Angels Hold On to First : Baseball: The Yankees hand them their fourth loss in a row, 11-1, but they stay tied at the top in the AL West at 8-12.

There was never open animosity between the two outfielders, but even though they were teammates, they considered each other rivals who desperately wanted to outperform the other.

Perhaps it should have come as no surprise Monday night in what began as a baseball game--with the New York Yankees winning by 11-1 over the Angels--quickly turned into a personal duel between outfielders Luis Polonia and Chad Curtis at Yankee Stadium.

Polonia, confident the Angels will miss him more than they will ever imagine, used Monday’s performance to showcase his argument.

“I want to show those guys they never should have let me go,” said Polonia, who went two for five with a double and scored a run. “I want the fans to keep saying, ‘Why did they let him go? Why?’

“I want everyone to know what I meant to the Angels.”

The Angels, losing their fourth consecutive game, hardly are willing to acknowledge they miss Polonia, but it’s no secret they don’t have an established leadoff hitter.

The only thing they have proved is that they are extremely fortunate to be playing in the worst division in baseball. At 8-12, they are in a first-place tie in the American League West, owning the worst record of any first-place team in baseball history.

“My God, what a division,” Polonia said. “How do you get to be in a division like that? Over here, we might have to win 100 games to win our division.

“In their division, you can lose 100 games and still win it.”

Indeed, the Angels are on a pace to finish with a 64-98 record.

“It’s something to laugh about,” said Angel starter Mark Leiter (2-1), who yielded eight hits and seven runs in five innings. Leiter gave up a grand slam to Matt Nokes, and three of Paul O’Neill’s five hits.

“It’s way too early to think a team will be under .500 in our division and still win it,” Leiter said. “We just don’t want to get used to the idea that we’re in first place and everything’s great.”

Said Angel Manager Buck Rodgers: “This division, I don’t think, is as bad as it’s showing. I don’t think it’s the strongest division--I’m not that nuts--but it will catch up.

“I’ll tell you what, I sure feel better about our club now than at any point I ever did last year.”

While the Yankees are 13-6, and still in second place in the American League East, Polonia predicts the Yankees will win their division.

The reasoning, he says simply, is because of him. He has given the Yankees a bona fide leadoff hitter. The Angels continue to search for one, using four batters in the spot this season. They have batted a cumulative .247 with 10 runs, three stolen bases and eight RBIs. Polonia is batting .269 with eight runs, five stolen bases and six RBIs.

“I thought (Curtis) could probably do it,” Polonia said, “but I guess not. He’s got to have somebody (to compete with) . . . He wanted to beat me in everything. That’s where he got his motivation.

“I don’t know where that motivation is now. He’s got his three-year contract, and he’s comfortable.”

Curtis, who is batting .200 with seven runs and five RBIs, already has been dropped from the leadoff spot. But Curtis insists his three-year, $4.5-million contract has not changed him.

“I’d be lying if I said my three-year contract didn’t make me more comfortable,” Curtis said, “but it won’t make me complacent. I definitely have higher standards than that.

“I don’t have to live with what other people think of me, but I have to live with myself.”

Curtis provided all of the evidence needed Monday when he dared Polonia to run on him in the sixth inning. Polonia, who was standing on second, gestured to Curtis in center field. Curtis nodded back, motioning not to run on his arm.

Moments later, Don Mattingly singled to center. Pat Kelly scored easily from third. Third-base coach Willie Randolph gave Polonia the stop sign, but Polonia ran right through it.

Curtis’ throw was perfect. Catcher Chris Turner was waiting with the ball when Polonia crashed into him, and held onto it for the out.

“I told him that he better not run on me, or I’d throw him out,” Curtis said. “So it didn’t surprise me. I expected it.

“I know we had a little thing going the last couple of years, but really, I’m not here to replace Luis Polonia. I’m here to be Chad Curtis.”