Hill’s Return Could Be the Key

With the non-waiver trade deadline past, it seems more apparent that the Angels view pitcher Ken Hill as a key player down the stretch.

Hill, who had elbow surgery June 15 and is scheduled to begin a rehabilitation assignment next week, probably at Class-A Cedar Rapids, hopes nobody is looking at him to be a savior.

“I can’t deal with that,” he said, “I’m just trying to get ready to pitch. Who knows? When I do come back I might be worse.”

Hill was 8-5 with a 5.15 earned-run average when he underwent surgery to remove bone chips and shave bone spurs.

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The promotion of Troy Glaus has made playing time scarce, but can the Angels afford to keep outfielder Orlando Palmeiro out of the lineup?

Palmeiro is hitting .533, has scored nine runs and has five RBIs in the eight games he has started. The Angels are 7-1 in those games.

Recalled on June 4, Palmeiro was optioned to Vancouver after hitting .358 in spring training.

“I was disappointed, but I wasn’t going to go down there and pout,” he said. “It actually helped. Instead of sitting on the bench, pinch-hitting or maybe playing once a week, I was able to get 150 at-bats.

“So when I came up here I was already comfortable [at the plate].”

Palmeiro came of the bench to play left field in the seventh inning Saturday. He had a two-run single in the eighth, raising his average to .434.

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The Angels scoured baseball for a starting pitcher, but their bullpen might have needed shoring up as well.

Angel relievers let games slip away recently, a 3-0 loss to the New York Yankees on Thursday and a 7-2 loss to the Red Sox on Friday. It spoiled strong performances by starters Chuck Finley and Omar Olivares. Finley threw eight shutout innings Thursday and Olivares gave up only one hit before tiring in the eighth.

“Those are the type of games we have to win,” Manager Terry Collins said.

“Everybody has been talking that we need starting pitching. Then we get two outings like that and we don’t get a win.”

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Garret Anderson’s club record 28-game hitting streak ended Saturday. He flied out twice and grounded out twice.

“I’m not too upset about it,” Anderson said. “That’s how I’ve treated it all along.”

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Jim Edmonds seventh-inning home run Saturday was his first since July 5, a span of 96 at bats. . . . Catcher Matt Walbeck flew home to Sacramento after the game for the birth of his first child. Infielder Norberto Martin will be the Angels’ emergency catcher. . . . The Angels topped their 1997 attendance Saturday. They drew 1,767,324 last season. Saturday’s crowd of 29,893 gave them 1,787,828 in 59 games this season.

TONIGHT

ANGELS’ JASON DICKSON (9-8, 6.00 ERA) VS. RED SOX’S TIM WAKEFIELD (12-5, 4.25 ERA)

Edison Field, 5 p.m.

Radio--KRLA (1110), XPRS (1090)

Update--The Angels are tied for first place in the West, but their two consecutive losses to Boston have left them 6 1/2 games behind the Red Sox in the wild-card race.