Schoeneweis Seeks Answers

Scott Schoeneweis acknowledged Monday that he had initiated a closed-door meeting the previous day with Angel Manager Mike Scioscia and pitching coach Bud Black “along the lines” of his frustrations with his diminished role in the bullpen.

But the reluctant reliever declined to elaborate, saying he didn’t want his dissatisfaction to distract his teammates’ push to get back into playoff contention.

“We’re showing that we’re playing better,” Schoeneweis said before Monday’s 6-3 loss to Texas, “and I don’t want to do or say or have any drain on what’s going on as a team. I’m happy we’re winning as a team but there’s things that go on in a year where you need to talk and express some things to your coaching staff every now and then whether you’re winning or not.”

Scioscia said the converted starter, who has a 4.94 earned-run average in 27 1/3 innings -- fewer than any Angel pitcher except Troy Percival, who spent two weeks on the disabled list -- is in a difficult position because of the success of the team’s other relievers.

“We have a lot of confidence in Schoeny,” Scioscia said, “it’s just as far as where we are and guys in our bullpen are, being fresh and really executing pitches well, there are some guys that are doing too good a job to move them out of what they’re doing.”

Scott Boras, Schoeneweis’ agent, declined to say whether his client, displaced from the starting rotation last season, was seeking a trade.

“He’s mainly giving them notice that he wants to fulfill his role in an aggressive nature and as a good teammate,” Boras said.

Schoeneweis said personal pride would drive him to do his best despite the less-than-ideal circumstances. “When I get the ball,” he said, “that’s all I care about, trying to pitch well. Other than that, I really don’t have any control over what my role is. Whether I’m happy or not happy about it, what can you do?”

Schoeneweis got the ball Monday, pitching 1 1/3 scoreless innings.

*

Scioscia dropped David Eckstein to ninth in the batting order a day after temporarily moving him back to his leadoff spot and said the shortstop would continue to switch places in the lineup with outfielder Jeff DaVanon for the foreseeable future. Scioscia said Eckstein would top the batting order against left-handers.

*

Troy Glaus’ recent slide at the plate and shaky defense apparently will not keep him from being the American League’s starting third baseman in the All-Star game July 15.

With less than two full days to go in the voting, Glaus leads Oakland’s Eric Chavez by 157,865 votes even though his average has slipped to .259 and he has committed 14 errors, more than any other player at his position.