ANGELS REPORT : Cooper Earns His Chance

As quickly as pitcher Brian Cooper has risen in the Angel organization, pitcher Scott Schoeneweis seems to have fallen.

So it will be Cooper starting tonight, making his major league debut, while Schoeneweis remains at triple-A Edmonton. Schoeneweis started the season with the Angels and made 31 relief appearances before being optioned on July 22. He will not reappear in Anaheim this season, according to General Manager Bill Bavasi.

The Angels, though, are high on Cooper, who started the season at double-A Erie.

He was 10-5 with a 3.30 earned-run average, striking out 143 batters in 158 innings with the Sea Wolves. He was promoted to Edmonton, where he went 2-1 with a 3.77 ERA in five starts before being called up last week.

“It was a relief to make my ultimate dream come true,” said Cooper, a fourth-round pick from USC in 1995. “Last year, I wondered not only if I would get here, but if my baseball career was coming to an end.”

Cooper’s career did seem to hit a snag last season. He was 8-10 at Midland, then the Angels’ double-A affiliate, but had an abysmal 7.13 ERA.

Then, during the off-season, the changeup Cooper had fiddled with began to show some potential. It became a key out-pitch for him at Erie.

“At first, it was something that kept hitters off my fastball,” Cooper said. “Then I started throwing it well in every situation. If you can put a little doubt in a hitter’s head, then it helps your other pitches.”

Schoeneweis, on the other hand, managed to raise some doubt about his ability. After being somewhat effective as a middle reliever, he was sent to Edmonton to build up his stamina for some September starts, but his performance didn’t impress Angel officials. Although he gained a victory Sunday, giving up one run on four hits in 5 1/3 innings, his record is 2-4 with a 7.64 ERA in seven starts and two relief appearances since being sent down.

“He didn’t earn [being recalled],” Bavasi said. “That’s the best way to put it. You earn your innings, like Cooper did and [Ramon] Ortiz did and [Mike] Fyhrie did.

“I still think Scott is going to be fine major leaguer. I still get asked about him by other general managers.”

*

Tim Salmon returned to the lineup as the designated hitter after the MRI results on his strained back were negative. He appeared as a pinch-hitter Sunday after spending four hours at the hospital. . . . MRI results on Chuck Finley were also negative. He missed his start Sunday because of a strained lower back but is expected to pitch Friday. . . . Pitcher Mike Holtz, on the disabled list because of a strained right hamstring, threw in the bullpen Monday and said he will probably be activated Friday.

ON DECK

* Opponent--Chicago White Sox, two games.

* Site--Edison Field.

* Tonight--7.

* TV--Fox Sports West, both games.

* Radio--KLAC (570), XPRS (1090).

* Records--Angels 53-84, White Sox 63-75.

* Record vs. White Sox--2-5.

* Tickets--(714) 663-9000.

TONIGHT

ANGELS’

BRIAN COOPER

(0-0, 0.00 ERA)

vs.

WHITE SOX’S

MIKE SIROTKA

(8-12, 3.94 ERA)

* Update--Cooper becomes the eighth Angel to make his major league debut this season.

* Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.--Tim Belcher (6-8, 6.64) vs. James Baldwin (9-12, 5.62).