Scioscia Weighing Rotation Options

It appears the Angels are headed to the playoffs, tied with the Oakland Athletics atop the American League West and eight games ahead of Seattle in the wild-card race, but they are taking nothing for granted.

Manager Mike Scioscia knows nothing is guaranteed until the Angels clinch the division title or AL wild-card berth, though he’s considering rotation options for the division series just to be prepared.

“If we do make an adjustment it’ll probably be somewhere in the Oakland series,” Scioscia said of the four-game showdown starting Monday at Oakland. “If we want to make adjustments for things to line up after that.”

Left-hander Jarrod Washburn and right-hander Kevin Appier, the Angels’ top starters, could pitch the first two games of an opening-round series against the Minnesota Twins or New York Yankees, probable winners of the AL Central and East, respectively, if each worked three times on three days’ rest. Washburn and Appier would then each have five days’ rest before starting Oct. 1 and 2 in the playoffs.

After starting Friday’s opener of a three-game series against the Texas Rangers at Edison Field, Washburn would pitch Tuesday against the Athletics at Oakland, Sept. 21 against the Mariners at Seattle and Sept. 25 against the Rangers at Texas.

Appier, scheduled to start today, would start Wednesday in Oakland, Sept. 22 in Seattle and Sept. 26 in Texas. Both pitchers would skip the final regular-season series against Seattle at Edison Field.

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Agent Scott Boras said allegations of sexual assault against Washburn would not affect the Angels’ view of their staff ace, who can go to arbitration after the season. The Orange County district attorney Wednesday declined to file charges against Washburn, who was under investigation by Anaheim police for 10 days.

Tim Mead, Angel vice president of communications, said the club has launched an internal investigation into security at Edison Field because of news reports about where the alleged incident occurred. Mead reiterated the club supports Washburn.

The Angels on Friday extended their contract with Class A Rancho Cucamonga through the 2004 season. The Quakes, an Angel affiliate the last two seasons, have led the California League in attendance in each of their first 10 seasons but finished this year with the worst record in the league, 52-88.

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TODAY

ANGELS’

KEVIN APPIER

(14-10, 3.63 ERA)

vs.

RANGERS’

DENNYS REYES

(4-2, 6.40 ERA)

Edison Field, 1 p.m.

TV--Channel 11.

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

Update--Appier is 8-3 with a 2.37 earned-run average in 12 second-half starts. He has limited opponents to a .204 batting average--100 points lower than before the All-Star break. Reyes is scheduled to make his fifth start of the season.

Tickets--(714) 663-9000.