THE WEEK AHEAD

TODAY-THURSDAY

AT BALTIMORE

* Schedule: 4 p.m. each day.

* Television: Channel 9 today and Thursday; Fox Sports West Wednesday.

* Radio: KLAC (570 AM) today and Thursday; KIK (94.3 FM) Wednesday; XPRS (1090 AM) all three games.

* Pitching matchups: Chuck Finley (2-3, 4.89 ERA) vs. Mike Mussina (5-1, 4.89) today; Omar Olivares (4-3, 3.00) vs. Scott Erickson (1-5, 5.61) Wednesday; Tim Belcher (2-3, 8.78) vs. Juan Guzman (1-4, 5.88) Thursday.

* Last year’s series: The Angels lost six of 11 games, including three of five at Baltimore, and they are 15-26 (.366) there since Camden Yards opened in 1992. Mo Vaughn could help; he hit .420 against the Orioles last season and has hit more home runs against them (28) than any other AL opponent.

* Keys for Baltimore: Is this the worst team money can buy? The Orioles finished the weekend with the same 13-24 record as the Minnesota Twins, but the Orioles opened the season with a $79-million payroll and the Twins opened with a $19-million payroll. It’s only May, and yet the season has been reduced to two questions: Will Cal Ripken (.239) retire, and will Manager Ray Miller last (a) the week, (b) the month or (c) the season?

FRIDAY-SUNDAY

AT TAMPA BAY

* Schedule: 4 p.m. Friday; 3:30 p.m. Saturday; 10:30 a.m. Sunday.

* Television: None.

* Radio: KLAC (570 AM) Friday and Sunday; KIK (94.3 FM) Saturday, XPRS (1090 AM) all three games.

* Last week’s series: The Angels lost two of three games in Anaheim, with Mo Vaughn driving in nine of Angel 12 runs. Troy Glaus had one hit in 13 at-bats.

* Keys for Tampa Bay: The Arizona Diamondbacks spent all the money, but their expansion cousins in Tampa Bay are hanging tough, surpassing the .500 mark (20-19) after winning the series in Anaheim. Jose Canseco (.296, 14 home runs) and Fred McGriff (.339, 12 home runs) give the Devil Rays third and fourth hitters as potent as any in the league; McGriff leads the AL in slugging percentage, with Canseco third.

HISTORY LESSON

A look back at this week in Angel history:

May 19, 1961: The Angels complete their first doubleheader sweep, defeating the White Sox 4-3 and 5-3 at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles.

May 20, 1968: Jim Fregosi becomes the first Angel to hit for the cycle in a 5-4 victory over Boston. His RBI single in the 11th not only gives him the cycle, it’s the game-winning hit.

May 22, 1972: Mickey Rivers becomes the ninth Angel to steal home.

Source: Angel records