Sele, Ortiz Could Swap Spots Again

Aaron Sele and Ramon Ortiz appear to be on the verge of trading places again.

Sele replaced Ortiz in the starting rotation in early May after Ortiz struggled the first month of the season. But Sele could find himself back in the bullpen if the ineffectiveness he has shown since returning from the right shoulder fatigue that landed him on the disabled list continues.

Manager Mike Scioscia committed Tuesday to starting Sele against the Seattle Mariners on Saturday, but another poor outing could compel the Angels to make a change as they attempt to gain ground on the Texas Rangers in the American League West.

Sele has posted a 7.08 earned-run average in four starts since coming off the disabled list. After giving up four runs in 4 1/3 innings Monday during an 8-5 loss to the Cleveland Indians, the veteran right-hander pinned his inconsistency on starting only four times in the last 39 days.

“It’s hard to get in a rhythm out there,” said Sele, who at 5-0 remains the only undefeated Angel starter. “Every five days will be nice.”

Although Scioscia said that Sele was not teetering on the edge of losing his spot in the rotation, he acknowledged “we’re at a point in the season where we do need guys to step up.”

Ortiz has done nothing but excel since his demotion to the bullpen. The reluctant reliever bailed out Sele after a two-on, one-out jam Monday by inducing a double-play grounder off the bat of Casey Blake and went on to pitch 3 2/3 scoreless innings.

Ortiz has a 1.89 ERA in 33 1/3 innings out of the bullpen and has given up one run and six hits in 11 1/3 innings in two spot starts while Sele was on the disabled list.

“The way he’s throwing the ball, he’s making a strong case” to go back in the rotation, Scioscia said. “With Aaron, we’re a little concerned his stuff doesn’t look the same. Right now it looks like a mechanical thing, and he’s going to have to work through some things to see if he can regain his stuff.

“If he doesn’t, obviously it’s going to be tough to get done what he needs to do with the tools he’s had his last couple of starts.”

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Scioscia said he was forced to use setup man Francisco Rodriguez to pitch the ninth inning Tuesday with the Angels trailing the Cleveland Indians, 13-5, because reliever Kevin Gregg was still recovering from back spasms.

Gregg, who last pitched Thursday against the Boston Red Sox, said he woke up sore the next morning but expected to be available today.

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In a sign that the Angels may have pulled themselves out of the Randy Johnson derby, neither Gary Sutherland, special assistant to Angel General Manager Bill Stoneman, nor his brother, Angel scout Dale Sutherland, was spotted at Bank One Ballpark in Phoenix on Tuesday to watch the Arizona Diamondback ace pitch against the San Francisco Giants.

The Sutherland brothers had watched Johnson pitch against the Dodgers in recent weeks.

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ON DECK

Opponent -- Texas Rangers, two games.

Site -- Ameriquest Field in Arlington.

TV -- ESPN tonight, Channel 56 Thursday.

Radio -- KSPN (710), KTNQ (1020).

Records -- Angels 49-44, Rangers 53-38.

Record vs. Rangers -- 2-5.

Tonight, 4 PDT -- Kelvim Escobar (5-6, 3.94) vs. Ryan Drese (5-5, 3.63).

Thursday, 11 a.m. -- Bartolo Colon (7-8, 6.12) vs. Ricardo Rodriguez (3-0, 0.76).