AMERICAN LEAGUE: AROUND THE HORN EXPOS HAVE STONEMAN TO THANK.

Byline: Joe Haakenson Staff Writer

ANAHEIM - Bill Stoneman is trying to build something with the Angels, and at 21-21 (through Friday) in his first season as the club's general manager, he's off to a decent start, considering what was expected of the team by almost everybody except the team.

Though he's a rookie general manager, it's not as though he doesn't have experience in trying to build a team from the minor-league system up. He left the Montreal Expos to come to the Angels, but his work in the Expos' front office is evident today.

The Expos are 23-17, despite the seventh-lowest payroll ($33.5 million) in the majors.

``I'm not surprised, they've got a good team,'' Stoneman said, adding that the timing for the Expos' emergence is no accident.

The Expos expected to have a new stadium opened by 2001, but it won't open until 2002 at the earliest.

``A few years ago we devised a plan to be there for the new stadium in 2001,'' Stoneman said. When asked what he meant by ``being there'' Stoneman said, ``To be the best team in the division. To win it. The initial stadium running time was 2001, so we planned our personnel around that.

``The club is substantially better this year, and should be even better next year.''

--Not his fault: Rickey Henderson homered in his first at-bat with his new team, the Mariners. There's no questioning Henderson's Hall of Fame credentials, and even at age 42 he can help a club in many ways.

But, as the Mets found out, he also can be a distraction. Henderson, though, says it's not his fault . . . it's the media's.

``Whatever distractions there were in the past were based on the media attention,'' he said. ``I don't bring distractions to the players. Every club I've played on, all the players there enjoyed playing with me. They just enjoyed me being around them. I'm a winner. I want to win and every day I try to go out there and win the ballgame.''

Henderson has worn No. 24 most of his career but chose 35 with the Mariners, the number he wore as a rookie with the A's. No. 24 is available, but Henderson chose not to take Ken Griffey Jr.'s former number.

``Numbers don't make players do anything,'' Henderson said. ``Griffey wore 24. He started here and did a lot for their organization. They can hang his number up and it's fine with me.''

--Bash Brothers II: When A's outfielder Jeremy Giambi went back to the minors a few weeks ago, older brother Jason went into a slump. Since Jeremy returned to the big club May 5, Jason is hitting .378 (17 for 45).

``Hey, if I'm the reason, hopefully I can stay up here the rest of the year and watch him have an unbelievable year,'' Jeremy said.

Jeremy is hitting .250 with four homers and 19 RBI, but he's hitting .326 (15 for 46) since his return, with all four homers and 17 RBI. There's a good chance he'll stay.

The A's will make his spot in right field permanent if and when they trade Matt Stairs. The Yankees have reportedly shown interest in Stairs, but he's been hurt off and on all season.

--Zero tolerance: The bullpen has been a problem for the Mariners in past years, but they thought they had things straightened out this year, with Kazuhiro Sasaki earning the closer's job. But when Sasaki, who has had back troubles, blew a save opportunity against Oakland last week, manager Lou Piniella had no patience.

``Sasaki earned the closer's job in spring training,'' Piniella said. ``He just lost it tonight. From now on, we're going to have a bullpen by committee.''

Jose Mesa has assumed the closer's duties.

--GQ jinx? You've heard of the Sports Illustrated jinx. How about the GQ jinx?

Of the three shortstops - Nomar Garciaparra, Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez - featured on a recent cover, two are on the disabled list.

Garciaparra has a pulled hamstring and Jeter has a strained abdominal muscle. Rodriguez is fine . . . for now.