ANGELS

The games that stick in Tony Phillips’ mind are June 29, when the Angels failed to score with the bases loaded in the ninth inning and lost to Seattle, 3-2, and June 25, when they blew a 4-1 fifth-inning lead and lost to Texas, 5-4.

And there was June 17, when the Angels blew a 3-2 ninth-inning lead and lost to the Dodgers, 4-3, and June 13, when they blew a 5-1 third-inning lead and lost to San Diego, 8-7.

“What has been frustrating is we’ve been in a lot of games and come up short,” said Phillips, who was acquired May 18 in a trade with the Chicago White Sox.

“There have been about five or six games where we had good chances to win and didn’t. Those are the games we’ve got to find a way to win. Those are the games that linger, that leave something sour in your gut.”

Manager Terry Collins’ first-half reflections are more palatable--Tim Salmon’s three-run homer in the eighth for a 5-4 victory over Seattle on Friday and his three-run double in the eighth for an 11-9 win over the Mariners on May 20.

There was that memorable stretch from May 12-17 when the Angels erased five-run deficits to beat Chicago, Baltimore and Milwaukee, and Salmon’s 11th-inning grand slam for an 8-6 win over Cleveland on April 4.

“You remember a lot of games we lost that we should have won, but look at all the games we’ve come back to win from three or four runs down,” Collins said. “You can always say we should have been there, we’re lucky to be here, but we are where we are--we’re in the hunt.”

Indeed, the Angels are in second place in the American League West, 4 1/2 games behind Seattle, and considering all that has gone wrong, it is remarkable they’re in contention.

Starting pitchers Mark Langston and Mark Gubicza, and setup man Mike James are on the disabled list. Center fielder Jim Edmonds has played despite two bad knees, a jammed thumb and a sore shoulder, and first baseman Darin Erstad has been limited because of a sore elbow.

Closer Troy Percival sat out five weeks because of a shoulder injury, and ace Chuck Finley missed the first two weeks of the season because of broken facial bone.

But here the Angels are beginning the second half with a four-game series at Oakland, in the thick of things--where few expected they’d be--but not happy simply to be there.

“We’re going to make a run at Seattle, no question about that,” Phillips said. “Hopefully we can get some key people back and healthy. When you’ve got Edmonds and Garret Anderson hurt, Langston out . . . those are pretty important pieces to the puzzle.”

Can the Angels add another piece or two? That’s always the question for contenders as the July 31 trading deadline approaches.

There does not appear to be a bustling market for pitchers this summer, and if Collins’ four-man rotation holds up and Langston returns by August, the Angels may not need another pitcher.

But Oakland slugger Mark McGwire, a free agent after this season, is available and is interested in playing for the Angels.

“The group we have now is good enough to challenge for the division title,” General Manager Bill Bavasi said. “Could we make changes? No doubt about it. But we’d have to match up with another team better than we do now. . . .

“It’s a fine line to run because we’ve been competitive without Finley and Percival getting on a roll, without James pitching well, without Langston. We’ve been doing well without a lot of things.”

But to challenge Seattle and Texas, a team that has underachieved but is still in the race, the Angels will have do better in the second half. A look at the 1997 season, with one eye on the past and one on the future:

WHAT WENT RIGHT

--Jason Dickson. The rookie emerged as the team’s most consistent starter, an all-star with an 8-4 record and 3.41 earned-run average.

--The running game. The Angels have already stolen 59 bases (in 94 attempts), six more than they stole in 1996, and their aggressive offense has helped them on the basepaths far more than it has hurt them.

--The clutch. The Angels are batting .277 with runners in scoring position, led by Salmon (.373), Phillips (.324), Erstad (.324) and Luis Alicea (.315). No one is having a monster season, but the Angels have six players with 42 RBIs or more and five with 10 homers or more.

WHAT WENT WRONG

--Injuries. Collins has not been able to field his regular lineup since June 9.

Collins’ biggest concern is Edmonds, who might end up on the disabled list today if six days’ rest haven’t restored him to Collins’ satisfaction.

--The bullpen. Relievers have combined for an 18-14 record, 3.57 ERA and 19 saves, but this was supposed to be the strength of the Angels, not a group that blows 17 saves and has a setup man (James) with a 4.85 ERA.

