Yankees Are the Hot Team Now

The Angels might still be circling the bases in the minds of the New York Yankees -- who return to Edison Field tonight for the first time since their 2002 season ended in tatters -- had the most storied franchise in baseball not restored a measure of its swagger by embarking on the best start in franchise history at 16-3.

Surely, the Yankees have not forgotten the 10-hit, eight-run fifth inning last October that propelled the Angels to a 9-5 triumph and a three-games-to-one victory in the American League division series.

But when your starting pitchers are a combined 14-0, your second baseman already has seven home runs and five of your regulars are hitting .293 or higher, it’s easier -- and immensely more pleasurable -- to look ahead than dwell on past misfortune. These are still the New York Yankees, after all, and they’re not about to let anyone forget it.

“There’s always a different aura surrounding the Yankees,” said Jarrod Washburn, the winning pitcher in Game 4 of the ALDS. “They have an attitude when they come in, and they should. They’ve won a ton of world championships, and they’re always a great team. When you’re a team like that, you have a kind of attitude you bring to the ballpark and you expect to win. They still have that.”

Not that the Angels are intimidated. Including the postseason, the Angels are 27-22 against the Yankees since 1998. That might bode well for these Angels (9-10), who need a lift after a so-so start against their division rivals.

“We don’t approach the Yankees any different than any other club,” Angel Manager Mike Scioscia said. “We don’t take any club lightly, and we don’t elevate any club to a certain status.”

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An MRI exam on a tendon in Darin Erstad’s lower right hamstring revealed some swelling but no sign of a tear. The center fielder is listed as day to day.

“In essence, it’s the news that we wanted to hear,” General Manager Bill Stoneman said. “It’s really a question of: When he comes to the park [today], how’s he feeling? If he needs another day, he’ll get another day.”

The Angels have used Eric Owens and Julio Ramirez as replacements for Erstad since he left Saturday’s game after aggravating the injury in the fourth inning. Another option would be to move left fielder Garret Anderson to center, as the team did last year when Erstad was hurt.

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Stoneman said the Angels would use a pitcher from within the organization to replace Kevin Appier if the MRI today on the right-hander’s pitching elbow reveals enough damage to prevent him from making his next start.

Some had speculated that Stoneman would consider signing free-agent Chuck Finley, who has expressed interest in returning to the Angels, if pitching depth became a concern. But Stoneman reiterated Monday that he would not sacrifice the first-round draft pick he would owe the St. Louis Cardinals as compensation for signing Finley.

“I still believe that I would rather have a first-round draft pick,” Stoneman said. “We’ll handle it from within whatever happens with Kevin.”

Minor league pitcher Steve Green, one candidate to replace Appier as a spot starter, appears to be out of the running after being put on the seven-day disabled list Monday because of soreness in his right elbow.

ON DECK

Opponent -- New York Yankees, three games.

Site -- Edison Field.

TV -- Fox Sports Net, Tuesday and Wednesday.

Radio -- KSPN (710), XKAM (950).

Records -- Angels (9-10), Yankees (16-3).

2002 record vs. Yankees -- 3-4.

Wednesday, 7 p.m. -- Mickey Callaway (1-1, 5.17) vs. Roger Clemens (3-0, 2.08).

Thursday, 7 p.m. -- Ramon Ortiz (2-2, 5.96) vs. Andy Pettitte (3-0, 3.70).

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*--* ANGELS TONIGHT

*--*

ANGELS’

JOHN LACKEY

vs.

YANKEES’

JEFF WEAVER

*--* THE MATCHUPS 20 03 TEAM 2002 VS OPP TEAMS/PITCHERS W-L ERA REC W-L IP ERA New York/Weaver (R) 1-0 2.95 2-1 0-2 13.2 5.27 ANGELS/Lackey (R) 1-1 7.17 2-2 0-1 11.0 3.27

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Edison Field, 7 p.m.

TV -- Fox Sports Net.

Radio -- KSPN (710), XKAM (950).

Update -- Lackey, the only Angel starting pitcher who has failed to produce a quality start (six innings or more, three earned runs or fewer), draws a tough assignment against a Yankee team whose starters are a combined 14-0. The Yankees have won five games in a row and are coming off a four-game sweep of the Minnesota Twins.

-- Ben Bolch

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Top Management

Joe Torre, above, won his 701st game as Yankee manager Monday and 1,595th overall. He needs five more to pass Tom Lasorda (1,599) for 15th place on the all-time managerial list. A look at Yankee managers with the most wins:

Joe McCarthy ...1,460

Casey Stengel ...1,149

Miller Huggins ...1,067

Ralph Houk ...944

Joe Torre ...701

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Quick facts about the Angels’ next opponent:

* The Yankees’ three losses this season have all been by one run.

* The Yankees are 16-3, the fastest start in franchise history.

* Yankee starters are 14-0 this season, the longest winning streak to begin a season by a starting staff in the major leagues since 1900.

* The Yankees have hit 39 home runs, the most homers after 19 games in franchise history.