ANGELS NOTEBOOK: DICKSON HAS TO START OVER.

Byline: Joe Haakenson Staff Writer

TEMPE, Ariz. - His name is Jason . . . Jason Dickson.

Remember him? The All-Star pitcher in 1997, who led the team in innings pitched and tied for the team lead in wins and shutouts? That Jason Dickson.

Dickson missed all of 1999 recovering from surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder. But he's back now, and healthy. And out to prove he can be the same pitcher that went 13-9 in `97.

``I was a forgotten man,'' Dickson said. ``There were a lot of articles written this winter about who would be in the rotation, but it was like I was nonexistent. But I've thrown several times in camp and they can see how I'm throwing the ball. I think they're starting to remember me again.''

After throwing 203 2/3 innings in 1997, Dickson pitched with a sore shoulder in 1998 but managed to go 10-10. In the spring of `99, it was discovered he had a torn labrum.

``I assumed it was tendinitis,'' Dickson said. ``I didn't know what a torn labrum felt like. But what I thought was tendinitis never went away. I battled through '98, but in spring training last year I couldn't throw and I finally said something.

``There was a sense of relief that something was wrong. Because then I knew it wasn't that I wasn't good anymore or I had lost my stuff.''

Dickson said his shoulder is fine now and he doesn't see any reason why he can't pitch again like he did in `97. But he has to win a spot in the rotation first.

``I know I can contribute a lot to the starting rotation,'' he said. ``I know my arm is solid again and I'm throwing like I used to throw. I'll do what I can to make sure they don't forget me again.''

--Solid catchers: One of manager Mike Scioscia's philosophies of managing is stabilizing the catching position and emphasizing the importance of the catchers working with pitchers. It's something he learned with the Dodgers.

``Look at the Dodgers - they've had Roy Campanella, John Roseboro, Steve Yeager, myself and Mike Piazza,'' Scioscia said. ``This is what they hammered into us for four decades, and you see the success they've had in the organization. That's what we're doing here now.

``You could hit 20 to 25 home runs a year, but if you couldn't catch, they'd give you a third baseman's glove. In order to catch you had to know the pitchers and work well with them.''

--Strong hitters: Darin Erstad ``hit the (heck) out of the ball'' Saturday in his first session of live batting practice, according to Scioscia. Erstad has been bothered by an inflamed left shoulder. . . . The Angels will play their first intra-squad game of the spring Tuesday. Scioscia is expected to announce the starting pitchers for the game today.

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Photo: Angels pitcher Ramon Ortiz focuses on his release after delivering a pitch during spring training workouts.

Matt York/Associated Press