BEST MOVE OF THE FIRST HALF

Trading reliever Chuck McElroy and catcher Jorge Fabregas to the White Sox for Phillips and catcher Chad Kreuter. Phillips has given the Angels a true leadoff batter, maintained his better-than-.400 on-base percentage in Anaheim, spelled hurting players defensively and has provided the veteran on-the-field leadership that Eddie Murray no longer can provide.

Kreuter has been solid defensively and has clicked with pitcher Allen Watson, catching all of the left-hander’s starts.

WORST MOVE OF THE FIRST HALF

Letting Percival and Gubicza start the season. After getting raked for 13 runs in 4 2/3 innings of his first two starts, Gubicza admitted his shoulder was bothering him, and pitching in pain may have set him back even further--the right-hander has been out since April 11.

Percival sat out several weeks of spring training, rushed to get ready in the final week before the season and was ineffective in April because of a nerve problem in his shoulder. The closer got rocked for six runs in his first three appearances before going on the disabled list from April 7-May 17.

WHY THE ANGELS

COULD WIN THE WEST

Finley could continue pitching as he did in his last two starts, including Sunday’s shutout of Seattle; Langston could come back strong and the Angels could trade for a dependable starter, allowing them to move erratic knuckleballer Dennis Springer out of the rotation.

Dickson could continue acting like a veteran, Edmonds could stay sound enough to remain standing, James could find his groove, and the Angels could continue getting clutch hits and winning close games.

“We haven’t had a healthy first half, and to play as well as we have has surprised a lot of people, including our front office,” catcher Jim Leyritz said. “And you look at Seattle, with the exception of [shortstop] Alex Rodriguez going on the DL, they haven’t had any major setbacks, and we’re only 4 1/2 back.”

WHY THE ANGELS COULD FINISH LAST

Remember that 3-8 trip through Boston, Chicago, Baltimore and Milwaukee from April 29 to May 11? Though they snapped out of that slump by winning 11 of their next 12, the Angels have shown they are capable of sustaining a low level of play for a long time.

Edmonds might never return to full strength, Collins’ four-man rotation could wilt in the July heat, Langston may not have any more mileage left in that 37-year-old arm, the clutch hits could start drying up, and the Mighty Mariners could trade for the bullpen help needed to shore up their weakness.

But even if Seattle begins to pull away in early August, the Angels will have their rallying cry: “Remember ‘95!” That’s when the Angels held an 11-game lead Aug. 3 but lost the division title to the Mariners.

“Seattle came back and got us in 1995, why can’t we return the favor?” Phillips said. “My mind isn’t set on the wild card, it’s set on payback. That’s why we’re in this race. Seattle is as vulnerable as we were in ‘95, as vulnerable as any team that hasn’t put it away.”

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

ON DECK

* Opponent--Oakland Athletics, four games.

* Site--Oakland Coliseum.

* Today--12:15 p.m.

* TV--Channel 9 today, Friday night and Sunday.

* Radio--KTZN (710).

* Records--Angels 44-42, Athletics 37-52.

* Record vs. Athletics--6-0.

TODAY’S GAME

ANGELS’ ALLEN WATSON (7-5, 5.23 ERA) vs. ATHLETICS’ BRAD RIGBY 0-2, 5.25 ERA)

* Update--The Angels are one victory from winning a season series against the A’s for the first time since 1986. They’ll also have four days to get a close look at first baseman Mark McGwire, who is on the trading block and would love to play in Southern California. “The one thing we have to be careful of is we’re not real deep in the minor leagues, and we can’t afford to give away many prospects,” Angel President Tony Tavares said. “McGwire is a free agent at the end of this year--it might make sense to wait.” Manager Terry Collins will begin using a four-man rotation, and left-hander Darrell May has been recalled from triple-A Vancouver to bolster the bullpen. The Angels begin the second half with the league’s fourth-best batting average (.279) and fewest strikeouts (468). Third baseman Dave Hollins has been given permission to remain in New York until Friday to be with his wife, who recently delivered the couple’s third child.

* Friday, 7:30 p.m.--Jason Dickson (8-4, 3.41) vs. Steve Karsay (2-8, 5.49).

* Saturday, 1 p.m.--Chuck Finley (5-6, 4.89) vs. Ariel Prieto (6-5, 4.50).

Sunday, 1 p.m.--Dennis Springer (4-3, 5.82) vs. Mike Oquist (2-2, 4.03).