ANGELS REPORT

Bench coach Joe Maddon will be back in the Angel dugout tonight after a battery of tests determined the symptoms that forced him home last week were caused by a pinched nerve and bulging disk in his neck and not by any heart abnormalities.

Two days into a nine-game trip, Maddon returned to Orange County on Aug. 16 complaining of lightheadedness, shortness of breath, and pain and tingling sensations in his arms.

“The pain was pretty intense--it took my breath away--and whenever you get sensations in the left side of your body, the first thing you think about is your heart,” said Maddon, who has served two stints as the team’s interim manager.

“But the doctors assured me it’s a nerve thing, and four straight days of physical therapy made a big difference. I’m feeling much better. It’s aggravating, it’s annoying, but I totally believe this has nothing to do with my heart.”

Maddon has been a fixture on the Angel bench for seven years, and several times during games on the recent trip, Manager Mike Scioscia, who leans on Maddon for strategic advice, said he blurted out, ‘Hey Joe,’ before realizing Maddon wasn’t there.

Returning to the bench should help Maddon’s blood pressure, too.

“It’s horrible watching those games on television,” Maddon said of the two Angel comeback victories in New York last weekend and a gut-wrenching, 11-inning loss to Boston Monday night. “At least in the dugout, you’re involved in the game. Watching on television, like a fan, was a lot more stressful.”

*

While the Angels waited for a reply from first-round pick Chris Bootcheck, who hasn’t attended classes at Auburn or accepted the Angels’ $1.6-million signing offer, scouting director Donny Rowland spent Thursday in Tampa, Fla., checking out several highly regarded youngsters from the Dominican Republic.

Rowland attended an open tryout at the New York Yankees’ minor league facility featuring Manuel Basilio, a 19-year-old right-hander whose fastball topped out at 95 mph and was consistently clocked between 91-94 mph, and Francis Araujo, a 16-year-old shortstop who is 6 feet 3 inches and 170 pounds.

The Angels also conducted a private workout with a Dominican outfielder-third baseman Thursday. If Bootcheck doesn’t sign, the Angels will likely invest that money in players from Latin America.

ON DECK

* Opponent--Cleveland Indians, three games.

* Site--Edison Field.

* Today--7

* TV--Fox Sports Net tonight and Saturday night, ESPN Sunday.

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

* Records--Angels 65-62, Indians 66-57 .

* Record vs. Indians--1-5.

TONIGHT

ANGELS’

MATT WISE

(2-1, 3.63 ERA)

vs.

INDIANS’

DAVE BURBA

(11-5, 4.94 ERA)

* Update--The Indians have won 14 of their last 20 games, surging toward the top of the American League wild-card standings and positioning themselves for a run at Chicago for the Central division title. A potent offense led by Manny Ramirez (.339, 26 homers, 83 RBIs), Jim Thome (.286, 31 homers, 80 RBIs) and Travis Fryman (.328, 18 homers, 83 RBIs) and baseball’s best defense (.986 fielding percentage) have helped offset a patchwork pitching staff that lost Jaret Wright (shoulder) and Charles Nagy (elbow) to surgery. Wise has been remarkably consistent in his three big-league starts for the Angels, giving up three runs in six innings or more in each game. Indian left-hander Chuck Finley, who will be honored tonight for being named to the Angels’ all-time team, will start Sunday night against his ex-teammates.

* Saturday, 7 p.m.--Scott Schoeneweis (6-6, 5.02) vs. Jason Bere (3-2, 5.59).

* Sunday, 5 p.m.--Kent Mercker (1-2, 5.30) vs. Chuck Finley (10-9, 4.09).

* Tickets: (714) 663-9000.