Scioscia Sees His Team as Contender in AL West

Mike Scioscia’s glass wasn’t half full. It was overflowing, and the new Angel manager seemed to be preaching to a congregation from a pulpit, not speaking to reporters from behind a desk.

Flush with the usual excitement and optimism that comes with first day of spring training, Scioscia made some bold statements after pitchers and catchers worked out Friday at Tempe, Ariz.

“We’re not approaching this as a rebuilding year--this is a contending year,” Scioscia said, brushing off media skepticism. “I’m really confident in the young arms and veterans on our staff.

“What I see is tremendous offensive potential, the kind of team that can make your head spin, and a pitching staff with the capabilities to hold people down enough for us to win the division.”

Many believe the Angel rotation is too old and injury-prone in some spots and too inexperienced in others for them to contend, but if Mo Vaughn, Tim Salmon and Jim Edmonds rebound strongly from 1999 injuries, Scioscia believes the Angels can vault from one of the league’s worst offensive teams to one of the best.

The departures of Ken Griffey Jr. to Cincinnati and Juan Gonzalez to Detroit also put considerable dents in the Seattle and Texas lineups.

“If we had no offense at all and tried to rebuild with young arms, that would be a different story,” Scioscia said. “But there’s not a lineup in our division that can hold a candle to ours.”

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Pitcher Tim Belcher, who underwent elbow surgery last November, won’t be ready until late April or early May. He’ll play catch every other day for the first three weeks of camp and hopes to begin throwing off a mound by the second week of March.

“In my mind, I think I could be ready for the season, but this is probably the most prudent plan,” Belcher said. “I’ll take eight-10 weeks to get ready, so once I start I can finish.”

Whatever thoughts pitcher Ken Hill has of assuming the role of staff ace from Chuck Finley, he is keeping to himself. Hill, who was demoted to the bullpen last August and was at odds with former manager Terry Collins and former general manager Bill Bavasi, declined an interview request Friday, saying he would not speak to reporters until the regular season.