THE WEEK AHEAD

TODAY-THURSDAY AT TORONTO

* Schedule: 4 p.m. all three games.

* Television: KVEA, Channel 52, Saturday.

* Radio: KIK (94.3 FM) today and Wednesday; KLAC (570 AM) Thursday; XPRS (1090 AM) all three games.

* Pitching matchups: Chuck Finley (1-1, 7.30 ERA) vs. Kelvim Escobar (1-0, 5.40) today; Omar Olivares (2-0, 0.63) vs. Chris Carpenter (1-1, 1.10) Wednesday; Tim Belcher (1-1, 7.53) vs. Pat Hentgen (0-1, 6.06) Thursday.

* Last year’s series: The Blue Jays won seven of 11 games, including early season sweeps in Anaheim and Toronto. The Angels have not posted a winning record in Toronto in eight of the past nine years.

* Keys for Toronto: The Blue Jays needed a designated hitter and acquired Dave Hollins from the Angels, but Hollins has yet to hit. He has driven in one run and has an injured wrist. Toronto rejected the Angels’ winter offer of outfielder Garret Anderson for Escobar, but the Angels might ask again soon. The Jays might keep rookie Roy Halladay, who replaced the injured Joey Hamilton, in their rotation even after Hamilton returns; Halladay is 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA.

FRIDAY-SUNDAY AT KANSAS CITY

* Schedule: 5 p.m. Friday; 11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.

* Television: None.

* Radio: KLAC (570 AM) all three games; XPRS (1090 AM) all three games.

* Last year’s series: The Angels won six of 11 games, including a 7-5 victory June 2 that featured the rare baseball brawl with actual punches, not just shoving and pushing. Manager Terry Collins, who served an eight-game suspension for his part in the melee, credited the fight with rallying the Angels toward a 22-6 record in June, the best monthly record in franchise history.

* Keys for Kansas City: Name tags? With a proposed franchise sale in limbo, the Royals are cutting costs and counting days until they trade $5-million ace Kevin Appier.

HISTORY LESSON

A look back at this week in Angel history:

April 20, 1966: The Angels pick up their first regular-season victory at Anaheim Stadium, defeating the Chicago White Sox, 4-3, in 11 innings. The Angels had lost their opener on April 19, 3-1.

April 23, 1985: The Angels hit six home runs (two by Reggie Jackson, above, and one each by Jerry Narron, Bobby Grich, Doug DeCinces and Dick Schofield) but lose to Oakland, 14-9.

April 24, 1984: Jackson, Grich and Brian Downing hit back-to-back-to-back home runs in an 8-7 victory at Boston.

Source: Angel records