BASEBALL ’95 : It’s AL West, So Angels Do Have Chance : Opening night: Roster isn’t overpowering, but it might be enough to contend in weak division.

As Tony Phillips surveys the Angel clubhouse, he doesn’t see the confidence or the cockiness that his pennant-contending Oakland Athletics exuded in the late 1980s.

Nor does he see much depth in the starting rotation, much power beyond designated hitter Chili Davis and right fielder Tim Salmon, or much speed.

But compared to Phillips’ view from the Detroit Tigers’ clubhouse two weeks ago, this is Shangri-La.

“It’s not like we’re matching up against the New York Yankees,” said Phillips, a 36-year-old left fielder who was traded for Chad Curtis on April 13. “If we were in their division, we wouldn’t be looking too strong.

“But the team that won our division last year (the Texas Rangers) didn’t even play .500 ball. Heck, if we go 10 games over .500, we have a chance to go to the playoffs. Looking around here, I like our chances as good as anyone’s.”

Therein lies the beauty--and absurdity--of the American League West. Detroit, which is dumping high-priced players in a youth movement, has almost no chance of competing with the top teams in the East--New York, Toronto and Baltimore.

But the Angels, who aren’t much better than the Tigers, could find themselves in a title race this summer.

“I’m going into this season thinking we can win,” said Phillips, who will bat leadoff for the Angels. “I couldn’t say that in Detroit.”

Only in the limp AL West can you easily justify picking any team to win the title, or to finish last.

Texas? Pretty potent offense. But weak pitching and a thin bullpen could lead to its demise.

Seattle? Ken Griffey Jr. might be baseball’s best all-around player, but the Mariners have only one good starting pitcher, Randy Johnson.

Oakland? A sound Mark McGwire adds punch to the lineup, but many of the A’s, especially the pitchers, are getting old.

The Angels? Lee Smith is a nice bullpen addition, but any rotation that includes Scott Sanderson and Shawn Boskie is questionable.

“It’s not the strongest division, but I really think this team is going to be a fighter,” Angel center fielder Jim Edmonds said. “You really can’t count anyone out in this division.”

And just think, one of the league’s top four teams--New York, Toronto, Cleveland or Chicago--will not advance to the playoffs in October because the AL West champion must be included in the four-team format.

For the Angels, who open tonight against the Tigers, to be that team they’ll need:

--The usual productive offensive seasons from Davis and Salmon, who have been the team’s top hitters for the last two seasons.

--More significant offensive contributions from first baseman J.T. Snow (.220 in 1994), third baseman Eduardo Perez (.209) and second baseman Damion Easley (.215).

--Phillips to maintain his high on-base percentage from the lead-off spot, where he has reached base at better than a .400 clip for the last two seasons.

--Solid seasons from their two most dependable starters, opening-day starter Chuck Finley and Mark Langston, and better-than-expected performances from the rest of the rotation, Brian Anderson, Sanderson and Boskie.

“We’ll only go as far as our pitching will carry us,” Manager Marcel Lachemann said.

--Smith to be the dominant force in the bullpen that he has been for many years, and effective pitching from their primary set-up men, short and middle relievers Mitch Williams, Troy Percival, Russ Springer, Bob Patterson and Mike Butcher.

“We’re not going to score nine or 10 runs a game, so we’re going to need a strong bullpen to shut teams down,” shortstop Gary DiSarcina said.

--Good overall defense and consistent execution of sacrifices and hit-and-run plays. With perhaps the slowest team in baseball, the Angels must find creative ways to advance baserunners.

--An overall attitude adjustment. Phillips might be able to help here.

“With Oakland we knew were going to kick butt, we came on the field with our chests out,” said Phillips, who hit .281 with 19 home runs last season. “No one liked us, but we had a feeling that we could win every day. I haven’t had that feeling for a while.

“If I can bring anything to this club, it’s a feeling that we can go out with an idea that we’re going to win, not lose. In Detroit, we tried not to lose instead of doing what we had to do to win.”

One advantage the Angels may have this season over 1994, when they went 47-68, is a set lineup, which should allow players to focus less on winning jobs--or trying to keep them--and more on winning, period.

The days of Easley bouncing from second to third are over. Snow and Perez have been designated as starters since spring training began. Edmonds feels comfortable in center after spending his rookie year in left.

“Every day I went out there last season I felt I had to get hits because I wanted to stay in the lineup,” Edmonds said. “I couldn’t wait for the day when I had a set job and could just prepare for the season. I have that feeling this year, and it makes things a little easier.”

DiSarcina, who is beginning his fourth season as the Angels’ shortstop, said players have to get out of the habit of worrying about mini-batting slumps or pitching a bad game or two.

“We’ve got to start focusing on winning,” he said. “There’s no more rebuilding on this team--the front office knows it and the fans know it. I haven’t won anything since my sophomore year of high school and I’ve been dying to taste that feeling again.

“With a better bullpen, the way some of the young guys have been playing this spring, and the acquisition of Tony (Phillips), I don’t think we’re that far away.”

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

THE ANGEL ROSTER

PITCHERS

Brian Anderson Mike Bielecki Shawn Boskie Mike Butcher Chuck Finley Mike James Mark Langston Bob Patterson Troy Percival Scott Sanderson Lee Smith Russ Springer Mitch Williams

CATCHERS

Andy Allanson Mark Dalesandro Jorge Fabregas

OUTFIELDERS

Garret Anderson Chili Davis Jim Edmonds Kevin Flora Tony Phillips Tim Salmon

INFIELDERS

Gary DiSarcina Damion Easley Rex Hudler Spike Owen Eduardo Perez J.T. Snow

Opening-night lineup

1) Tony Phillips LF 2) Damion Easley 2B 3) Jim Edmonds CF 4) Chili Davis DH 5) Tim Salmon RF 6) Eduardo Perez 3B 7) J.T. Snow 1B 8) Jorge Fabregas C 9) Gary DiSarcina SS 10) Chuck Finley P