ACHING ANGELS CALLED OUT CHAMPS ELIMINATED IN WEST WITH LOSS OAKLAND 14, ANGELS 4.

Byline: Joe Haakenson Staff Writer

OAKLAND - It's all but official. The Angels, the 2002 World Series champions, won't be back to defend their title unless they win every remaining game and the Boston Red Sox lose every game.

Anybody who saw the lineup the Angels trotted out Thursday, when they were beaten 14-4 by the Oakland Athletics, knows why the Angels have struggled and why reeling off a 14-game winning streak, let alone finishing .500, is a pipe dream.

The light-hitting A's pounded six home runs, the most they've hit in a game in three years, in officially eliminating the Angels from contention in the American League West. A lineup featuring Alfredo Amezaga and Wilson Delgado on the left side of the infield, Scott Spiezio batting cleanup and Adam Kennedy and Adam Riggs right behind him offered little resistance to a team actually playing for something.

But it's been this way for almost two months now, and when the few remaining core members of the title club were informed their championship defense was all but over, they shrugged.

``Did we officially get eliminated?'' asked designated hitter Tim Salmon, who sat out Thursday so Garret Anderson could serve as the designated hitter. ``It seemed like it was a few weeks ago.''

Added Spiezio: ``Every once in a while, I'd peek to see where we were at. ``But a month ago, I stopped peeking. You just hope to get this team to play together and build momentum for next year.''

Even that's not happening. The Angels (70-77) lost their seventh game in 10 tries, and Scot Shields (4-5) further imperiled his chances to earn a look in the 2004 rotation by giving up four home runs and seven earned runs in four innings.

Riggs, playing left field, nearly took Amezaga out of the lineup again when he collided with him on a pop fly in the first inning. Later, Riggs let a ball drop in front of him for a hit.

Delgado, playing third for the first time this season, committed a two-out error in the fourth inning that immediately was followed by a two-run homer by Jermaine Dye, giving the A's a 7-2 lead.

Patchwork team, spotty results.

``It's naturally disappointing,'' manager Mike Scioscia said. ``Even with the injuries, we could have done things better. Young players are trying to fill a void and in some cases they have, and in some cases they haven't.

``If Troy Glaus was healthy, if Darin Erstad was healthy, if Bengie Molina was healthy, if Brad Fullmer was healthy, they'd be playing. But they're not. When you have players out there trying to fill a void, that inexperience will show up at times. It's natural.''

Oddly enough, Thursday was the four-year anniversary of Minnesota Twins pitcher Eric Milton's no-hitter against the Angels, an effort that came against an equally spotty lineup. That season digressed into an ugly rash of finger-pointing, an atmosphere the Angels have managed to avoid this year.

Civility wasn't the Angels' goal this year, but for now, it will have to do.

Joe Haakenson, [phone]

joe.haakenson(at)sgvn.com