AMERICAN LEAGUE.

Anaheim

26-28: T 2nd

DH-by-committee steps in after Hill is released

The offense has straggled all season, but so has the front office, which is 0-for-2 in designated hitters after releasing Glenallen Hill, 36, who was acquired from the Yankees in March on the same day the team released Jose Canseco. Hill got off to a horrendous start in Anaheim before going on the disabled list with a strained oblique muscle April 21. While rehabilitating the rib cage injury, he suffered a strained right hamstring. When he finally returned May 29, he went 2-for-14 in three games. Hill's final line: a .136 average and two RBIs in 16 games. Hill's price tag: $1.5 million. 1B Scott Spiezio, C Shawn Wooten, OF Orlando Palmeiro, 1B Wally Joyner and OF Jeff DaVanon are expected to fill the DH spot.

SCOUTING REPORT: Teammates call LHP Jarrod Washburn's fastball a "dark ball" because it seems to disappear as it nears the plate. Batters leave the box swearing the pitch actually rises. The problem, at times, is control. Washburn, who rarely tops 92 mph, usually aims for one half of the plate and lets natural movement take the ball out of the strike zone as it nears the batter. But if hitters are patient and the pitch moves too much, or if it lingers too long in the strike zone, he can straggle, as he did in his 0-3 start. But Washburn, who missed four weeks in March and April with strep throat, hit a groove in May and went 3-1 with a 3.73 ERA in six starts, striking out 30 in 41 innings.

SEE A DIFFERENT GAME: The Twins stopped short of calling SS Benji Gil's hard sixth-inning slide into 2B Luis Rivas last Thursday a dirty play, but they weren't happy with Gil's attempt to break up a double play. Gil slid late and appeared to thrust his knee up at Rivas, who suffered a strained right knee. Gil claims there was nothing dirty about it. He said he had no intention of hurting Rivas, but the hit to shortstop was a slow roller, he got a good jump off first and Rivas stayed behind the bag on his pivot. The only way for Gil to break up a potential double play, he said, was to slide and land on the bag. --Mike DiGiovanna

Dugout Signals