CONFIDENT OLIVARES IN GROOVE.

Byline: Joe Haakenson

Omar Olivares is in that ``zone.''

He's listed as the club's No. 5 starter, but his two starts this season rank as the two best by the entire staff. He threw 7-1/3 scoreless innings against the Rangers on April 10, then followed it up with Thursday's outing against the A's - one run and four hits in seven innings in the Angels' 12-1 victory.

``When you fall into a rhythm you feel you can do anything,'' said Olivares, 2-0 with a 0.63 ERA. ``You feel like you can throw the ball anywhere you want, make the ball do whatever you want it to do. You know it's hard for them to hit. I'm throwing to both corners, I'm very aggressive, I felt they were swinging defensively and didn't know what I was going to do.

``You just feel it. It's hard to explain.''

Part of the reason might be that Olivares had to win the starting job out of spring training. He had to pitch well and he did.

``I felt real good in spring training,'' he said. ``Physically and mentally I felt a lot better. I just kept it going. It's probably the best spring I've had in my career.''

Vaughn's prognosis `favorable': Mo Vaughn, who sprained his ankle two batters into his first game with the Angels, could rejoin the team within a week.

Dr. Lewis Yocum examined Vaughn on Thursday and said the first baseman's ankle had improved.

``I was very pleased with Mo's progress and the prognosis is very favorable,'' said Yocum, the Angels' medical director. ``Mo has done a lot of rehab work since suffering the injury.

``The possibility of his return within the week is optimistic, but definitely reasonable.''

Difficult search: On the other end of the spectrum is Ken Hill. Hill threw his between-starts workout Thursday with one goal in mind - get comfortable. It might seem strange that a pitcher with Hill's experience feels like he doesn't know what he's doing on the mound, but that is the case.

After he gave up five runs on five hits and seven walks in only four innings at Texas on Monday, Hill said: ``Right now I'm searching. I'm worried about too many things. There's too much going on in my head.''

Out with bruise: Second baseman Randy Velarde was hit by a pitch on his left arm near the elbow in the sixth inning and was replaced by Jeff Huson to start the bottom of the inning. He was diagnosed with a bruise and is expected to be in the lineup tonight against the Seattle.

ANGELS vs. TEXAS

Time: 5:35 p.m., at The Ballpark in Arlington.

TV/Radio: No TV; KIK-FM (94.3), XPRS-AM (1090).

Matchup: The Angels send Chuck Finley to the mound for his season debut, but he hardly has the lineup he expected to have behind him - no Mo Vaughn, no Gary DiSarcina, no Jim Edmonds. Finley (11-9, 3.39 ERA in '98) got off to a slow start in spring training because of a neck strain but is healthy now. John Burkett (9-13, 5.68 ERA IN '98) will start for Texas.

- Joe Haakenson

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Box: ANGELS vs. TEXAS (See text)