ANGELS NOTEBOOK: SOLID WALL EARNS SPOT IN BULLPEN.

Byline: Joe Haakenson Staff Writer

ANAHEIM - The Angels decided during the offseason they'd be better off spending money on offense, so they let reliable reliever Shigetoshi Hasegawa leave. That opened the door for a variety of the organization's younger pitchers to try to win a job in the bullpen.

Bart Miadich, Brendan Donnelly and Matt Wise were among those in the mix, but ultimately it was veteran Donne Wall who won the job during spring training.

Wall pitched two perfect innings in his Angels debut Sunday night, a good start in his effort to bounce back from a bad season in 2001 with the Mets. Wall was 0-4 with a 4.85 ERA in 32 appearances last year while battling shoulder problems.

``I was very frustrated,'' Wall said. ``I tried to stay as positive as I could, but physically, my body wasn't doing what it was used to.''

Wall, 34, is healthy again and the Angels are hoping he returns to the form he showed from 1998 to 2000 with the Padres, when he was closer Trevor Hoffman's set-up man. In those three seasons, Wall went 17-10 with a 2.92 ERA.

``Our job in the bullpen is to get the ball to (closer) Troy (Percival) with the lead,'' he said. ``It doesn't matter if you come in in the third inning or the eighth, just get the ball to Troy.''

--Cook close: Left-handed reliever Dennis Cook made 31 pitches during a simulated game Monday at Rancho Cucamonga, the Angels' Single-A affiliate. Cook, on the disabled list with bruised ribs, will throw again in the Quakes' season opener Thursday.

If all goes well, Cook could be activated by Saturday in Texas.

``Oh yeah, I've been antsy,'' Cook said. ``I think I'm close.''

Cook, 39, was injured during the Angels' March 9 fight with the San Diego Padres. ...

Starter Ramon Ortiz, in staying on a five-day pitching schedule, threw 90 pitches in a simulated game Monday at Rancho Cucamonga. He'll make his first start of the season Saturday in Texas.

--Positive energy: Manager Mike Scioscia said the Angels' opening-day dud should be something from which the players can learn.

``Opening day is probably as close as you're going to get to a playoff atmosphere,'' he said. ``You'd like the guys to use the experience to get used to it. Opening day is part of the season and the fanfare is part of the package. You want to use that energy for something positive because there might be a time during the season or in the playoffs when you'll be in the same situation.''

ANGELS vs. CLEVELAND

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

TV/Radio: 570-AM, 1090-AM.

Matchup: Aaron Sele (15-5, 3.60 ERA in '01) will make his Angels debut after signing a three-year, $24 million contract. Sele has been to the playoffs in each of the past four seasons - two with Texas and two with Seattle. Indians starter Chuck Finley (8-7, 5.54 in '01) will make his fifth start against his former team. In the first four, he's 1-1 with a 5.04 ERA.

- Joe Haakenson

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ANGELS vs. CLEVELAND (see text)