THE WEEK AHEAD

TODAY-THURSDAY

AT OAKLAND

* Schedule: 7 p.m. today and Wednesday; 1 p.m. Thursday.

* Television: Fox Sports West today.

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

* Pitching matchups: Steve Sparks (0-1, 13.50 ERA) vs. Mike Oquist (0-0) today; Chuck Finley (1-0, 6.00) vs. Kenny Rogers (0-1, 5.79) Wednesday; Omar Olivares (1-0, 0.00) vs. Gil Heredia (1-0, 3.55) Thursday.

* Last year’s series: The Angels lost seven of 12 games and the season series to the A’s for the 11th time in 12 years. Center fielder Jim Edmonds, whom the Angels plan to activate Wednesday from the disabled list, hit four home runs and scored 12 runs in the 12 games last year.

* Keys for Oakland: The A’s can hit, but their pitching is unpredictable. Heredia beat the Yankees on opening day, but the A’s scratched Brad Rigby from tonight’s start after they needed him to relieve Tom Candiotti in the third inning Sunday. Rogers asked for a trade last winter, then withdrew the request, then almost got traded to Cleveland before developing a sore elbow.

FRIDAY-SUNDAY

VS. SEATTLE

* Schedule: 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 5 p.m. Sunday.

* Television: Channel 9 Friday; Fox Sports West Saturday; ESPN Sunday.

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

* Last year’s series: The Angels won nine of 12 games, their most successful series against the Mariners since 1982. Troy Percival saved five games last year, pitching eight innings and striking out 10 without giving up a hit. Tim Belcher, expected to start Friday for the Angels, went 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA against Seattle last season, as a member of the Kansas City Royals.

* Keys for Seattle: The Mariners lost their middle infield to knee injuries a few days into the season, with shortstop Alex Rodriguez out four to six weeks and second baseman Carlos Guillen out for the season. They changed the names in the dreadful bullpen--out with Ayala, Fossas, Slocumb, Spoljaric, Timlin, Wells; in with Halama, Hinchliffe, Leiter, Mesa, Paniagua, Suzuki--but with any effect?