ANGELS NOTEBOOK: INJURY ENDS KENNEDY'S SEASON.

Byline: Gabe Lacques Staff Writer

ANAHEIM - Second baseman Adam Kennedy will miss the rest of this season and possibly the start of 2005 after tearing two ligaments in his right knee during Monday's win over Seattle, an injury that will thrust rookie Dallas McPherson into a prominent role down the stretch.

Chone Figgins will become the everyday second baseman and McPherson, who made the first start of his career Monday, suddenly becomes the regular third baseman, assuming he handles the position defensively.

An MRI Tuesday revealed Kennedy suffered a complete tear of his anterior cruciate ligament and a partial tear of his medial collateral ligament when he planted his right leg trying to field Ichiro Suzuki's infield single in the fifth inning Monday. He will learn within weeks whether he will need surgery, which would sideline him for spring training and likely the first month of next season.

But Kennedy, who has become a Gold Glove caliber second baseman while boosting his average from .243 on July 1 to .278, was morose over the prospect of missing the Angels' stretch drive.

``No time's good for that, but you feel you let your team down,'' Kennedy said. ``It's just frustrating, but these guys will pick it up and be fine.''

Kennedy becomes the sixth member of the projected starting lineup to suffer a disabling injury this season. That list includes Garret Anderson (back), Darin Erstad (hamstring), Tim Salmon (shoulder, knee), Troy Glaus (shoulder) and Bengie Molina (calf, finger).

``I'm pretty close to him, and it's tough, it doesn't make sense,'' Erstad said. ``You go down, you go down aggressive. He'll have no second thoughts about anything.''

McPherson, who hit 40 homers between Double-A and Triple-A this year, will play third for as long as his glove (29 errors) allows, manager Mike Scioscia said. The 24-year-old says he's ready.

``I have confidence in myself and what I can do on the field,'' he said. ``That's about all I can say.''

--Budget estimate: Owner Arte Moreno said he anticipates the '05 payroll to land between $90 million and $100 million, the projected target for '04 before he made a late dash to land Vladimir Guerrero.

``I always felt our budget would be in that range,'' he said. ``We're trying to stay as competitive as we can.''

--Big Cat is back: Erstad's abysmal numbers against Seattle's Jamie Moyer (11 for 59, .186) and his aching lower back produced the first start this year for Andres Galarraga, who joined the Angels Sept. 1 and had just two at-bats since. The 43-year-old entered Tuesday just two homers shy of 400.

``I just want to make hard contact,'' he said. ``I know I don't have too many chances left.''

Galarraga singled in his first two at-bats but was thrown out trying to advance on a pitch in the dirt in the fourth inning.

--Melvin's take: Scioscia was ejected from Monday's game for yelling at Seattle's Ryan Franklin after Franklin hit Guerrero in the head with a fastball. Mariners manager Bob Melvin said he is above such gamesmanship.

``Certain guys handle things differently,'' Melvin said Tuesday. ``I'm not going to yell at another team's player. That's the way (Scioscia) chose to handle it.''

Guerrero was back in the lineup Tuesday, as was Jose Guillen (hip flexor). Franklin reportedly called Guerrero Tuesday to let him know he did not hit him intentionally.

Gabe Lacques, [phone]

gabe.lacques(at)sgvn.com

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- Gabe Lacques