ANGELS NOTEBOOK: ANDERSON'S SPUNK IMPRESSES COLLINS.

Byline: Joe Haakenson

With Jim Edmonds out for four months because of shoulder surgery, Garret Anderson is the center fielder. Or is he?

Manager Terry Collins said he will consider moving Anderson back to left field and Darin Erstad to center once Mo Vaughn returns to first base. Erstad will continue to play first base as long as Vaughn is the DH.

``We need to take a real hard look at our whole outfield situation,'' Collins said. ``It depends on where Darin is more comfortable, because Garret can play any of 'em.

Collins said he has been impressed with Anderson's work ethic this season and it might have something to do with the abundance of outfielders the Angels had at the time.

``Garret was the one guy we could move around (during spring training),'' Collins said. ``He didn't want to be the DH. He said, `I'm going to make sure I do everything I can to be in the lineup every day, both offensively and defensively.'

``I think Garret Anderson's whole approach from the start of spring training was completely different. He has played the game hard, he's busted his behind, he's going after balls in the outfield. He's really been impressive.''

Woeful West: A quick glance at the division standings in the AL West on Thursday found all four teams below .500, led by the Rangers at 7-8. Is it a bad division? A sign of things to come?

Collins would only speak about his team.

``We've had some things we've had to get straightened out,'' he said. ``Hopefully we'll get them straightened out. I've seen it too many times - sometimes you get off to a great start, sometimes you don't. But I don't think after two weeks of the season you can draw conclusions. We've got to continue to hang in there and not let our confidence get down. And now with Mo in the lineup, our confidence will continue to rise.''

Wells accepts fate: Many members of the New York media were in town to talk with ex-New York Yankees pitcher David Wells, who starts tonight for the Blue Jays against his old teammates at Yankee Stadium.

Wells was devastated when the Yankees traded him and two other players to Toronto for pitcher Roger Clemens during the offseason. But Wells says he's over it now.

``They were the best two years of my life, but I let it go,'' Wells said of his time with the Yankees. ``It wasn't fair to this organization to keep dwelling on not being a Yankee.

``Now my job is to go in there and try to shove it up their (rears) and that's what I'm going to try to do.''

Biding his time: Shortstop Gary DiSarcina, recovering from surgery on his broken left forearm, is on the trip. But about all he can do, besides his therapy, is shag balls in the outfield during batting practice.

DiSarcina, whose injury is on his glove arm, is using a left-hander's glove to catch the ball and avoid any unnecessary strain on his left arm.

Outlook: The Angels begin a three-game series with the Kansas City Royals beginning tonight. Pitching matchups for the series at Kauffman Stadium: Today (5:05 p.m.) - Ken Hill (0-1, 5.87 ERA) vs. Jose Rosado (0-1, 2.08); Saturday (11:05 a.m.) - Steve Sparks (0-3, 9.42) vs. Jeff Suppan (0-3, 4.67); Sunday (11:05 a.m.) - Chuck Finley (1-2, 7.94) vs. Jay Witasick (0-1, 4.91).

ANGELS vs. KANSAS CITY

Time: 5:05 p.m., at Kauffman Stadium.

Radio/TV: No TV; KLAC-AM (570), XPRS-AM (1090).

Matchup: Ken Hill (0-1, 5.87 ERA), with his mechanical problems worked out, will go for his first win of the season tonight against the Royals and pitcher Jose Rosado (0-1, 2.08). Hill said these past few days were enjoyable for him because it was the first time this season that he didn't have to adjust his mechanics between starts. The Angels have won the season series from the Royals each of the past two years.

- Joe Haakenson

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Box: ANGELS vs. KANSAS CITY (See text)