BATTLE FOR L.A. ISN'T WAGED ON THE FIELD.

Byline: STEVE DILBECK

Here in La Laa Land, ``This is L.A. Baseball'' finally met up with the ``City of Angels'' on Friday, and marketing aside, it felt a lot like any other game.

Too bad.

Dodgers and Angels. It should be a great rivalry. Should offer a little antagonism. Should be the USC-UCLA of baseball.

Instead, it feels like just another series.

Fans care more than the players, and they don't get all that worked up.

The marketers, now they're drawing lines in the sand and marking turf with billboards. The teams themselves, though, have this nice little respect for each other. It's all so polite.

You would think this a natural. Teams born to be rivals. Digging in and trying to win the hearts of Southern California fans.

But it's nothing doing.

The Dodgers' great rival is, always has been and always will be, the Giants.

The Angels could use a rival, Dodgers or otherwise. Their early existence was nondescript enough that they never developed a heated rivalry with anyone.

If only it were the Dodgers. If only the teams could build up a healthy dislike for each other, bring some special intensity to their two annual series, really care about who the king of baseball was in the area.

That would be fun. Get the blood flowing. Make their meetings special.

But it's nothing doing. They care only that it's the difference between six wins and losses a year.

The best hope for building some genuine sporting animosity has been unexpectedly delivered by Angels owner Arte Moreno and his decision to rename the Anaheim Angels the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

Dodgers owner Frank McCourt's reaction was school-yard stuff, which I have found to be fairly delicious.

McCourt insists on having the public-address announcer, the scoreboard and all other references at Dodger Stadium to Moreno's boys be: Angels of Anaheim.

If the Angels players have felt dissed, they've kept a well-guarded secret.

``There's been a few little comments,'' said Angels third-base coach Ron Roenicke. ``I don't think it's to the point where it's that big of a deal, but all that little stuff sometimes changes things.''

Nope, it's not that big a deal to the people who can really intensify this would-be battle for Los Angeles.

As silly as the name change sounds, Moreno believes there are legitimate promotional benefits to be had by referring to the Angels as being from Los Angeles.

There are over 16 million in the Los Angeles five-county region and Moreno wants an advertising dollar that reflects it. So he's laid claim to Los Angeles.

``It's simple for me,'' said Los Angeles mayor-elect Antonio Villaraigosa. ``I'm going to be the mayor of the City of Los Angeles, and there's only one team residing in the City of Los Angeles, and that's the L.A. Dodgers.

``I understand why the Angels would want L.A. as a brand. It's a great city.''

Moreno's naming efforts have managed to tick off the City of Anaheim, which in that great American tradition, is suing the team.

But an Anaheim-Angels rivalry isn't quite what anyone was looking for. Politicians and front-office types are doing battle, but it's not translating to the actual competition.

``From the political side, it inflamed it,'' said Dodgers manager Jim Tracy. ``From what actually goes on the baseball field, I don't think it's inflamed it at all.''

Is there no hope, nothing that can get a Dodger talking about an Angel's mama? Some high spikes, inside heat, something

``Rivals are created on the field when the teams battle for the same division,'' said manager Mike Scioscia. ``If they put us in the same division, you'd see more of a rivalry.''

Sounds logical enough. It's worked for Yankees-Red Sox, Cubs-Cardinals. It hasn't done much for Angels-Rangers.

The Mets and Yankees can't stand each other. The Cubs turn their noses down on the White Sox.

The Dodgers and Angels just sort of get along. Scioscia and coaches Mickey Hatcher, Alfredo Griffin and Roenicke are all former Dodgers.

``There is a tremendous respect between the two clubs, the coaching staffs,'' Tracy said.

Isn't that just too swell? Six years ago Dodger Chan Ho Park and Angel, and ex-Dodger, Tim Belcher got into skirmish at first base that boiled the teams' blood, but only momentarily.

These guys might as well buy homes together, and when one player's on the road the other can be at home. Geez, their wives would probably get along too.

Even the Padres are a bigger rival to the Dodgers than the Angels. And that's too bad. Some simple loathing would be nice. Anything for players to take some real passion into their meetings.

But it's nothing doing.

In the City of Angels, this is LA baseball.