This Series Should Be Quieter

The Angels and Texas Rangers don’t much care for each other. They face off again tonight, giving the Rangers a chance to wreck the Angels’ faint hopes of catching the Oakland Athletics in the American League West.

The last Angels-Rangers series included five hit batters, nine ejections and a bench-clearing brawl, followed by suspensions levied against five players, both managers and a coach.

The Rangers are all but mathematically out of the race, and a few more suspensions could cripple the Angels. However, Angels second baseman Adam Kennedy says he isn’t worried about whether the Rangers might try to bait the Angels into renewing hostilities.

“I can’t imagine that would be the case,” said Kennedy, who charged the mound after being hit during that series against Texas. “If something were to happen, we’re in a situation where we’ve got a little more to lose. We know where to draw the line.”

Does Kennedy consider the conflict with the Rangers over?

“It is, as far as we’re concerned,” he said. “At this point of the year, you won’t see any retribution or unsportsmanlike stuff from us.”

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The Arkansas Travelers, the Angels’ double-A affiliate, move from Little Rock to North Little Rock next season, across the Arkansas River and into a new stadium paid for by North Little Rock taxpayers.

“To me, $32 million says they ought to get a little recognition,” said Bill Valentine, the Travelers’ executive vice president.

Valentine pondered how to properly recognize the citizens of North Little Rock. Then he remembered the new name of his parent club -- the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

So, starting next year, Valentine will proudly present -- you got it -- the Arkansas Travelers of North Little Rock. The team will wear Travelers on home jerseys and North Little Rock on road jerseys.

The team changed its name from Little Rock Travelers to Arkansas Travelers in 1957, Valentine said, hoping to broaden its fan base across the state. After the team played half a century in Little Rock without Little Rock in its name, some fans are dismayed that North Little Rock now will be included.

“You’ve got some hard-core fans that say they’re not coming across the river,” Valentine said.

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Manager Mike Scioscia benched Howie Kendrick, who is batting .154 this month, but said Kendrick would return tonight. Scioscia said he chose Kendry Morales over Dallas McPherson to replace Kendrick because McPherson is hampered by back stiffness. McPherson has a herniated disk and is considering off-season surgery.

bill.shaikin@latimes.com