ANGELS NOTEBOOK: SELE WILL BE LIMITED TO FIVE INNINGS.

Byline: Gabe Lacques Staff Writer

ANAHEIM - Aaron Sele pitched into the sixth inning in each of his last two starts, but failed to get an out both times. Wednesday, the Angels made sure that won't happen in the near future, announcing Sele will be limited to five innings an outing until his stamina improves.

Sele (3-6, 7.01 ERA) is recovering from offseason shoulder surgery and has been inconsistent. He's failed to complete four innings in three of his nine starts, and has given up at least five earned runs in four starts.

With the Angels obligated to pay Sele $16 million the next two seasons, and with no room to stash him in the bullpen, the Angels figured getting Sele to shorten his focus was the best available alternative.

``For us to be better we need Aaron to be better,'' manager Mike Scioscia said. ``We didn't see a huge dropoff in his stuff, but limiting him to a five-inning window will allow him to go harder and concentrate on getting 15 outs.''

After giving up six runs in 3 2/3 innings in a loss to Baltimore on May 27, Sele had a meeting with Scioscia and pitching coach Bud Black, trying to get him to go harder earlier in the game. It worked. Sele won his next two starts while giving up two earned runs in 12 innings.

But he lost his next three starts, walking 10 in 13 2/3 innings, prompting a 20-minute meeting Wednesday in which Scioscia told Sele of his innings-rationing plan.

``The focus is to get more intense with your time, because your time is short,'' Sele said. ``There was a time we made a conscious effort to go 110 percent early. It worked.''

--Different results: Through 15 starts last year, Jarrod Washburn had a 3.64 ERA; through 15 starts this year, he has a 3.87 ERA. But the difference is last year Washburn was 7-2; this year, he's 6-8, has given up 10 home runs in his last four starts and has been lumped into the Angels' starting pitching woes, perhaps unfairly.

``I've had two bad starts in a row,'' said Washburn, who starts tonight's series finale. ``Do I think I've been a total failure? No. I'm not as bad as you guys make me out to be. The only thing vastly different is the won-loss record.''

Though Washburn's 18 homers allowed is one off his total for all of last year, he's not concerned.

``I gave up 75 runs last year,'' he said. ``I'd just as soon they be on 75 solo home runs. Then, it's done with.''

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- Gabe Lacques