ANGELS NOTEBOOK: EDMONDS EYES AUGUST.

Byline: Joe Haakenson Staff Writer

Jim Edmonds wants to play this year. But the center fielder, who had surgery on his right shoulder April 19, also knows he might not be able to play until 2000.

``When I had surgery they told me I might not play at all this year,'' he said. ``I have to think about playing the next six or seven years, not just this year.''

While he knows he must be patient, he still wants to help the 1999 club. The team is last in the American League in a variety of offensive categories, including runs scored.

Edmonds said the biggest concern with his shoulder involves swinging the bat. But if he gets the OK to begin baseball activities - mid-to late-August at the earliest - he plans to be ready to join the lineup quickly.

``If I stay (with the club) and take a lot of batting practice, hopefully I'll get enough swings I don't have to stay long in a rehab assignment,'' he said.

Another issue will be where the team is in the standings. If the Angels are out of the race, there's no reason for Edmonds to rush back to the lineup.

``If I'm in shape and ready to play, I want to play,'' he said. ``So we'll have to see.''

Swimming upstream: Right fielder Tim Salmon arrives at the ballpark every day, does the rehab work on his sprained left wrist and goes home.

He was hitting .347 with seven homers and 25 RBI on May 3 when he tried to make a sliding catch of Paul Konerko's sinking liner in a game against the White Sox. The resulting wrist injury has kept him out ever since, even though he thought he'd only miss a few days at first.

``I'm past the point of frustration - we're two months into this,'' he said. ``But it's scarring, so that means it's healing.''

That also means there's no reason to have surgery, though there's still no telling when he'll be ready.

How desperately do the Angels need him? Going into Tuesday's game, the Angels hitting in the cleanup spot had a total of six RBI in June.

Juan gone? Rangers outfielder Juan Gonzalez, upset at the fans' voting and a previous snub by New York Yankees manager Joe Torre, said he will not go to the All-Star Game this year if he is selected as a reserve.

Gonzalez is not happy the fans in Cleveland have dominated the voting for the starters, leaving him a distant fifth among American League outfielders.

``That's incredible,'' Gonzalez said. ``It's a popularity game. You don't see real justice in the All-Star voting. But fans in Cleveland, they vote for their players.''

ANGELS vs. TEXAS

Time: 7:35 p.m., at Edison Field.

TV/Radio: FSW; KLAC-AM (570), XPRS-AM (1090 Spanish).

Matchup: Ken Hill (3-7, 4.97 ERA) will start for Anaheim against Texas' Ryan Glynn (1-2, 7.46). Hill is pitching on six days' rest, his first start since having to leave after two innings June 23 against Seattle because of an inflamed right elbow, the same elbow he had surgery on last year. ``He's ready to go,'' manager Terry Collins said.

- Joe Haakenson

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BOX: ANGELS vs. TEXAS (see text)