SERIES AT A GLANCE

Angels vs. Boston Red Sox, two games.

Site--Anaheim Stadium.

Tonight--7:30.

Radio--KTVN (710).

Records (1996)--Angels 70-91, Red Sox 85-77.

Record vs. Red Sox (1996)--4-8.

Angel update--Forgive shortstop Gary DiSarcina if he feels a bit disoriented for an inning or two. He’ll be standing in the middle of a renovated stadium that features new infield sod and dirt, and he’ll be surrounded by three new teammates--third baseman Dave Hollins, second baseman Luis Alicea and first baseman Darin Erstad, not to mention a new manager, Terry Collins. The outfield faces look familiar, though, as Garret Anderson, Jim Edmonds and Tim Salmon return, and Angel mainstay Mark Langston will be on the mound. Though Angel pitching has been spotty for most of the spring, Langston geared up for the season with three consecutive strong starts, rookie Jason Dickson was the team’s best starter all spring and Allen Watson threw six shutout innings against the Dodgers on Sunday. The Angels hope to avoid a repeat of their 1996 opener when they were rocked by Milwaukee, 15-9.

Red Sox update--Last year’s shortstop, John Valentin, has moved to second base; the second baseman, Wil Cordero, has moved to left field; the manager, Kevin Kennedy, has moved to the ESPN broadcast booth; and one of the best pitchers in Boston history, Roger Clemens, has moved to Toronto, leaving first-year Manager Jimy Williams with quite a reclamation project. Boston still has one of baseball’s best hitters in first baseman Mo Vaughn, but there is no one to protect him in the lineup. And the rotation is so thin that the opening-day starter is Tom Gordon, who had a 5.59 earned-run average last season.

Pitching matchups--The Angels’ Mark Langston (6-5 last season) vs. Tom Gordon (12-9 last season) tonight; Jason Dickson (1-4) vs. Tim Wakefield (14-13) Thursday at 7 p.m.

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TODAY’S PITCHERS

ANGELS’ MARK LANGSTON (6-5, 4.82 ERA) vs. RED SOX’S TOM GORDON (12-9, 5.59 ERA)

Anaheim Stadium

7:30 p.m.

TODAY’S PROBABLE LINEUPS

BOSTON RED SOX

SS: Nomar Garciaparra

2B: John Valentin

1B: Mo Vaughn

DH: Mike Stanley

3B: Tim Naehring

LF: Wil Cordero

RF: Rudy Pemberton

C: Bill Haselman

CF: Shane Mack

*

ANGELS

1B: Darin Erstad

2B: Luis Alicea

CF: Jim Edmonds

RF: Tim Salmon

3B: Dave Hollins

DH: Eddie Murray

LF: Garret Anderson

C: Jorge Fabregas

SS: Gary DiSarcina