ANGELS NOTEBOOK: FINLEY NOT GIVING UP ON INDIANS' CHANCES.

Byline: Joe Haakenson Staff Writer

CLEVELAND - Chuck Finley signed a three-year, $27 million contract with the Indians last winter because, he said, he thought they had the best chance of winning.

Now Finley's Indians are not only looking up at the White Sox in the AL Central race, they are behind the Angels in the wild-card race. It's not what Finley expected.

``It's been an interesting year,'' said Finley, who will start this afternoon's game against the Angels. ``If you asked me in February if I thought we'd be 10 games out of first place, I would have said `C'mon, man.' But that's how it is.''

Finley hasn't purchased a home in the Cleveland area, and he doesn't even rent an apartment. He's staying in a downtown Cleveland hotel. Asked if he had any regrets signing with the Indians, Finley said: ``It's easy to say, `Look at the Angels, they're five out and playing well.' But this (Indians) is a legitimate team. There's still two months left to make a run at something.''

Today's start will be Finley's second against the Angels this season. He beat them on May 31, giving up three runs (two earned) and nine hits in a 7-3 Indians victory in Cleveland. But he said facing the Angels in Anaheim (Aug. 25-27) will be strange.

``That'll be weird,'' he said. ``Facing them here was different, but going back there . . . especially going in from the first-base dugout.''

There are things about Cleveland that Finley enjoys, particularly the double-play combination of shortstop Omar Vizquel and second baseman Roberto Alomar.

``It's almost like Cirque du Soleil out there,'' Finley said, ``without the music.''

--Hill still starts: If Ken Hill's spot in the starting rotation is in jeopardy, manager Mike Scioscia isn't letting on. But the velocity on Hill's fastball was down in his last start Wednesday, possibly a sign that his arthritic right elbow is bothering him. And his ERA (6.52) is worst among the starters.

``His stuff was not real crisp the other day,'' Scioscia said. ``But Ken battles. . . . Every pitcher going through the season is going to lose a little velocity. With Ken Hill, the key is command.''

For Hill, command of his pitches becomes even more important when he lacks velocity. But Scioscia won't focus on Hill alone.

``With all our starters command (is) important,'' he said. ``Obviously it's a concern, but we can't just target Ken Hill. The starters have to be driven to keep it where they want it to be.''

The Angels have options if Hill doesn't improve. Matt Wise (currently in the bullpen) and Ramon Ortiz (at Triple-A Edmonton) are both pitching well.

--Sitting down: Ron Gant was not in the starting lineup for the second game in a row, primarily because a right-hander (Steve Woodard) was starting for the Indians. While with the Phillies, Gant hit .217 vs. righties, .365 vs. lefties. Orlando Palmeiro got the start at DH Friday.

``I talked with him about it,'' Scioscia said. ``We've had guys productive there (Palmeiro and Scott Spiezio). We were looking for a guy to add to that, not replace that.''

With the Angels, Gant is 0 for 8 with a walk.

ANGELS vs. CLEVELAND

Time: 1:05 p.m., at Jacobs Field

TV/Radio: Ch. 11; KLAC-AM (570), XPRS-AM (1090 Spanish)

Matchup: Scott Schoeneweis (5-5, 5.13 ERA) will start for Anaheim against Cleveland's Chuck Finley (9-8, 3.93). Schoeneweis credits Finley for helping him develop as a major-league pitcher while both were with the Angels. ``I tried to help Schoeneweis and (Jarrod) Washburn as much as I could,'' Finley said. ``They're good kids. They're like sponges. They wanted to hear from somebody like me who's been out there.''

- Joe Haakenson

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Box: Angels vs. Cleveland (see text)