BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : ANGELS : USC Pitcher Is 4th-Round Pick

The Angels chose USC pitcher Brian Cooper in the fourth round of the draft and Katella High pitcher Jason Stockstill in the ninth round, the team announced Friday.

Cooper, a right-hander, was 7-2 with 87 strikeouts in 93 1/3 innings for the Trojans, who are in the College World Series. Stockstill, a left-hander, was 10-3 with a 2.06 earned-run average and 75 strikeouts in 81 2/3 innings for Katella.

After selecting Nebraska outfielder Darin Erstad with the first pick of the draft and Wisconsin Oshkosh pitcher Jarrod Washburn in the second round, the Angels’ next five picks were:

Jeremy Blevins, a pitcher from Sullivan East (Ohio) High, Cooper, Justin Baughman, a pitcher from Lewis-Clark (Ore.) College, Ryan Kane, a third baseman from Presby (S.C.) College and Christopher Pine, a pitcher from Tualatin (Ore.) High.

The Angels also selected UCLA shortstop Gar Valone in the 24th round.

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The Angels’ complete draft list:

Round 1. Darin Erstad, OF, Nebraska; 2. Jarrod Washburn, LHP, Wisconsin Oshkosh; 3. Jeremy Blevins, RHP, Sullivan East HS (Ohio) ; 4. Brian Cooper, RHP, USC; 5. Justin Baughman, SS, Lewis and Clark College (Ore.); 6. Ryan Kane, 3B, Presby College (S.C).; 7. Christopher Pine, RHP, Tualatin HS (Ore.); 8. Brian Scutero, RHP, Central Florida; 9. Jason Stockstill, LHP, Katella HS; 10. Brandon McGuire, RHP/SS, Coahoma HS (Texas); 11. Daniel Buxbaum, 3B, Miami; 12. Kyle Wagner, C, Wake Forest; 13. Jon Vandergriend, OF/1B, Washington; 14. Josh Deakman, RHP, Arizona State; 15. Daren Hooper, CF, Aragon HS (Calif.)

Round 16: Mario Iglesias, RHP, Stanford; 17. Michael Hughes, RHP, Fresno College; 18. Greg Jones, C/RHP, Seminole (Fla.) HS; 19. Justin Dalton, 3B/OF, Nebraska; 20. Brian Graves, C, Southern University; 21. Donnell Tate, SS, Oakland HS; 22. James O’Quinn, LHP, Florida City College; 23. Gregory Millichap, CF, Serra HS (Calif.); 24. Gar Valone, SS, UCLA; 25. John Romero, RHP, Mission College (Calif.); 26. Randall Betten, 2B, Arizona State; 27. Thomas Darrel, RHP, Garrett City College (Md.); 28. Alexis Llanos, 2B, Lola Rodriguez (Puerto Rico); 29. Robert Prather, LHP, Lassiter HS (Ga.); 30. John McAninich, C/1B, LCST.

Round 31: Ty Bilderback, CF, Arkansas; 32. E.J. Thoen, SS, Indian River College (Fla.); 33. Rob Quinlan, SS, Hill Murray HS (Minn.); 34. David Bittler, LHP, Florida Community College; 35. Derek Vargas, Newark Memorial HS (Calif.); 36. Douglas Hurst, RHP, Okaloosa Community College (Fla.); 37. Michael Gauger, LHP, Wakulla HS (Fla.); 38. Robert Bystrowski, 3B/OF, Jesuit HS (Calif.); 39. Jake Jensen, SS, Washington University HS (Calif.); 40. Steven Mikesell, C, Glendale CC; 41. Douglas Blackman III, C, Warren Easton HS (La.); 42. John Opina, SS, La Sierra HS (Calif.); 43. Michael Clarke, SS, St. Petersburg JC (Fla.); 44. Esteban Barrios, OF, Miami Dade JC (Fla.); 45. Sid Workman, RHP, Brigham Young.

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The Yankee clubhouse was abuzz--literally--Friday over the latest tabloid-tilting controversy to strike the Bronx: Owner George Steinbrenner, apparently fed up with his team’s play during a 1-8 West Coast trip, made his players shave off their goatees.

Steinbrenner was so giddy about acquiring goateed pitcher Jack McDowell from the White Sox during the offseason that he decided to relax the team’s policy forbidding beards. About five Yankees, including star first baseman Don Mattingly, took advantage and grew goatees.

But by Friday, the goatees were gone. McDowell wouldn’t comment, but Mattingly swatted Steinbrenner’s changeup much better than he did any Chuck Finley pitch Friday night.

“It’s like a slap on the wrist,” he said. “You’re not playing well, so he’s going to take that away from you. I don’t know who it will affect, but we can’t make in issue out of it to the point where it becomes a distraction.”

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At 9 (PDT) tonight, Angel pitcher Mark Langston will become what is known as a 10-and-5 player, meaning he has 10 years experience in the major leagues, five with the same team, and can void any trade.

That means rumors the Angels will send Langston to the Yankees will end tonight . . . or, longest of long shots, Langston will go to Yankee Stadium on Sunday and take his turn in the rotation for the Yankees--against the Angels.

“That’s one scenario that has not crossed my mind,” said Langston, scheduled to start Sunday for the Angels. “I hope tonight comes and goes so I can get on with business. It will be a sense of relief.”

An Angel official said Friday there’s “not a chance in hell” the team will trade Langston, who said he wants to finish his career in Anaheim and would void any trade--at least, after tonight.

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Though third baseman Chris Sabo has expressed a desire to return to the National League, the Angels might be interested in acquiring the former Chicago White Sox player if, as expected, he becomes a free agent today.

The White Sox designated the former Cincinnati star for assignment and have until today to trade him or release him. The Angels are using a platoon of Spike Owen and Carlos Martinez at third since demoting Eduardo Perez to triple-A Vancouver Wednesday night.

“It would be an interesting thing to look at,” Manager Marcel Lachemann said of Sabo, who has hit 20 or more homers in three seasons. “He’s a hard-nosed player who has been a good hitter when he’s playing well.”

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Catcher Greg Myers, who was pulled from Wednesday’s game against Baltimore because of muscle spasms in his quadriceps, sat out Friday’s game against the Yankees but hopes to return to the lineup today. . . . Chili Davis grounded into a double play in the first inning Friday, the first time he has done so in 118 at-bats this season.