ANGELS MAKE CHANGES, WIN SELE TO START; ORTIZ IN BULLPEN ANGELS 11, DETROIT 9.

Byline: Gabe Lacques Staff Writer

ANAHEIM - In a season where anything less than a postseason appearance will be considered a major disappointment, the Angels will not tolerate mediocrity, a concept they underscored strongly Monday by demoting starting pitcher Ramon Ortiz to the bullpen.

It took just five starts for manager Mike Scioscia to determine he'd seen enough of Ortiz, who too closely resembled the pitcher who was hammered for a 6.52 earned run average after last year's All-Star break. His slot in the rotation will be filled by Aaron Sele, who lost out on a starting spot in spring but sparkled in a five-inning scoreless spot start Saturday.

Bartolo Colon, the undisputed ace of the staff, pitched a so-so six innings, but his teammates picked him up and Troy Glaus' two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh inning provided the go-ahead runs in an 11-9 victory Monday over the Detroit Tigers in front of 33,683 at Angel Stadium.

Colon gave up 10 hits and four earned runs in six innings and is winless in three of his last four starts. But there are few concerns with Colon and the top of the Angels rotation. It was the back end that warranted close scrutiny and Scioscia demoted Ortiz after he went 1-3 with a 9.28 ERA and failed to complete six innings in any of his five starts.

Ortiz, 30, has never made a relief appearance in his four-year major league career. But it's clear he will never reach the lofty expectations once placed on him. And with the club holding an option on him for next year, it's conceivable his last start for the Angels came Friday in Minnesota, where he gave up 12 hits and five earned runs in a 6-3 loss to the Twins, an appearance punctuated by a verbal joust with home-plate umpire Chris Guccione.

In the past, Ortiz's performance made such sways in emotion and focus fathomable. Not anymore.

``With Ramon, it's not just these five starts. These last 20 starts, going back to last year, he's had issues we've been seeing,'' Scioscia said. ``He's tried everything. It's all connected - it's mental, it's physical. Sometimes, you've got to take a step back and find a door.''

Ortiz, although disappointed with the demotion, said he will accept it and work on his issues in the bullpen, a challenge given the irregular work load. He will attempt to regain his fastball command, which deserted him and resulted in a barrage of 40 hits and 10 walks in 21 1/3 innings.

``It's very hard, but right now I'm not pitching good,'' he said. ``I've got to back and work, work, work. I'm very positive. I know I have a lot of talent, a lot of discipline. Everything's fine.''

Scioscia said the decision was driven as much by Sele's emergence. Ineffective during the first two years of his three-year, $24 million contract because of a right shoulder injury that required surgery in October 2002, Sele is healthy again and the Angels have publicly professed he's regained his 15-win form of 2001.

When Kelvim Escobar's torn fingernail created a spot start, Sele filled it by pitching five shutout innings against the Twins one night after Ortiz's start. Escobar returns to the rotation Wednesday and Sele will follow Thursday.

``The curveball he threw the other day was the old Sele curveball,'' general manager Bill Stoneman said. ``It was probably our best starting pitching performance this year.''

Gabe Lacques, [phone]

gabe.lacques(at)sgvn.com

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