ANGELS' DEPTH DEFICIENT TEXAS HAS NO PROBLEM WITH SHORT-HANDED HALOS TEXAS 6, ANGELS 1.

Byline: Joe Haakenson Staff Writer

ANAHEIM - It's nearly August, the Angels are in third place in the American League West and set to play the division-leading Rangers, and a look at the lineup card shows the Angels have their third-string catcher starting Monday's game in left field.

It's nothing against Josh Paul, who began the night swinging a relatively hot bat, but more a matter of who wasn't in Monday's lineup - namely the club's two best hitters, Vladimir Guerrero and Garret Anderson.

Anderson appeared as a pinch-hitter in the eighth inning and struck out looking, but by then, the outcome was hardly in doubt. Rangers starting pitcher Ryan Drese (7-5) took advantage of the Angels' depleted lineup, and though he gave up 10 hits, he allowed only one run in the Rangers' 6-1 win before 42,040 at Angel Stadium.

Rangers shortstop Michael Young (Bishop Amat High) led off the game with a home run and Gary Matthews Jr. hit a three-run home run off Angels starter Kelvim Escobar (5-8). The Angels' only run came on Jose Guillen's two-out, RBI single in the fifth.

The Angels entered the game trailing the Rangers by four games in the division and the last thing they wanted was to have their Nos. 3 and 4 hitters on the bench. But Anderson, who suffered a strained groin Thursday in Texas, is expected to miss tonight's game and maybe Wednesday's as well. Guerrero, who was hit by a pitch on his right wrist Friday in Seattle, might rejoin the lineup tonight after Monday's CT Scan was normal.

So, with his options limited and offense a priority, Angels manager Mike Scioscia put Paul in left field, a spot he'd played only once in the majors - in 2001 with the White Sox.

Paul, who has started six games at catcher and one at designated hitter this season, played well defensively on Monday and went 1-for-3 at the plate, but he hardly provides the presence in the lineup that Anderson and Guerrero do. Anderson tried to play on Sunday in Seattle, but left the game after one at-bat.

``It's not any worse,'' Anderson said before the game. ``It wasn't strong enough and I didn't want to risk an injury. I took off running and I just didn't feel I should be playing.''

It doesn't matter to Anderson that the Rangers are in town, even if he ends up missing the entire series.

``That has nothing to do with it,'' he said. ``If it hurts, it hurts.''

Guerrero will be re-evaluated by Dr. Lewis Yocum today.

``We're hoping it's a short-term deal,'' Scioscia said of Guerrero. ``(Sunday) the swelling was down significantly and the strength was up, so that's a good sign.''

The Rangers got a good sign when Young led off the game with a home run for the fourth time this season, his 14th home run overall. Lance Nix's two-run double in the fourth increased the Rangers' lead to 3-0.

The defining inning of the game was the fifth. Escobar retired the first two Rangers hitters of the inning before giving up a double to Mark Teixeira. David Dellucci walked and Matthews followed with a three-run homer to put Texas up, 6-0.

The Angels threatened in the second inning, loading the bases with two outs, but Adam Kennedy flied out to left to end the threat. In fact, the Angels threatened to score throughout the game, putting at least one baserunner in scoring position in every inning but the first and fourth. They finished with 13 hits, but were just 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position.

Now trailing the Rangers by five games in the A.L. West, it's clear to the Angels that the team they are chasing is not a fluke.

``Everyone spelled it out - if that team got pitching ...'' Scioscia said. ``That's been bounced around the last four years.''

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Rangers slugger Gary Matthews, right, is congratulated by teammate Mark Teixeira after hitting a three-run home run off Angels starter Kelvim Escobar.

Matt Sayles/Associated Press

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