Appier Now Welcomes Visit to Toronto

CLEVELAND —  As the World Health Organization rescinded its advisory against traveling to Toronto, Angel pitcher Kevin Appier said that he looked forward to enjoying his visit to the Canadian city.

The Angels play in Toronto this weekend. After the spread of the SARS virus prompted the WHO to issue its advisory last week, a development Appier called “scary,” he suggested the series be shifted to Anaheim. In lifting the advisory Tuesday, WHO officials noted that no new cases of SARS had been reported within the community for three weeks.

“After the initial outbreak, they did a real good job containing it,” Appier said. “I would like to get out there, and we’ll feel more open to that now.”

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After Aaron Sele made the five minor league rehabilitation starts the Angels asked of him, they told him he needed another one. Sele said he was told starters typically prepare for the season by pitching 25 to 30 innings over six starts in spring training. Sele has pitched 18 innings, in which he is 1-1 with a 3.50 earned-run average. He said he did not object to another start to refine his curve and delivery.

“It’s not a bad thing,” Sele said.

So Sele will start for triple-A Salt Lake on Saturday, with Mickey Callaway starting for the Angels.

In his last three outings, Callaway is 0-3 with a 9.82 ERA, but Manager Mike Scioscia said Saturday’s starter was not determined on the basis of who would give the Angels the best chance to win that day.

“We’re not looking at it as one start,” Scioscia said. “We’re looking at our rotation to be a machine that turns over one good start after another. We have confidence in both those guys, but that wasn’t what we looked at.”

Scot Shields will start Thursday, but he and Callaway should be out of the rotation next week, with the Angels expected to activate Appier to start May 8 and Sele May 9.

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Reliever Francisco Rodriguez rejoined the Angels after returning from Venezuela, where he buried his grandmother Isabel, the woman who raised him and whom he called his mother. The death was sudden, Scioscia said, although the manager said he did not know the cause and Rodriguez politely declined to talk. Scioscia said he did not believe Rodriguez was too distraught to pitch effectively.

“She was probably the most influential person in his life, so there’s always a concern,” Scioscia said. “His perspective is, he’s having a chance to fill his dream and pitch in the major leagues, and a lot of that has to do with his grandmother’s sacrifices. I think he’s proud to go out there and carry her memory with him. I think he can handle that part of it fine.”

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Major League Baseball officials have told Arturo Moreno that a vote on his proposed purchase of the Angels has been added to the agenda of the owners’ May 15 meeting. If approved, as expected, he would take over the franchise from Disney immediately.... Troy Glaus, who missed the previous two games because of an infected left foot, started at designated hitter and will return to third base as soon as he can move laterally without discomfort.... Outfielder Tim Salmon extended his hitting streak to 17 games, tying his career high. The club record is 28, set by Garret Anderson in 1998.... Outfielder Julio Ramirez, who had no hits in three weeks with the Angels, hit two home runs Monday for Salt Lake.