ANGELS NOTEBOOK: RELEASE STILL BOTHERS FIELDER.

Byline: Joe Haakenson

Cecil Fielder has found a new home with the Indians, but he's still ``puzzled'' about his release from the Angels. After all, he says, it's not often the leading RBI man on a first-place team gets released in August. Fielder had 17 homers and 68 RBI for the Angels.

``I still haven't come up with something,'' he said. ``I can only go on what they told me. (Dave) Hollins has a salary for next year, they wanted to bring the kid (Troy Glaus) up and move Hollins to first base. That came out of (manager Terry Collins') mouth.

``They did what they had to do. The only thing that (ticked) me off was saying I wasn't doing this or that in certain situations, or I can't run the bases. That's baseball, they knew what they were getting when they signed me.''

Fielder has struggled with the Indians. He was 1 for 17 until getting a two-hit game Sunday. Now, he's batting .167 (4 for 24) with the Indians with no RBI and eight strikeouts. He said the time off before signing with Cleveland hurt him. Fielder was designated for assignment by the Angels on Aug. 5 and signed with Cleveland Aug. 13.

Plenty of seats: The Angels are in a pennant race. They know it, but it seems their fans either don't know or don't care.

For the last three home games of the season, Sept. 21-23 vs. second-place Texas, the Angels have sold between 18,000 and 23,000 seats. The three games prior to the Texas series, Sept. 18-20 vs. Seattle, the team has sold 28,000-39,000 seats. Why?

The series vs. Seattle is 1) on the weekend, 2) includes a fireworks show and 3) includes fan appreciation day.

Promotions: The Angels clubhouse got a little more crowded Tuesday, as the club added pitchers Mike Holtz and Jason Dickson, and infielders Justin Baughman and Chris Pritchett from triple-A Vancouver. Catcher Charlie O'Brien, pitcher Steve Sparks and outfielder Reggie Williams jumped from Double-A Midland.

Sparks and Williams never actually left the Angels but were temporarily taken off the roster to make room for Ken Hill and Gregg Jefferies. O'Brien was acquired in a trade July 30 from the White Sox but hadn't been able to play because of a broken thumb.

Pitcher Jarrod Washburn, who went 5-2 with a 4.38 ERA in 10 starts for the Angels earlier this season, is expected to be called up soon. The Angels want him to get another start for Vancouver.

ANGELS vs. CLEVELAND

Time: 4:35 p.m., at Jacobs Field.

TV/Radio: ESPN; KRLA 1110-AM, XPRS 1090-AM (Spanish).

Matchups: The Angels' Steve Sparks (8-2, 4.31) opposes the Indians' Bartolo Colon (13-7, 3.32). Sparks won his only start against the Indians this season. The Angels took the season series from both the Yankees and Red Sox, going 6-5 against both teams. But they have already lost the season series to the Indians going into today's final game, having lost seven of 10.

- Joe Haakenson

CAPTION(S):

Box

BOX: ANGELS vs. CLEVELAND (see text)