ANGELS-DODGERS REPORT

The battle cry when Angel pitcher Chuck Finley took the mound used to be “Fin to Win.” These days, the Angels just want Fin to Show. The 6-foot-6 left-hander who has been rocked for 32 earned runs in 22 innings of his last five starts seems like some kind of impostor.

“Nothing really feels right,” said Finley, who gave up six runs in five innings Thursday night. “Everything I try backfires. I’ve never gone this long pitching this bad . . . .”

Finley’s arm feels fine, but he has had problems maintaining balance through his delivery, a mechanical glitch that has hindered him occasionally during his 14-year career. But he has never gone this long without a solution.

He has talked with former Angel pitching coach Marcel Lachemann, current pitching coach Dick Pole and bullpen coach Joe Coleman. He has picked the brains of Angel batters, wondering if his pitch sequences might be too predictable. He has watched hours of videotape.

“They have two tapes, one when you’re pitching well and one when you’re getting your [rear] kicked,” Finley said. “I think they’re running out of tape on the second one.”

Finley’s confidence hasn’t wavered, and he insists any talk of a contract extension or a possible trade hasn’t been a distraction.

“I’m not helping this team now, how am I going to help anyone else?” Finley said. “Our future is promising. . . . I know I’m not going to pitch this way the whole second half.”

*

Tim Salmon began his minor league rehabilitation assignment as a designated hitter Friday night, getting three hits in five at-bats with two doubles and two runs batted in for Class-A Lake Elsinore. When Salmon returns to right field, Angel Manager Terry Collins will encourage him to attempt the same sliding catch he sprained his left wrist on back on May 3.

“I want Tim Salmon to play the game,” Collins said. “He might think about it, but I’ve seen him make 50 to 100 of those catches, and nothing ever happened. That’s part of what makes him a great outfielder. I don’t want him to think twice about it, because outs are tough to get.”

Salmon hopes to return early next week, and when he does, Collins thinks the cleanup batter will give the Angels the same kind of emotional lift shortstop Gary DiSarcina gave them in June.

“I think Tim packing his bags for Lake Elsinore [Thursday] was a bright spot for these guys,” Collins said.

*

Ramon Ortiz struck out a franchise-record 13 for triple-A Edmonton on Thursday night. He gave up one hit in 6 2/3 innings of a 4-0 victory over Tacoma.

TODAY

ANGELS’

STEVE SPARKS

(4-5, 4.68 ERA)

vs.

DODGERS’

CHAN HO PARK

(5-7, 6.52 ERA)

Edison Field, 1 p.m.

TV--Channel 11.

Radio--KXTA (1150), KLAC (570), KWKW (1330), XPRS (1090).

* Update--Angel second baseman Randy Velarde has had a tough time stomaching the large pro-Dodger contingent among the sellout crowds at Edison Field this weekend. “From our standpoint, it’s really disappointing--I don’t understand these people,” he said. “Never do you go into a park and hear the visiting team cheered more than the home team. Sure, it’s the Dodgers, but this is our home. And then late in [Thursday night’s] game they were cheering for us [when the Angels won]. That’s bull. That stuff doesn’t happen in any other ballpark. Either cheer for us or cheer for them. We don’t need any of this front-running stuff.”

* Tickets: (714) 663-9000