Belcher’s Season Comes to an End

Interim manager Joe Maddon used his strongest terms yet to predict the end of right-hander Tim Belcher’s season, which apparently concluded Tuesday in Kansas City with a strained muscle in his right forearm.

“I do not anticipate seeing him pitch anymore this year,” Maddon said.

Mike Fyhrie, who pitched six sturdy innings during Sunday’s 5-4 loss to the Baltimore Orioles, will probably get Belcher’s remaining starts. From the five-man rotation that began the season--Chuck Finley, Ken Hill, Steve Sparks, Omar Olivares and Belcher--only Finley, who starts tonight against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, remains.

The rest were injured (Sparks and Belcher), demoted to the bullpen (Hill) or traded (Olivares).

Belcher, a critical off-season acquisition when the Angels were outbid for Kevin Brown, was 6-8 with a 6.73 earned-run average in 132 1/3 innings over 24 starts.

*

Right-hander Ramon Ortiz intends to spend a good portion of his winter in Southern California, he said Sunday.

Though Ortiz will return to his native Dominican Republic and make a handful of starts in the winter league there, his agent, Scott Boras, has a plan to further integrate Ortiz into American culture, including English lessons.

Boras said he would like Ortiz to be fully prepared for next season, when Ortiz is expected to earn a place in the Angel starting rotation. Ortiz, who probably will live near Boras in Newport Beach, said he is looking forward to the indoctrination.

*

Tim Salmon returned to the lineup after missing Saturday’s game because of sore ribs.

ON DECK

ANGELS’ CHUCK FINLEY

(10-11, 4.45 ERA)

vs.

DEVIL RAYS’ WILSON ALVAREZ

(9-7, 3.90 ERA)

* Opponent--Tampa Bay Devil Rays, three games.

* Site--Edison Field.

* Tonight--7 p.m.

* TV--Fox Sports West.

* Radio--KLAC (570), XPRS (1090).

* Records--Angels 61-89, Devil Rays 65-85.

* Record vs. Devil Rays--4-5.

* Update--The Devil Rays extended the contracts of General Manager Chuck LaMar and Manager Larry Rothschild last week. Fred McGriff, 36 in October, was given a two-year contract extension and a no-trade clause, though the International League’s player of the year was Durham first baseman Steve Cox. Durham is Tampa Bay’s triple-A affiliate. Julio Franco, the 38-year-old former batting champion, is with the Devil Rays, as is Jim Morris, a 35-year-old pitcher who made his big-league debut Saturday. Jose Canseco, 35, had his $3-million option for next season picked up.

* Tuesday, 7 p.m.--Ramon Ortiz (1-3, 6.68) vs. undecided.

* Wednesday, 7 p.m.--Jarrod Washburn (2-4, 6.00) vs. Dan Wheeler (0-2, 5.49).