ANGELS NOTEBOOK: ANGELS FALL SHORT AGAIN : ALWAYS BRIDESMAIDS, NEVER BRIDES.

Byline: Joe Haakenson

The end came quickly.

The story of the Angels' 1998 season was one of resiliency and toughness - and ultimately, failure and disappointment as well.

They set a club record for use of the disabled list (23 times). Three-fifths of their starting rotation at the beginning of the season (Ken Hill, Jack McDowell and Allen Watson) spent about two months on the DL. Tim Salmon ripped a ligament in his foot in April. Todd Greene still hasn't fully recovered from a shoulder injury. Darin Erstad strained his hamstring in August and again in September.

The list went on and on, but for 5-1/2 months the Angels survived - in fact, they thrived. They entered September with a 2-1/2-game lead in the AL West and increased it to 3-1/2 games on September 6.

They made it to Sept. 21, when they entered their fateful series against the Texas Rangers tied for first place. But in three swift days, after three thorough beatings, the Angels finally succumbed. It took only three days to erase the work of 5-1/2 months, less than a week before the end of the regular season.

Yes, the Angels overachieved. But does the team feel the season was a failure?

``The pressure I feel is, we had a great year; you don't want to end it on a sour note,'' Angels shortstop Gary DiSarcina said during the Texas series. ``We've battled through so many things, overcome so many obstacles. I don't want it to end.''

But all things end. And when the baseball world finally took notice, the Angels folded against the Rangers 9-1, 9-1, 7-1. Game, set, match.

``This is a year I'm going to have to take a week or two just to sleep it off,'' Salmon said. ``It was a trying year. There were a lot of things we had to go through.''

Among other trials, the Angels were unable to overcome was a history of poor Septembers. They went 9-15 this month and haven't had a winning September since 1991.

``You're never going to get it out of anybody's head until you go through it, fight through it and change it,'' manager Terry Collins said. ``Until then, it's going to be talked about and talked about and talked about. Not by these guys (players), by you guys (reporters). You're just doing your job. But when we get through one of these things, then we get to the playoffs, let's talk about that.''

One of the most amazing things about the Angels' season is that their top pitcher was Chuck Finley, who had only 11 victories. No Angel hit 30 homers (Salmon led the team with 26). No Angel had 100 RBI (Jim Edmonds had 91).

``That tells you we haven't had to ride one guy,'' Collins said. ``Everybody's gotten a piece of the action.''

Nobody exemplifies that better than knuckleball pitcher Steve Sparks. Collins didn't even know Sparks was in the organization when the Angels had to go to their minor-league system looking for pitching help. Sparks was a combined 0-8 for Double-A Midland and Triple-A Vancouver but was recommended to Collins by the club's minor-league staff because they thought he was throwing better than anyone else.

Sparks turned out to be the Angels' most consistent starter. From July 29 to Sept. 2, he made eight starts and was 6-0 with a 4.17 ERA. Overall, he was 9-4 with a 4.34 ERA. Sparks, however, got hit hard in his two crucial starts against the Rangers. Critics insist that Sparks probably would not have started those games at all had the Angels made a significant deal before the July 31 nonwaiver trading deadline.

The Rangers acquired Todd Stottlemyre, Todd Zeile and Royce Clayton late in the season. The Angels got Charlie O'Brien, who played in five games. Angels general manager Bill Bavasi said at the time he felt he created a void in the clubhouse by not making a deal.

``We wanted to improve our club,'' Bavasi said. ``We made the effort to, and just didn't. I'm not trying to make excuses. We were trying to get better and didn't find the right deal. We weren't going to make a deal just to make a deal.''

The Angels were forced to go with what got them there, but in the end, it wasn't enough. Now they look to the future and try to build on the good things that happened in 1998.

There certainly will be changes made before the Angels open spring training next February. Deciding who stays, who goes and who joins the team is the Angels' next order of business.

``We'll talk about free agents, we'll talk about returning guys here and we'll talk about possible deals,'' Collins said. ``There was lots of talk this summer. Teams were interested in certain players and we'll continue to talk. But you can't say this, this or this will happen. Things happen that surprise you.''

Considering their history, it wasn't surprising the Angels fell short. They haven't been to the playoffs since 1986. But to get so close, only to fall short again, is a scene with which the Angels are all too familiar.

``Three of the last four years we've come in second place,'' DiSarcina noted. ``The question always comes up (about offseason changes) when you finish in second place. It's hard to answer. I'm pretty much fed up with second place.''

1998 ANGELS

April 22: Tim Salmon homers off the Orioles' Scott Erickson. While circling the bases, he suffers partially torn ligament in his left foot. He goes on the disabled list until May 9 and is limited to designated hitter duties for the rest of the season.

May 31: Angels rally from 5-0 deficit to beat Twins 6-5, starting a season-best nine-game winning streak.

June 2: Angels fight with Kansas City Royals. Six Angels players are suspended. Manager Terry Collins gets an eight-game suspension.

June 10: Ken Hill has surgery on his right elbow to remove bone chips. He's out until Aug. 27.

June 16: Angels beat Mariners 3-2 to move into first place, a spot they would hold until July 19.

June 30: Angels beat Giants 4-3, finish month with a club-record 22 wins.

July 1-9: Angels begin July with six-game losing streak. They finish 9-18 for the month.

Aug. 3: Darin Erstad strains his left hamstring for the first time. He's out through Aug. 18.

Sept. 2: Erstad reinjures left hamstring in 13-5 victory over Indians. He misses another two weeks.

Sept. 11-13: Angels swept in three-game series at Baltimore, a sign of the team's struggles to come.

Sept. 16-17: Angels swept in two-game series at Texas, fall out of first place.

Sept. 21-23: Angels swept in three-game series at home vs. Texas.

Sept. 25: Angels lose to Oakland 7-2 and are eliminated from playoff contention.

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BOX: 1998 ANGELS (see text)