ANGELS NOTEBOOK: DONNELLY APPEALS SUSPENSION.

Byline: Gabe Lacques Staff Writer

ANAHEIM - Angels reliever Brendan Donnelly has admitted to the crime, but that doesn't mean he's accepting the punishment.

Donnelly received a 10-day suspension from Major League Baseball on Friday for getting caught with pine tar on his glove during Tuesday's game against the Washington Nationals. Donnelly appealed the decision, but Angels manager Mike Scioscia served his one-game suspension Friday for engaging Nationals manager Frank Robinson in a heated exchange after Robinson demanded Donnelly's glove be inspected by umpires. Robinson also received a one-game suspension and a $1,000 fine.

Donnelly's appeal of MLB on-field discipline chief Bob Watson's decision will be heard next Friday in Anaheim. The Angels are confident the penalty will be reduced, perhaps to eight games like St. Louis reliever Julian Tavarez's 2004 penalty for using a foreign substance on a ball.

Still, they'll eventually have to do without one of their key set-up men and play with a 24-man roster. Scioscia said the club will option out a bench player and recall another pitcher when Donnelly's suspension begins.

``I'm not denying the fact I had pine tar on my glove. I did. But similar circumstances were lesser,'' Donnelly said. ``I have a feeling I'm letting the team down a little bit. I apologize to the team and to the organization. At the same time, I feel they're on my side.''

Scioscia could not appeal his decision, but did have the option of delaying it while he explained his actions to MLB executive vice president John McHale, as Robinson did. Instead, he served his suspension Friday while bench coach Joe Maddon filled in.

Scioscia said he didn't expect a suspension. Florida Marlins manager Jack McKeon, the 74-year-old veteran, also felt that was an odd reaction to Scioscia and Robinson's on-field exchange.

``I can't see the reason for it,'' McKeon said. ``Let them go pass out church bibles or hymnals. Gee whiz. You can't say anything to anybody?''

Scioscia also declined to get drawn into a war of words with former Angel Jose Guillen, the Nationals outfielder who called him a ``piece of garbage'' on his way out of town Wednesday.

``Enough is enough,'' Scioscia said.

His players were less subtle. They still believe Guillen tipped off Robinson about Donnelly's pine tar presence on his glove.

``(Robinson) said he saw it on video. I don't believe that,'' reliever Scot Shields said. ``He's got to back his guy up, especially if it's the guy we think it is.''

As for Guillen's ``garbage'' line, second baseman Adam Kennedy said the club has learned to ``take what certain people say with a grain of salt.''

Added injured outfielder Tim Salmon: ``It sounds like he's going overboard to make his point. Don't go back there. You're beyond that. He's talented, he's happy there. Why go there?''

Donnelly has admittedly ``seen some things'' in a career that began with a decade in the minor leagues, but the past three weeks have been surreal. He was caught twice going to his mouth on the mound in a game in Chicago, prompting a war of words with White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen.

In Boston, he was forced to remove a spare ball from his back pocket, and now this.

``This is something I won't have a problem overcoming as far as performance on the mound,'' he said.

``I just hope this is my peak as far as bizarre situations in baseball. This is not how I want to be in the media.''

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2 photos

Photo:

(1) DONNELLY

(2) SCIOSCIA