performance-enhancing substances.

"I didn't get into any this and that," said the elder Matthews, who is a member of the Philadelphia Phillies' broadcast team this season after working as a coach for the Chicago Cubs the past four seasons. "I'm just going to wait and it will all come out. We've got to let the story come out and judge the guy then.

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"I'm not here to chastise him or anyone else. I'm here for moral support for my son. I'm sure any of you would do the same thing."

Earlier in the day, the Angels had their annual spring visit from representatives of the players' union including MLBPA president Don Fehr. Fehr said the union's only involvement in the controversy surrounding Matthews (and Rangers infielder Jerry Hairston Jr.) would be to provide representation if Matthews or Hairston are fined or suspended by the commissioner.

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Fehr said he did not think a suspension was likely nor did he think the Angels would attempt to void Matthews' five-year, $50 million contract as a result of the investigation.

He said he had no specific conversation with Matthews about the situation and that "I take his lawyer's word for it" regarding a statement from Robert Shapiro's law firm earlier this week that said Matthews "has not violated any laws or any rules established by Major League Baseball."

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