USC NOTEBOOK: OREGON REF GETS THE CALL.

Byline: DOUG PADILLA Staff Writer

OAKLAND -- The Bay Area newspapers that greeted the Angels reported about the possible revenge that was to come.

The Oakland Athletics want to clinch the American League West on their own field this weekend -- the same field the Angels clinched the division on the past two seasons.

``I wasn't necessarily watching,'' A's closer Huston Street said about the past two Angels clinching parties. ``You're more in a daze. It's a numbness. It just sucks. Your eyes might be focused on the field, and you might seem them on the field but it's an emotionless state.''

It doesn't look like the A's will be in a relaxed state this time, even with their comfortable division lead.

``We can go out there and take care of business in our own park,'' Oakland's Nick Swisher said. ``If we win two out of three, then we can be the team to celebrate on the field instead of them.''

The Angels understand the feelings of their rivals.

``They've had to watch that and it's not fun to watch somebody to do it period, let alone in your house,'' Adam Kennedy said. ``They have the opportunity to (clinch) and you can't blame them for wanting to do that here and get it out of the way.''

Added Scot Shields: `` I know it probably left a sour note that the last two years that it happened on their field.''

Not Salmon time: After manager Mike Scioscia said in Texas on Sunday that Tim Salmon will likely get more at-bats, the veteran has started just once, even though the Angels have faced three consecutive left-handers.

Salmon hit a home run Sunday to move to within two of the 300 mark for his career. He started Tuesday at Kansas City and went 0 for 2, then didn't start Wednesday. He was out of the lineup again Friday with Oakland's Barry Zito on the mound.

Same site, different story: The last time John Lackey started in Oakland on July 7 he was nearly unhittable, giving up a leadoff double and retiring the next 27 batters.

Lackey takes that same mound again, but isn't on the same roll he was last time.

Lackey was on the way to pitcher of the month honors in July when he blew away the A's. He has won just once since the end of July and is 0-2 this month with a 4.74 ERA.

``Right now, where we are with our season, I don't think we're looking back at anything that's happened in the last couple of months,'' Scioscia said.

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No. 3 USC (2-0) at ARIZONA (2-1)

- Scott Wolf