Celebrating Is Not a Priority

For all the Angels, but particularly for those who have served the longest, this should be a time of great anticipation. Any day now, the Angels should clinch their first playoff berth in 16 years.

For the first time in their careers, outfielders Garret Anderson and Tim Salmon and pitcher Troy Percival ought to enjoy a clinching celebration. But the Angels are unlikely to erupt in wild glee on securing at least a wild-card playoff berth, because they still will be chasing the American League West championship.

“I see this team not responding at all until we clinch the division,” Percival said, “or until we clinch that we can’t. We’re going to be happy we’re in the playoffs, but we’re focused on winning the division and giving our fans the home-field advantage.”

The traditional clinching is accompanied by raucous celebration and champagne showers, with the everyday players given the next day off. The Angels did not pack champagne Sunday, when they left on this 11-day trip, and they do not plan to rest all the regulars the day after they clinch.

“We’re not thinking wild card,” Anderson said, “and I’m sure Oakland’s not either.”

Salmon, whose decade of service makes him the senior Angel, said players have not looked far enough ahead to discuss how to celebrate.

“You might call that superstitious,” he said, “but that’s part of the success of this club.”

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The Angels plan to use four starters in the playoffs, with Jarrod Washburn pitching the opener. Kevin Appier and Ramon Ortiz would start the next two games, although the order could be reversed. Rookie John Lackey would start the fourth game, if necessary, with Washburn available for a possible fifth game.

Lackey has failed to complete six innings in three of his last four starts. He surpassed the 200-inning mark Monday for the first time in his pro career. Lackey is expected to start as scheduled Saturday, after which the Angels could consider giving him extra rest.

The Angels are leaning toward carrying 10 pitchers on their playoff roster, with Percival, Brendan Donnelly, Scott Schoeneweis and Ben Weber assured of bullpen spots. Scot Shields almost certainly will join them, probably leaving one spot for either Mickey Callaway, Dennis Cook, Al Levine or Aaron Sele.

Sele, trying to return despite a partially torn rotator cuff, threw 45 pitches in a simulated game Tuesday and is expected to throw again Friday.

“I feel like I’m ready to pitch in a game,” Sele said, “but it’s not my call.”

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TONIGHT

ANGELS’

MICKEY CALLAWAY

(1-0, 3.13 ERA)

vs.

ATHLETICS’

BARRY ZITO

(21-5, 2.64 ERA)

Oakland Coliseum, 7 p.m.

TV--Fox Sports Net.

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

Update--The Angels are 4-0 in Callaway’s starts, including one in which he opposed Derek Lowe and another against Mark Mulder. Since the All-Star break, Zito is 10-2 with a 1.49 earned-run average.