Discouraged McDowell Might Return in Relief

Jack McDowell is scheduled to make his second minor league rehabilitation start tonight, but he was so discouraged by his last appearance that he suggested he might not return to the Angels as a starting pitcher.

“I’ll be back in some form, even if it’s September and they throw me in the pen,” said McDowell, who will pitch for Class-A Lake Elsinore at High Desert. “I will throw again for this team. What kind of impact I’ll have, I can’t tell you.”

McDowell and Ken Hill started the season in the starting rotation, but elbow injuries have sidelined both for nearly two months. Hill is slated to begin a rehabilitation assignment next week and rejoin the Angels’ rotation in mid-August.

“They should be pretty certain about Kenny and not so certain about me,” McDowell said.

When healthy, Hill and McDowell are better than just about any pitcher the Angels might acquire by Friday’s trading deadline. But trade talks continue, with the Angels operating under the assumption they cannot count on the return of Hill or McDowell.

“I wish we could, but we can’t,” Angel Manager Terry Collins said. “You’d be looking into a crystal ball, and we can’t do that.”

The Angels dispatched two scouts to Montreal on Wednesday, with the Expos’ Carlos Perez believed to top a target list that also includes Tim Belcher of Kansas City, Todd Stottlemyre of St. Louis and Juan Guzman and Woody Williams of Toronto. The Angels also would like to add a veteran catcher to help Phil Nevin and Matt Walbeck.

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With the Yankees eager to keep Seattle’s Randy Johnson away from the Cleveland Indians, the Mariners dispatched two scouts and Vice President Roger Jongewaard to Anaheim to assess the Yankees.

The Mariners are no longer set against trading Johnson, with the Yankees, Indians, Padres, Dodgers, Cubs and even the Braves among potential combatants in a bidding war.

“The decision has been made to explore all options,” Jongewaard said. “Interest is high.”

That shouldn’t worry the Angels, with the Mariners unlikely to trade Johnson within the American League West, but this could: With the Angels fighting the Rangers for the division lead, Texas General Manager Doug Melvin reportedly asked the Blue Jays about Roger Clemens. Talk apparently cooled when Toronto demanded a package that included outfielder Rusty Greer.

TONIGHT

ANGELS’ CHUCK FINLEY (8-5, 3.13 ERA) vs. YANKEES’ ANDY PETTITTE (13-6, 3.70 ERA)

Edison Field, 7 p.m.

TV--Channel 9. Radio--KRLA (1110) XPRS (1090)

* Update--Finley and Pettitte faced each other opening night, with Finley holding the Yankees to one run over seven rain-delayed innings for the victory. Finley tames the Yankees with such regularity (15-8 lifetime) that New York owner George Steinbrenner tried to buy Finley during his free agency two years ago, flying him to Florida and wining and dining him. Nice try.

Tickets--(714) 634-2000.