Return of Appier, Sele Could Stabilize Staff

The Angels hope Kevin Appier and Aaron Sele can provide the starting rotation with a much-needed boost when they return from stints on the disabled list over the next two days. Appier is scheduled to pitch tonight against Cleveland and Sele is expected to make his season debut on Friday against Toronto.

“I’m excited to come back and compete,” said Sele, who has made six rehabilitation starts since undergoing off-season shoulder surgery. “That’s why you work so hard to do what you do.”

Appier, who hasn’t pitched since April 19 because of a strained muscle in his right forearm, said the lingering discomfort “is not that bad to deal with as long as you know you’re not blowing something out and it’s not affecting your stuff.”

Appier is 1-2 with a 7.36 earned-run average and has delivered two quality starts in four outings. Angel Manager Mike Scioscia said he hopes the pitchers can “bring a little bit of consistency to [an aspect] of our club that we really need to get going.”

*

Scioscia took exception with a high-ranking baseball official’s statement Tuesday that it wasn’t in the best interests of the game if teams devoid of tradition, such as the Angels, established themselves as preeminent teams.

“Anaheim was a wonderful story [last season], the whole deal,” said Bob DuPuy, baseball’s chief executive officer. “But outside Southern California, to a fan in Montana, the Anaheim Angels just doesn’t connect.”

Said Scioscia: “I travel a lot around this country, and I found it to be the opposite. I found that people came up to us, and the Anaheim Angels were a team that people who lived anywhere in the United States and loved baseball could connect with.”

*

The Federal Trade Commission granted the antitrust clearance that allows major league owners to approve the sale of the Angels at their meeting next week.

Under federal law, business acquisitions over $50 million cannot be completed before government regulators examine the deal for potential antitrust violations.

Major league owners are expected to approve Arturo Moreno’s purchase of the Angels, valued at about $184 million, next Thursday.

*

Times staff writer Bill Shaikin contributed to this report.