ANGELS NOTEBOOK: CONSIDERING OTHER PLANS FOR FRIDAY.

Byline: Joe Haakenson Staff Writer

BOSTON - Even though a strike could begin in three days, many Angels haven't made contingency plans. It's not that they don't think it's possible, just that they don't want to think about it, period.

What will they do Friday if there is no baseball?

``I'll take the kids to school,'' manager Mike Scioscia said. ``And we have some in-house stuff we could do, like go see (Triple-A) Salt Lake. ... Let's not talk about that, let's talk about baseball.''

Pitcher Kevin Appier said he'd spend the day with his wife. Pitcher Jarrod Washburn said: ``I haven't thought that far ahead. What would I do with myself? I'd probably be saying that all day.''

Shortstop David Eckstein said he would not sit around the house.

``The first thing I'd do is try to find a place to work out, then try to find a field,'' he said.

Angels player representative Scott Schoeneweis said there's no reason to panic even though the deadline is approaching.

``These things get done when these things get done,'' he said. ``When pushed to the precipice, it doesn't take three days (to reach an agreement).''

--Just shy: Second baseman Adam Kennedy's batting average entering Monday's game against Boston was .308, which ranked as the 10th-best in the American League, except for one problem.

Kennedy was eight plate appearances short of the required total to be recognized among the league leaders. A player needs to have 3.1 plate appearances per his team's games played. Going into Monday, Kennedy had 392 PAs and he needed 400 to qualify. He'll need 502 by the end of the season to qualify.

``There's a reason you have to have a certain amount ... because it's tougher to maintain an average like that the more at-bats you get,'' Kennedy said. ``I'm just trying to get it done when I have the opportunity. Everybody would like to be in there every day.''

--Hustle play: Right fielder Orlando Palmeiro bruised his ribs and had the wind knocked out of him while making a catch and hitting the short wall in foul territory in the fourth inning Monday. All eight of his teammates ran to him, as well as Scioscia and the Angels trainers.

Palmeiro, though, remained in the game.

--Salmon nears return: Tim Salmon, on the disabled list with a bone bruise in his left hand, hopes to begin working on strengthening exercises today or Wednesday and begin swinging a bat again after that.

Salmon hasn't started a game since Aug. 10, when he was hit on the hand by a pitch in Toronto.

ANGELS vs. TAMPA BAY

Time: 7:05 p.m., Edison Field.

TV/Radio: Fox Sports Net; 570-AM, 1090-AM (Spanish).

Matchup: Angels RH John Lackey (5-3, 3.27 ERA) will face Tampa Bay RH Victor Zambrano (5-5, 6.42). Lackey is coming off his first major-league complete game, though it was a 4-2 loss to the Yankees. The Angels are 3-0 against the Devil Rays this season and play them six times in their next nine games. The Devil Rays have lost 16 consecutive series, the first major-league team to do so since the 1997 Phillies, who lost 23 consecutive series.

- Joe Haakenson

CAPTION(S):

box

Box:

ANGELS vs. TAMPA BAY (see text)