ANGELS NOTEBOOK: WITH PAIN GONE, SELE WILL RETURN TONIGHT.

Byline: Joe Haakenson Staff Writer

ANAHEIM - The form that helped Aaron Sele average 17 victories and 211 innings pitched from 1998 to 2001 might not be back tonight, when he makes his first start of the year after offseason shoulder surgery.

What is almost certain, though, is that Sele will pitch free of pain, something that was not the case when he struggled to an 8-9 season before going on the disabled list in late August. Sele returned to start the final game of the regular season, then underwent surgery in October to remove a portion of his labrum and repair a tear in his rotator cuff.

Rarely has Sele looked like the pitcher the Angels thought they were getting when they gave him a three-year, $24 million contract before the 2002 season. But rarely, too, did he feel good when he pitched.

``Last year I was trying to find arm angles to relieve the pain,'' Sele said. ``Certain days I had the ability to find a way to throw the ball without pain, like that Dodger game (in which he pitched a three-hit shutout). But after 100 pitches, I'd feel it, and I'd have to try to find an arm angle the next time out. They say when you're hurt you can cheat with your body to change velocity, but you can't change command.''

Sele did not impress in his rehabilitation outings, posting a 6.43 ERA in three Triple-A starts and walking five in four innings in his final appearance. But he said his poor numbers are partially because he was working on different things, much like a pitcher in spring training.

More importantly, he feels his arm strength is normal.

``I think he'll be able to hold his stuff better through the course of a game,'' pitching coach Bud Black said. ``There won't be reservations about turning the ball loose. In my opinion, he probably pitched with more discomfort than he let on. But that's the nature of the pro athlete. They can still get it done.''

--Erstad update: Darin Erstad ran hard for the first time since last week, when the team sent him home after his strained hamstring tendon showed no improvement. Though he didn't run close to full speed, he did get to a moderate gallop in the outfield and also ran backward under the supervision of trainer Ned Bergert.

Manager Mike Scioscia said Erstad reported no discomfort after the workout, but a better indication of Erstad's progress will be how he feels today. Erstad has been out since April 19.

``I'm not ready to, as (Scioscia) says, pull the scab off,'' Erstad said. ``You just do what you're told every day.''

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- Joe Haakenson