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Rangers-Angels Preview

Sep 30, 2009 - 4:10 PM By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN STATS Senior Writer

Texas (85-72) at Los Angeles (93-64), 10:05 p.m. EDT

As the Los Angeles Angels started getting ready for the playoffs, they eliminated the Texas Rangers from contention.

The Angels and Rangers will continue their four-game series Wednesday night, after Los Angeles opted to scratch 15-game winner Jered Weaver from his scheduled start in preparation for the postseason.

Los Angeles (93-64) clinched its fifth AL West title in six years with an 11-0 victory in Monday's series opener. The Angels had been slated to start Scott Kazmir on Tuesday, but chose Sean O'Sullivan instead.

That switch didn't help Texas (85-72), which was eliminated from postseason contention with a 5-2 loss that gave Boston the wild card. Bobby Abreu homered and pinch-hitter Mike Napoli added a two-run single for the Angels, who will face the Red Sox in a division series for the third straight year.

Boston has eliminated the Angels three times in the last five years.

Weaver left his last outing Friday against Oakland with back stiffness, but indicated he would be ready to pitch Wednesday. Manager Mike Scioscia, though, is getting ready for next week and has decided to give Kazmir, Weaver and John Lackey extra rest with none of them pitching in this series.

The manager will give the ball to rookie Matt Palmer (10-2, 4.17) on Wednesday.

"We're making some adjustments to our rotation - there are a lot of things we're considering," Scioscia told the Angels' official Web site. "As things start to clarify by the end of this weekend, we'll have everything announced."

Palmer won his first five starts from April 23-May 19, but hasn't been in the rotation since the end of June. The right-hander hasn't started against the Rangers this year, and has a 3.00 ERA in five relief appearances against them.

Scioscia also scratched Juan Rivera, Torii Hunter, Kendry Morales, Erick Aybar, Maicer Izturis and Napoli from his lineup Tuesday. Leadoff hitter Chone Figgins, Abreu and Vladimir Guerrero were the only regular starters in the lineup, and they played about half the game.

Texas may also field a makeshift lineup Wednesday after being eliminated. The Rangers have been decimated by injuries down the stretch - they shut down center fielder Josh Hamilton (pinched nerve in back) on Tuesday - and have dropped 12 of 18.

"We didn't get it done," manager Ron Washington said. "Boston ended up getting in there by default. There's not enough games left on the chart, but we're still going to try to win as many as we can down the stretch."

Rangers rookie Derek Holland (8-12, 6.14) will try to earn consecutive wins after ending a five-start losing streak. After posting a 12.38 ERA during his skid, the left-hander beat Tampa Bay on Friday by allowing two runs over five innings of an 8-3 victory.

Holland is 2-1 with a 5.12 ERA in a four appearances against the Angels this season, including two starts. He threw a three-hitter in a 7-0 victory in Anaheim on Aug. 9.