Angels Spring Preview

* Who’s new: First baseman Mo Vaughn (free agent/Red Sox), pitcher Tim Belcher (free agent/Royals), pitcher Mark Petkovsek (trade/Cardinals), outfielder Matt Luke (free agent/Dodgers).

* Who’s gone: Outfielder Gregg Jefferies (free agent/Tigers), infielder Norberto Martin (free agent), catcher Chad Kreuter (free agent/Royals), pitcher Jeff Juden (free agent), pitcher Mike Fetters (free agent/Baltimore), Allen Watson (free agent/Mets).

* Biggest spring question: How will Manager Terry Collins sort out logjams in the outfield and at designated hitter? There are four outfielders (Tim Salmon, Jim Edmonds, Darin Erstad and Garret Anderson) for three spots, and Collins could rotate them into the DH position, using it to give them a night off from defense. But what about Todd Greene and Dave Hollins? If Greene’s problem shoulder prevents him from catching or limits his time behind the plate, and if Hollins can’t pry the third-base job from Troy Glaus, both would be prime DH candidates, Greene because of his power and Hollins because of his versatility--he’s a switch-hitter--speed and baserunning prowess. It’s still possible the Angels could trade Anderson, Edmonds or Hollins this spring. If not? “I won’t sort it out,” Collins said. “They will.”

* Job seekers: The hottest competition will be at the hot corner, where Glaus, looking to recover from a disappointing big league debut, and Hollins, on the rebound from shoulder surgery, will battle for the third-base spot. The bulk of the rotation appears set with Chuck Finley, Ken Hill, Belcher and Steve Sparks, but the fifth spot is wide open, with Omar Olivares, Jason Dickson, Jarrod Washburn and possibly Shigetoshi Hasegawa and Scott Schoeneweis contending. Mike Magnante will push Mike Holtz for the left-handed reliever spot, and there will be fierce competition for bench jobs, with Charlie O’Brien and Phil Nevin looking to back up catchers Greene and Matt Walbeck; Craig Shipley, Luis Rivera, Jeff Huson and Andy Stankiewicz going for the utility infielder job, and Luke, Orlando Palmeiro and Reggie Williams bidding for a reserve outfield spot.

* Keep your eye on: Ken Hill’s elbow and Tim Salmon’s foot. Hill sat out 2 1/2 months of 1998 because of elbow surgery and was erratic after his late-August return, but the Angels need him in peak form to compete. “If he can recover and return to the Ken Hill we saw at the end of 1997,” Collins said, “it will make a huge difference.” A torn foot ligament relegated Salmon to DH last season, but with surgery and rehabilitation, Salmon plans to return to right field this spring. His strong arm and consistent glove would boost the defense, and Collins believes he’ll be more productive on offense as a two-way player, so it’s important the Angels pace him during camp.

* Reasons to be excited: The Angels finally have a superstar in Vaughn, the first baseman who is capable of 40 home runs and 130 RBIs a year. And with Salmon, Erstad, Edmonds, Anderson and Greene, the Angels could have their most prolific offense in franchise history, especially if they get significant contributions from second baseman Randy Velarde, shortstop Gary DiSarcina and whoever plays third. Despite the loss of Mike James and Pep Harris, the bullpen appears strong with closer Troy Percival and two setup men, Rich DeLucia and Hasegawa, who combined for a 3.62 earned-run average in 169 innings and allowed 25 of 101 inherited runners to score in 1998.

* Reasons to worry: The rotation looks a little better, but it is getting older--Finley (36) and Belcher (37) will have to be highly productive for the Angels to compete with a Ranger team that looks every bit as strong as it did when it won the West in ’98. It might also be asking too much for Sparks and Olivares to combine for 18 wins again. The Angels have decent pitching depth, for a change, but the rotation does not appear strong enough to challenge the likes of New York and Cleveland, the class of the American League.

* Projected lineup: 1. Erstad, lf; 2. Velarde, 2b; 3. Vaughn, 1b; 4. Salmon, rf; 5. Edmonds, cf; 6. Anderson, dh; 7. Glaus/Hollins, 3b. 8. Greene/Walbeck, c; 9. DiSarcina, ss.

* Rotation: Finley, Hill, Belcher, Sparks, Olivares/Dickson.

* Bullpen: Rich DeLucia, Dickson, Hasegawa, Mike Holtz, Petkovsek.

* Closer: Percival.