BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : ANGELS : A Good Pitch Simply Wasn’t Good Enough

Angel pitching coach Chuck Hernandez sat in the visiting clubhouse Tuesday afternoon at Cleveland, watching the videotape of Julio Valera’s eighth inning Monday. He kept rerunning Valera’s home run pitch to Albert Belle.

Hernandez finally turned off the machine, shook his head, and said: “That was good pitch, a damn good pitch, and he still hit it out.”

The Angel bullpen is under scrutiny.

“This next week is going to be a big test for (the relievers),” Manager Buck Rodgers said. “We’re still feeling our way down there with Julio in the pen. What’s made it a little difficult is Joe Grahe’s (neck) condition.”

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In Financial World magazine’s annual report on professional teams, the Angels are reported to be worth $105 million, the 11th highest-valued team in the major leagues. The Dodgers are fifth at $135 million, down from $180 million a year ago.

Financial World disputes the Angels’ claim that they lost about $8 million last season, saying they had a net loss of $300,000.

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Second baseman Damion Easley bruised his left foot during batting practice and was taken to a local hospital for X-rays when the pain worsened in the second inning. X-rays were negative and he could miss the two-game Yankee series. . . . Rodgers on Cleveland starter Matt Young, who auditioned for the Angels and Dodgers during the Freeway Series before signing with Cleveland: “When we looked at him, he looked like the same old Matt Young. After seeing him Monday, someone’s done a great job with the guy.”