Scioscia Signs Contract Extension

Mike Scioscia, the only manager to guide the Angels to a World Series championship, signed a two-year contract extension Saturday that will take him through the 2007 season, with a club option for 2008.

Terms of the extension were not disclosed, although club sources said it would ultimately move Scioscia closer to lucrative deals signed during the off-season by three prominent managers. Scioscia is in the second year of a deal that paid him about $3 million over four years, with a club option for 2006.

In four-year contracts signed during the off-season, Dusty Baker received more than $14 million from the Chicago Cubs, Lou Piniella got $13 million from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Art Howe got $9.4 million from the New York Mets.

Scioscia, 44, guided the Angels to a 99-63 record last season, the best in club history, and was the American League manager of the year.

“This is where I want to be,” said Scioscia, who is 304-273 in his fourth season with the Angels. “The length is what’s important. This contract will hopefully give us a chance to play out with this group and see what we can do.”

Scioscia’s deal is the second contract extension in a four-day span for key Angel personnel. General Manager Bill Stoneman signed a four-year contract extension Wednesday that keeps him in the job until 2007.

Stoneman said details of Scioscia’s deal were worked out quickly. Scioscia does not have an agent and represents himself in contract talks.

“We want him around here for a long time,” Stoneman said. “Mike led us to a great season last season. He’s certainly earned a reward for that.”

Scioscia would become the Angels’ longest-tenured manager if he remains with the team and the club picks up the option year, giving him nine total years with the team. Bill Rigney, the Angels’ manager when the franchise began play in 1961, was with the team for eight seasons and part of a ninth before being replaced.

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Scioscia lifted the five-inning restriction on starter Aaron Sele, clearing the way for Sele to increase his innings while trying to maintain the recent consistency that had eluded him since he underwent shoulder surgery.

Sele pitched five innings in each of his three appearances since Scioscia imposed the limit. Sele (6-6) gave up only one earned run in 15 innings and won the three games.

Scioscia had been frustrated by Sele’s inconsistency since the surgery and put the five-inning restriction on him June 25.

“We’re taking the water wings off of him and letting him go into the deep end,” Scioscia said. “We’ll read how it goes in the game. We’re going to plan on him going as deep as he can. We’re not going to go in with an artificial ceiling.”

Sele’s next scheduled start is July 21 at Tampa Bay.