Hill's at a Loss, and So Are the Angels : Baseball: Right-hander is unhappy with demotion to the bullpen, which he learns about before team loses to Indians, 7-5.

Hill’s at a Loss, and So Are the Angels : Baseball: Right-hander is unhappy with demotion to the bullpen, which he learns about before team loses to Indians, 7-5.

By MIKE DiGIOVANNA

Aug. 31, 1999 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

CLEVELAND — The Angels will probably have baseball’s highest-paid middle reliever when Ken Hill is activated Wednesday and sent to the bullpen, a move that has driven an even deeper wedge between the team and its underachieving pitcher.

“We all know the reason,” a disappointed Hill said before the Angels’ 7-5 loss to the Cleveland Indians before 43,295 in Jacobs Field Monday night.

“It’s obvious.”

The Angels’ official party line is that with the team far out of contention, they want to use the final month of the season to look at young starters Ramon Ortiz, Jarrod Washburn and perhaps one more minor league call-up, probably Brian Cooper.

Hill says he knows better.

The 33-year-old right-hander, who missed 2 1/2 months of 1998 and has been on the disabled list twice this season, is in the second year of a three-year contract that includes a $6-million option for 2001 that is guaranteed if he reaches one of five thresholds for innings pitched or games started between 1998-2000.

Hill, who makes $5.45 million this season and is guaranteed $5.6 million next season, has started 41 games and thrown 226 2/3 innings in 1998 and ‘99, 123 2/3 of those innings and 22 starts this season.

For the 2001 option to vest, Hill must pitch either 190 innings in 2000, 385 innings in 1999-2000 or 570 innings from 1998-2000, or start 55 games in 1999-2000 or 81 games in 1998-2000.

With fewer starts and innings now, he will have a difficult time reaching the two-year requirements.

“They’re going to do what they want to do, but it ain’t right,” Hill said.

“You know I’m [ticked off].”

The move was ordered by the front office, and the Angels have their reasons.

Hill has an arthritic elbow that required surgery last season, he has missed five weeks because of elbow, knee and groin problems this season, and he is 4-11.

The Angels don’t want to be on the hook for $6 million in 2001 for a pitcher who has been inconsistent and unproductive.

But Bill Bavasi, Angel general manager, said to speculate that the move is based on finances “is pure foolishness. . . . Our priority right now is to get Ortiz and Washburn solidly in the rotation, and we may want to add a third guy. Our emphasis is on the future, not now.”

Hill said he could understand the move if he were struggling, but he had a 2.70 earned-run average in six games after the All-Star break before being sidelined Aug. 15.

“All I want to do is pitch,” Hill said.

“When I was hurt, I pitched when I shouldn’t have. Now I can pitch, and they don’t want me to.”

Hill has had two superb stints as an Angel, going 3-1 with a 1.37 ERA in his last six starts of 1997 and 5-1 with a 2.50 ERA in his first six starts of 1998.

But the rest of the time has been a haze of inconsistency and injuries for Hill, who didn’t win his second game this season until June 1.

“Like everyone else, Ken Hill’s performance is his salvation,” Bavasi said.

Hill was also upset about the handling of this situation.

“For 15 days, nobody said a word to me, and [Monday] all they told me is I’m coming off the disabled list and going to the bullpen,” Hill said. “I’ve got 10 years in this game, and they’re treating me like a rookie.”

Hill had an inkling this was coming. In an Aug. 20 interview, he said his contract situation “could be an issue” in September, later adding, “If you don’t want me here, just trade me.”

Does he still feel that way?

“I don’t know, man, it’s mixed,” Hill said. “I don’t want to go anywhere. I want to ride out this storm and help get the ship going in the right direction. On the other hand . . . “