ANGELS NOTEBOOK: WITH MO BACK, ERSTAD IN LEFT.

Byline: Joe Haakenson

For the first time since opening night April 6, Mo Vaughn played first base for the Angels on Wednesday night at Tiger Stadium.

Vaughn, who sat out 14 games with a sprained left ankle, started the previous 12 games at designated hitter. On Tuesday, the Angels had Vaughn participate in extensive defensive drills and he showed them he was ready to play the field.

``He said nothing bothers him except sliding and running the bases,'' manager Terry Collins said. ``I told him he didn't have to worry about sliding - don't slide. As he's going to have to run the bases anyway if he hits.''

Vaughn had been itching to play in the field for days but listened to the Angels trainers and Collins when they urged him to be cautious. On Wednesday Vaughn finally got his wish.

``It's big because it helps you get into the flow of the game,'' Vaughn said. ``You can contribute on both sides. I'm a better player all around.''

With Vaughn at first, Darin Erstad moved back to left field. Erstad will be able to adjust to playing the outfield easily, but he's had trouble adjusting to varying roles as a hitter. Erstad began Wednesday hitting .248 with two homers and nine RBI.

Erstad has 13 starts in the three-spot and five at No. 5. Wednesday he was back in the leadoff spot for the 10th time this season, and that's where he'll stay.

``That's where he's going to be,'' Collins said. ``Whatever makes him comfortable is what we need to do because he's off to a slow start. Last year the first half of the season he carried us. We need to get him going.''

Erstad and Collins discussed the issue and agreed that Erstad needs to stay in one spot. And he spent all of spring training hitting leadoff.

``You always want to be in a normal routine every day,'' Erstad said. ``If I'm going to be there for the rest of the season, I'd like to be there now. You don't have to look at the lineup ever. It's not ever a question. Now you can focus on baseball. I've always been a routine-oriented person.''

It's all in the wrist: Right fielder Tim Salmon sat out his second game in a row with a sprained left wrist and is listed as day-to-day, but he is not the only person in the Angels clubhouse with a bad left wrist.

Bill LeSuer, the Angels' muscle therapist, also has a sore left wrist. And how he injured it is a telltale sign of what's wrong with the Angels this year.

LeSuer hurt the wrist doing his job - massaging sore muscles that Angels players take with them into the training room.

ANGELS vs. DETROIT

Time: 4:05 p.m., at Tiger Stadium.

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

Matchup: Chuck Finley (1-2, 6.16 ERA) had a strong outing in his last start - giving up three runs in seven innings - but watched helplessly as Troy Percival gave up five runs in the ninth in the Angels' 8-5 loss to the White Sox. Finley's only victory came in his first start of the season, an 8-4 win over Texas on April 9. Bryce Florie, making his first start of the season, will pitch for Detroit.

- Joe Haakenson

CAPTION(S):

Box

BOX: ANGELS vs. DETROIT (see text)