Hill’s Arrival Seen as a Big Lift

The Angels said they will miss catcher Jim Leyritz, who was traded to the Texas Rangers, but they are pleased to welcome right-handed starter Ken Hill.

“That’s a thing of beauty,” designated hitter Tony Phillips said of Tuesday’s trade that made Hill an Angel. “Jimmy was a big part of this club. I feel for him because I know he was happy here.

“On the other hand, we get a quality starter in Ken Hill. It’s always good when you can get a pitcher like Ken Hill in a pennant race. You’ve got to feel fortunate to get a pitcher of his caliber. Depth is good.”

Left-handed starter Chuck Finley also applauded the move.

“With the acquisition of Ken Hill, we’re going to be a better team starting [today],” Finley said. “We went to a four-man rotation because of a lack of a fifth starter. Ken Hill is going to give us a lot of innings, a lot of starts.

“And we’re going to get Mark Langston back [from a rehab assignment at Class-A Lake Elsinore] in another week or two.”

Manager Terry Collins believes the Angels are primed to make a run at the American League West title.

“If we were going to make a move down the stretch, we needed to get ourselves a quality pitcher,” Collins said. “We’ve got ourselves a guy who is as quality a guy as there is out there. He’s been the No. 1 guy on three of the last four teams he’s been on.”

Cleveland Manager Mike Hargrove said of the Angels’ trade for Hill, who pitched on the Indians’ 1995 AL championship team:

“Good for them. If Ken Hill is at the top of his game, then good for them. He pitches a lot of innings. He’s a great athlete, who fields his position well.”

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The Angels optioned left-handed starter Matt Perisho, who started the second game of Monday’s day-night doubleheader, to triple-A Vancouver and selected the contract of left-handed reliever Greg Cadaret. They will make another roster move today in order to make room for Hill. . . . The Indians are considering skipping Orel Hershiser’s next start to give his injured groin time to heal. It’s unlikely he will be placed on the disabled list. Hershiser lasted only 4 2/3 innings in the second game of Monday’s doubleheader. . . . The Angels are 12 games over the .500 mark for the first time since Oct. 1, 1995. The next day, they lost a one-game playoff to Seattle for the division championship and a playoff berth.

TONIGHT’S GAME

ANGELS’ KEN HILL (5-8, 5.19 ERA with Texas) vs. INDIANS’ CHARLES NAGY (10-6, 4.29)

Jacobs Field, 4:30 p.m. PDT

TV--ESPN. Radio--KTZN (710)

* Update--Hill makes his first start for the Angels tonight after being acquired in Tuesday’s trade that sent catcher Jim Leyritz and a player to be named to the Texas Rangers. The addition of Hill gives the Angels depth they have lacked in their starting rotation. It also means Manager Terry Collins can give rookie Jason Dickson another day to rest his stiff right arm. Dickson is scheduled to face the Chicago White Sox at Anaheim Stadium on Thursday. A victory tonight would give the Angels a 6-4 record on their 10-game, nine-day trip to New York, Boston and Cleveland. They clinched at least a .500 record on the trip with Tuesday’s victory. They also are 15-5 since the All-Star break. Utility player Jack Howell has homered twice in the past four games. Nagy leads the Indians with 10 victories, 94 strikeouts and 144 2/3 innings.