ANGELS NOTEBOOK: SCIOSCIA LOOKING FOR ADDITIONAL OFFENSE.

Byline: Joe Haakenson Staff Writer

ANAHEIM - Going into Thursday's game against the Twins, the Angels had scored more runs than only two teams in the American League - the Devil Rays and White Sox. This from a team that set club records last season in home runs, RBI, extra-base hits, total bases and slugging percentage.

Manager Mike Scioscia has tried just about every lineup imaginable in an effort to get some of his slumping sluggers going. In the cleanup spot alone, Scioscia has used six different players.

Scioscia even started Benji Gil at first base Thursday, Gil's first career start at the position. Gil, primarily a middle infielder, went into the game hitting .344.

``You look at the makeup of our club now, and certainly you look at it as being a much more productive lineup when we're swinging the bats like we can,'' Scioscia said. ``If guys like Garret (Anderson) and Timmy (Salmon) aren't swinging, it doesn't matter where you put them in the order. It's not so much finding a combination, we're just trying to unlock the key to get these guys going.''

However, time is not on the Angels' side. Now that June is here, the Angels know they cannot afford to be as patient with some hitters as they were in April. Just how long the club can be patient with designated hitter Glenallen Hill remains to be seen.

Hill has spent most of the season on the disabled list and went into Thursday's game hitting .131, with one homer and two RBI. Meanwhile, at Triple-A Salt Lake, the Angels continue to be impressed with outfielder Jeff DaVanon, who is hitting .341 with nine homers, seven triples, 13 doubles and 40 RBI.

Even though the Angels don't have room in the outfield for DaVanon, Scioscia said: ``Position certainly dictates opportunities. But a lot of times if a player plays well enough, he can punch his own opportunity.''

--How's it going, Hasegawa: Reliever Shigetoshi Hasegawa will start playing catch today and says he hopes he can avoid surgery on his right shoulder, which has a partially torn rotator cuff.

``I don't want to hurry myself, just take it step by step,'' he said. ``I'm feeling fine right now, but you never know.''

Hasegawa said he wants to avoid surgery if at all possible but has not ruled it out.

ANGELS vs. KANSAS CITY

Time: 7:05 p.m. at Edison Field.

TV/Radio: Fox Sports Net; KLAC-570, XPRS-1090 (Spanish).

Matchup: Ismael Valdes (2-3, 4.41 ERA) will start for Anaheim against Kansas City's Jeff Suppan (2-4, 4.43), from Crespi High in Encino. Angels third baseman Troy Glaus, who led the American League with 47 homers last season, has a team-best 14 so far this year, putting him on a pace for 44. Center fielder Darin Erstad has a season-best 11-game hitting streak.

- Joe Haakenson

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ANGELS vs. KANSAS CITY (see text)