ANGELS NOTEBOOK: HUSON FEELING PAIN OF TRAGEDY.

Byline: Joe Haakenson

The high-school shooting in Littleton, Colo., hit close to home for one Angels player.

Utility player Jeff Huson and his wife Wendy have a home in Parker, Colo., which is adjacent to Littleton. The Huson family - including children Lindsay (10), Kyle (6) and Cody (3) - lives there year-round, and a variety of activities, such as Kyle's hockey league, take them into Littleton.

``You see things on TV and they're far away and you think how terrible it is,'' Huson said. ``It's different when it's 15, 20 minutes from home. People say things about perspective, but it doesn't really apply. You just want to be able to go home and reassure your kids.''

Huson said he has been calling home more than usual to talk to his children, who have been asking lots of questions about the school shooting, particularly Lindsay.

``How do you explain to a 10-year-old it happens, but it's not going to happen at her school?'' Huson asked.

Making plans: Manager Terry Collins said once Mo Vaughn returns to first base, Darin Erstad will move either to left or center field, depending on where he feels more comfortable. Garret Anderson can play all three outfield positions.

So where does Erstad feel most comfortable?

``I feel comfortable in left, I feel comfortable in center and I feel comfortable at first base,'' Erstad said.

Erstad's home run Thursday in Toronto was not only his first of the season, but his first since July 10. He hit 19 homers by the All-Star break last year, then hit No. 20 on July 10 before going homerless the rest of the way.

``I'm not a home-run hitter; they come when they come,'' Erstad said. ``Everyone said I was on a pace to hit 35 last year, but that wasn't my objective. I'm in there to do other things. I'll get my share, but that's not my role on this team.''

Moving up: Catcher Matt Walbeck arrived at the visiting clubhouse at Kauffman Stadium Friday and started to worry.

``I wasn't on the extras list and I wasn't hitting 7, 8 or 9,'' Walbeck said. ``I said, `Wait a minute? What's going on?' The first thing I thought was they forgot to put me on the extras list.''

Upon further review, Walbeck saw that he was in the starting lineup, hitting second - right after Erstad and before Vaughn.

``I've never hit above sixth in the big leagues,'' Walbeck said before the game. ``I'm going to take that lineup card home with me.''

Collins said Walbeck, a switch hitter, can handle the bat well and put the ball in play. Randy Velarde, the No. 2 hitter earlier in the season, is more of a free swinger.

``At the coaches meeting today, they said `Have you thought about this?' '' Collins said. ``Not necessarily, but we talked about it and it made sense.''

Another twist in the lineup was Todd Greene's start in left field. It was his first start in the outfield this season and the 12th in his career, the last one coming Sept. 25.

ANGELS vs. KANSAS CITY

Time: 11:05 a.m. at Kauffman Stadium.

TV/Radio: No TV; KLAC-AM (570), XPRS-AM (1090).

Matchup: Angels pitcher Steve Sparks (0-3, 9.42 ERA) will make his fourth start of the season, still looking for his first victory. Former Crespi High star Jeff Suppan (0-3, 4.67), who was the Arizona Diamondbacks' second pick in the 1997 expansion draft, will start for the Royals.

- Joe Haakenson

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Box: ANGELS vs. KANSAS CITY (See text)