A Deal Made in Angel Heaven?

General Manager Bill Bavasi traveled to Oakland for the four-game series, fueling speculation the Angels are interested in A’s slugger Mark McGwire, a free-agent-to-be who is on the trading block.

Bavasi scoffed at the suggestion he was here for an up-close look at the first baseman, but there is no denying the Angels and A’s match up well for a potential McGwire deal, and not only because McGwire wants to play in Anaheim.

The Angels may be willing to part with exactly what the A’s want--a first-rate outfielder, possibly Garret Anderson, a top first-base prospect, such as Chris Pritchett of triple-A Vancouver or Danny Bauxbaum of double-A Midland, and a pitching prospect such as double-A left-handers Scott Schoeneweis and Jarrod Washburn or triple-A right-hander Mike Bovee.

Angel reliever Shigetoshi Hasegawa, who is probably good enough to pitch in Oakland’s rotation, could also be included in a package. The A’s probably would want two or three players for McGwire, the number of players determined by their quality.

The Angels are reluctant to trade for McGwire because they can bid for him as a free agent this winter, but if they deal for McGwire this month and lock him up to a multiyear deal in August, he would certainly boost their playoff hopes.

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TONIGT’S GAME

ANGELS’ JASON DICKSON (8-4, 3.41 ERA) vs. ATHLETICS’ STEVE KARSAY (2-8, 5.49 ERA)

Oakland Coliseum, 7:30. TV--Ch. 9. Radio--KTZN (710).

* Update--Second baseman Luis Alicea, hit in the lower back by a pitch from Hideo Nomo on July 3, is suffering from muscle spasms and was unable to play Thursday. He is listed as day to day. Dickson made the American League All-Star team--he didn’t play in Tuesday’s game--but hasn’t really looked like an all-star in his last four starts, going 0-2 with two no-decisions and giving up double figures in hits each game. Center fielder Jim Edmonds said his left knee (torn cartilage) felt better after six days off, but his right knee (inflamed patella tendon) was still sore after Thursday’s game. Rich DeLucia, who threw three hitless innings Thursday, hadn’t pitched since June 29, when he gave up a game-winning homer to Seattle’s Jose Cruz Jr. in the bottom of the ninth. “I was well-rested,” he said.