ANGELS NOTEBOOK: SCIOSCIA HAS FINAL SAY OVER GUILLEN.

Byline: Gabe Lacques Staff Writer

ARLINGTON, Texas - Angels manager Mike Scioscia has no control over the outcome when arbitrator Shyam Das hears suspended outfielder Jose Guillen's case against the club during Friday's grievance hearing in the Bay Area.

But whether or not Das reinstates Guillen, Scioscia still fills out the Angels lineup card. And it likely will not include Guillen this season, regardless of Friday's hearing.

``They can reinstate his standing with the club, but they can't force us to put him in the lineup,'' Scioscia said Tuesday.

Guillen earned his suspension with an on-field display of defiance when removed for a pinch runner Saturday, followed by a verbal exchange with Scioscia in the clubhouse. It will be up to Das to determine if Guillen violated a personal conduct clause in his contract.

Should Guillen wear an Angels uniform again, the decision will be Scioscia's on whether Guillen plays again. It won't be much of a decision at all.

``We'll cross that bridge when we get to it,'' Scioscia said. ``Right now our focus is in a different direction with our club. I don't think we'll make that determination now.''

--CSUN product to pitch: Instead of Joaquin Benoit, who shut them out for four innings of an emergency start Sept. 18, the Angels will face Texas rookie Kameron Loe, a draftee from Cal State Northridge, today. Loe will be making just his second major-league appearance.

After shutting down the Angels, Benoit was hit hard by Seattle and has a 5.85 ERA.

--Playoff tickets: Tickets for a potential one-game playoff to determine the American League West title go on sale Thursday at 10 a.m. via Ticketmaster or the Angels' Web site, www.angelsbaseball.com. If the Angels and Oakland Athletics are tied after Sunday, the game will be played Monday at Angel Stadium, most likely at 1 p.m.

--Mulder to start: After debating whether to start September call-up Joe Blanton, the A's will stick with 17-game winner Mark Mulder in the opener of Friday's crucial series against the Angels.

The Angels chased Mulder in the fourth inning of their victory Sunday, and he has an 8.10 ERA this month.

``He still made some decent pitches at important times,'' Scioscia said. ``I don't know exactly if anything's ailing him, but I don't think he's that far off.''

--The other guys: In honor of the strong play of the Angels bench this season, No. 3 catcher Josh Paul traded an autographed Vladimir Guerrero ball to an Arlington T-shirt vendor in exchange for 20 shirts. On the front: two fingers pointed upward, with the words ``Field 2.'' On the back: ``Wear it ... and like it!''

Translation: In spring training, the reserves are relegated to a lower field for batting practice while the regulars hit on the main field at Tempe Diablo Stadium.

``We've been in these games and we're making a difference,'' Paul said. ``You can't win without a strong bench and a loose bench. If you didn't take BP on Field 2, you didn't get a shirt.''

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- Gabe Lacques