Manager Mike Scioscia reminds Angels they’ve rallied before

Mike Scioscia said he shuts the clubhouse doors to hold a rally-the-troops meeting only when he senses a wave of frustration moving through his team, a period when his players can’t see an end to a rough patch.

The Angels’ manager called such a meeting — a 20-minute session — Sunday after the Angels lost for the eighth time in 11 games, dropping them to eight games back of American League West-leading Texas.

A day later, Scioscia said he wants his team to remember that it has dug itself out of a hole before, namely at the beginning of the season when the Angels struggled mightily out of the gate.

“Now we’re getting on top where we can kind of see the horizon,” Scioscia said Monday before his team faced Cleveland.

That horizon is the playoffs. And while a slew of baseball experts picked the Angels as World Series contenders, and in some cases favorites, the team entered Monday two games out of a wild-card spot.

Outfielder Torii Hunter said a wild-card spot is nothing to be scoffed at. He’ll gladly take one.

But, he added: “We all want to win the division. ... It’s not even too late at all. Things can turn around.”

After Monday, the Angels have 46 games left.

Hunter said the club’s morale is not in the dumps. “We kind of understand it’s a tough game,” he said.

Angels ace Jered Weaver said Scioscia’s closed-door meeting came along at the right time.

“It needs to happen every so often,” Weaver said. “We haven’t had one in a while, which means we’ve been playing good baseball. We obviously haven’t been playing up to our potential.”

Scioscia agreed.

“You want to bring a level of play on the field that matches the talent that you have in your clubhouse,” he said, “and that’s what we want to focus on.”

Ten years later

Monday marked the beginning of a week in which the club will honor the 2002 World Series championship team with activities that include honorary first pitches, special promotions, giveaways, autograph signings and the induction of that team into the Angels’ hall of fame.

On Saturday, after the Angels’ game against Tampa Bay, which is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m., FS West is scheduled to re-air Game 7 of the 2002 World Series between the Angels and San Francisco Giants.

Short hops

Reliever Scott Downs (left shoulder strain) appears close to returning. Scioscia said Downs is scheduled to pitch a bullpen session Tuesday and that he might throw a simulated game soon after that. ... Reliever Jordan Walden (right biceps strain, neck issues) was scheduled to pitch in Triple-A Salt Lake on Monday and Scioscia said the team would evaluate Walden’s performance before deciding his next move.

baxter.holmes@latimes.com