Hill Is Ready, but Just in Case . . .

Terry Collins is so sure Ken Hill will start tonight’s series finale against Detroit that he pulled a lineup card from his desk drawer before Saturday night’s game and penned Hill’s name into the pitcher’s spot.

Of course, the way things are going for these injury-riddled Angels, it’s always good to have a contingency plan.

“Ken Hill will warm up to start, but to protect ourselves, if his back acts up, we’ll have a guy who’s ready,” Collins said. “We’ve told Jason Dickson to be here and be ready.”

Hill still doesn’t know what caused the nerve irritation that made his right thigh feel numb Thursday and Friday. An MRI test and X-rays Friday revealed no major problems, much to Hill’s relief.

“It was kind of funky,” Hill said. “My thigh just started feeling numb Wednesday night. I was kind of worried because nothing like this has ever happened to me before. I did my regular weight work and ran the treadmill Wednesday. That was it.”

Hill said he felt fine Saturday. “I’m not going to say I’m 100%,” he said. “But I’m well enough to pitch. You’re going to have injuries. You just have to keep plugging, play through them.”

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Tim Salmon, sidelined since April 22 because of a partial tear of a ligament in his left foot, was activated from the disabled list Saturday, and pitcher Jarrod Washburn was sent back to triple-A Vancouver, one day after he was called up to the big leagues.

“We’re all aware of what the consequences may be and we’re ready to deal with them,” Collins said, alluding to the possibility of further damaging Salmon’s foot. “This is not going to get much better. The doctors said he could take two months off, get ready to play and tear it in his first game.”

General Manager Bill Bavasi, noting that St. Louis slugger Mark McGwire and Minnesota outfielder Marty Cordova rebounded strongly from similar injuries, is convinced Salmon won’t risk any long-term damage by playing now.

“If this was a potentially career-ending or career-threatening injury, we’d have a much different approach,” Bavasi said. “When the player feels a certain way, you have to follow his instincts.”

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Pitcher Jack McDowell, on the disabled list since April 27 because of an inflamed right elbow, received a cortisone injection Saturday and will throw in the bullpen Tuesday in hopes of returning by next weekend. . . . Second baseman Randy Velarde, who sat out the 1997 season because of elbow reconstruction surgery, went eight for 16 in the first four games of his rehabilitation assignment for Class-A Lake Elsinore. “He thinks he’s ready to go,” Collins said. “But I’d like him to play a few more games.” Catcher Todd Greene, recovering from shoulder surgery, went four for 18 in four games as Lake Elsinore’s designated hitter but still hasn’t caught yet.

TONIGHT

ANGELS’ KEN HILL (5-1, 3.22 ERA) vs. TIGERS’ TIM WORRELL (2-3, 5.93 ERA)

Edison Field, 5 p.m.

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

Update--The Angels have had so many injuries the past two weeks it’s easy to forget that center fielder Jim Edmonds has been playing with a sore right wrist, which he sprained April 18 while diving for a ball in the gap. But the injury has done little to slow Edmonds, who went 20 for 61 (.328) with three homers and 10 RBIs in 15 games before Saturday, raising his average from .283 to .307. Hill gave up five runs on seven hits, including two homers, in five innings of his last start against Toronto Tuesday night, but he is 4-0 with two shutouts and a 2.22 ERA in seven starts against Detroit.

Tickets--(714) 634-2000.