ANGELS NOTEBOOK: EX-ACE HILL CAN'T AFFORD TO FALTER NOW YOUNG PITCHERS ARE WAITING TO STEP IN.

Byline: Joe Haakenson Staff Writer

Ken Hill began the season as the ace of the starting rotation, but his spot isn't secure now as the second half of the season is under way.

Angels general manager Bill Stoneman has said the club will go with its five best starters, regardless of experience or salary. But the club desperately desires at least one veteran pitcher to lead an otherwise young starting staff into a possible pennant race. Kent Bottenfield could be that guy, as could Hill. Tim Belcher is on the disabled list and isn't close to coming back.

Hill started Thursday against the Dodgers and gave up two runs and four hits but needed 127 pitches to get through six innings. He has pitched into the seventh inning only once this year and hasn't pitched seven complete innings all season. He's been knocked out of a game before finishing four innings four times this season. That has placed a heavy burden on the bullpen.

``We stress with all our guys to be a little more efficient with their pitch count,'' pitching coach Bud Black said. ``We want them to be aggressive early in the count. With Ken, a number of times he gets the first two outs and the third out has eluded him.''

The final few months of this season certainly will be Hill's last as a member of the Angels. His time in Anaheim has been littered with injuries, but now the club doesn't have to remain patient with him if it's in a pennant race come August and September and he's struggling.

That's a result of the emergence of the organization's young pitchers, who saved the team in the first half. If Hill falters, there are others waiting for the opportunity.

Scott Schoeneweis will begin a rehab assignment tonight and should be ready to return in about two weeks. Ramon Ortiz impressed the club with eight innings and a victory in a spot start last week (he's back at Triple-A Edmonton). And Matt Wise has been impressive at Edmonton (8-4, 3.94 ERA in 16 starts).

Schoeneweis, who will need about three or four rehab starts before rejoining the starting rotation, is scheduled to throw 50-60 pitches for Single-A Lake Elsinore tonight.

Belcher is ``not close'' to throwing again, according to Angels manager Mike Scioscia. Belcher is on the DL with a strained flexor muscle in his right elbow.

--Memories: Scioscia made his first visit to Dodger Stadium as a member of the opposition Thursday, but it wasn't quite like his first visit as a player in 1980.

``I ran out to center field . . . I was the only one here,'' Scioscia remembered. ``It's great to walk in here, this is a special ballpark. It has the same meaning it did when I first came here.''