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Scott Schoeneweis was superb in his start for triple-A Edmonton Wednesday and will pitch one more minor league game before being considered for the Angel rotation late next week.

Reliever Kent Mercker threw batting practice and took fielding practice Thursday and is a few simulated games and minor league appearances away from an early August return.

Angel Manager Mike Scioscia said when Schoeneweis is ready, “I don’t think it’s going to be too hard to get him in the rotation.” And if Mercker is throwing well, “We’ll find a spot for him,” Scioscia said. “We know what Kent can do when he’s healthy.”

Diplomacy at its finest.

The truth is, finding spots for Schoeneweis and Mercker on the pitching staff will not be that simple.

Veteran starters Ken Hill and Kent Bottenfield have been very effective in each of their last three starts, and entering Thursday night, youngsters Jarrod Washburn, Brian Cooper and Seth Etherton had a combined 13-6 record and 4.14 earned-run average, each pitching well enough to remain in the big leagues.

“Maybe we’ll go with a seven-man rotation,” Scioscia joked. “We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.”

The bullpen has played a prominent role in the Angels’ success, and closer Troy Percival, set-up men Shigetoshi Hasegawa and Mark Petkovsek, middle reliever Al Levine and left-hander Mike Holtz have excelled in well-defined roles.

And Scioscia can’t simply dismiss the impressive job Mike Fyhrie has done in long relief, compiling a 2.30 ERA in 18 appearances.

The final bullpen spot belongs to seldom-used Rule V pick Derrick Turnbow, the prospect with the lively arm who the Angels must keep on their big league roster for a full season or risk losing.

Don’t be surprised if Turnbow comes down with an injury that forces him to the disabled list in early August--he wouldn’t be the first Rule V pick to be sidelined by some mysterious ailment--to make room for Mercker. Otherwise, Fyhrie would likely be the odd man out.

“These are good problems to have,” Scioscia insists. “We’re excited about getting guys healthy and productive.”

*

Garret Anderson was scratched from the designated hitter spot Thursday because of a mild strain of his left Achilles’ tendon. Scioscia replaced Anderson with Scott Spiezio, who homered in his first at-bat. . . . Tim Salmon, sidelined since Monday because of an inflamed left shoulder, looked so good in batting practice that Scioscia will consider starting him in right field instead of at DH tonight. . . . Scioscia needed only one replay of the game-ending play at the plate Wednesday night to be convinced Spiezio was safe, but he did not dwell on umpire Doug Eddings’ out call, which ended the Rangers’ 3-2 victory. “Umpires are not perfect,” Scioscia said. “I’m a firm believer that you don’t win or lose a championship or a game on one call.”

ON DECK

* Opponent--Oakland Athletics, three games.

* Site--Oakland Coliseum.

* Tonight--7.

* TV--Channel 9 tonight and Sunday.

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

* Records--Angels 52-44, Athletics 51-43.

* Record vs. Athletics--3-3.

TONIGHT

ANGELS’

JARROD WASHBURN

(5-2, 4.07 ERA)

vs.

ATHLETICS’

TIM HUDSON

(10-2, 4.27 ERA)

* Update--The Angels will need a strong start from Washburn tonight, because they’ll be facing one of the game’s best young pitchers in Hudson, who gave up two runs on six hits in seven innings of a 10-3 win over the Angels on July 2. Oakland will probably recall former USC left-hander Barry Zito from triple-A Sacramento to start Saturday’s game. Zito, the ninth pick in the 1999 draft, was held out of his last scheduled minor league start so he would be available to the A’s Saturday and likely will get the nod over A’s right-hander Ariel Prieto, who has given up 10 runs on 15 hits in eight innings of two starts against the Angels this season.

* Saturday, 1 p.m.--Brian Cooper (4-3, 4.02) vs. TBA.

* Sunday, 1 p.m.--Ken Hill (5-5, 6.00) vs. Mark Mulder (5-6, 5.57).