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Teams glad to get a break

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- After not clinching playoff berths until the final week of the season, and fighting through two tough rounds of playoffs, the Angels and Giants are thankful for a little time off.

Instead of worries about getting rusty or losing their edge, the teams welcome this respite before Saturday's World Series opener.

"I think both teams physically needed to get out of the grind," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said Thursday. "This gives us a couple of days to heal up. You need to mentally refocus."

The Angels won the AL pennant Sunday, one day before San Francisco wrapped up the NL championship. The break has given the players time to heal minor injuries, including Angels outfielder Tim Salmon, who was slowed by a balky hamstring.

"All the guys are banged up," Scioscia said. "We had a tough season and two tough playoff rounds. We could use the time off. The layoff is good."

Especially for the Giants, who had 10 playoff games in 13 days.

"It's good as far as to have time to start gearing up," Giants second baseman Jeff Kent said. "If the NLCS had gone seven games, we wouldn't have any time."

Angels closer Troy Percival hasn't thrown off a mound since getting the final out of the pennant-winning game against Minnesota. He spent the past two days playing catch in the outfield and plans to get back on the mound today.

Percival's problem with the layoff: "We've had to answer the same questions for five straight days."

BONDS BALL DISPUTES: As the trial over who owns Barry Bonds' 73rd home run ball began, a dispute among friends over the slugger's 600th homer has ended amicably. Three friends had sued Jay Arsenault, who pocketed the ball Aug. 9 at Pac Bell Park. They claimed that in exchange for a game ticket, Arsenault promised to split its value if he caught the ball. His lawyer said Arsenault was "totally overwhelmed by the situation" and agreed to sell the ball and split the proceeds.

PITCHING UPDATE: Jason Schmidt will be followed by Russ Ortiz, Livan Hernandez and Kirk Rueter in the Giants' pitching rotation. Scioscia has announced only that Jarrod Washburn will face Schmidt in the opener.

ANGELS FAVORED: Anaheim, which opened the season a 75-1 pick to win the World Series in some sports books, is a slight favorite to win the Series. The Angels were 6-5 favorites at most Las Vegas sports books, which expect good betting because both teams are from California. The Giants began the year as 7-1 favorites at the Stardust and 25-1 at Bally's and Paris Las Vegas sports books.

TOMMY'S CHOICE: Giants manager Dusty Baker believes Tommy Lasorda will root for Scioscia, a fellow Italian-American. Baker and Scioscia played for Lasorda on the Dodgers. "Tommy used to tell me about all the Italian managers: (Tony) La Russa, (Billy) Martin, (Joe) Altobelli, Chuck Tanner," Baker recalled. "I said, "Chuck Tanner's not Italian.' "He said, "His mother is.' "

CRAWFORD IS CREW CHIEF: Jerry Crawford will umpire in the World Series for the second time in three seasons and will be the crew chief. Crawford, a 26-year veteran who is president of the former umpires' union, also worked the Series in 1988, 1992 and 1998. He will be behind the plate for the opener Saturday night, joined by Angel Hernandez at first, Tim Tschida at second, Mike Winters at third, Mike Reilly in left and Tim McClelland in right. Hernandez and Winters are in the World Series for the first time.

Around the majors

BREWERS: General manager Doug Melvin probably will wait until after the World Series to name the club's next manager. He met with Athletics bench coach Ken Macha on Thursday and suggested he'll select his manager from the five whom he's interviewed: Macha, Brewers coach Cecil Cooper, Yankees coach Willie Randolph, Braves coach Ned Yost and Diamondbacks coach Bob Melvin.

CARDINALS: Outfielder J.D. Drew had arthroscopic surgery on his sore knee to remove a diseased tendon and should be ready for spring training. Closer Jason Isringhausen is scheduled to have arthroscopic surgery on his sore right shoulder within a week.

INDIANS: Infielder Bill Selby and pitcher Jason Phillips re-signed and were sent to Triple-A Buffalo. Right-handed reliever Jack Cressend was claimed after he was outrighted by the Twins.

MARINERS: Closer Kazuhiro Sasaki, 34, will have surgery to remove a floating bone chip from his right elbow.

PIRATES: Former major-leaguers Alvaro Espinoza and Pete Mackanin were promoted to the coaching staff of manager Lloyd McClendon. Their duties will be decided once a full staff is hired. The Pirates need a hitting coach, a bench coach and first- and third-base coaches.

RANGERS: Justin Thompson, an All-Star in 1997 with the Tigers, agreed to a minor-league contract. The left-hander had shoulder surgery in August 1999 and spent 2000 and 2001 on the disabled list after three more operations.

RED SOX: Yankees vice president Gene Michael does not want to be considered for Boston's GM job. ... Free-agent pitcher Hansel Izquierdo, 25, signed a minor-league contract.

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