ON DECK

* Opponent--Texas Rangers, three games.

* Site--The Ballpark in Arlington.

* Today--Noon PDT.

* TV--Channel 9 today.

* Radio--KLAC (570), XPRS (1090).

* Records--Angels 82-80 in 2000, Rangers 0-1.

* 2000 record vs. Rangers--7-5.

TODAY

ANGELS’

SCOTT SCHOENEWEIS

(7-10, 5.45 ERA

in 2000)

vs.

RANGERS’

KENNY ROGERS

(13-13, 4.55 ERA

in 2000)

* Update--Something has to give for Tim Salmon. The Angel right fielder is a slow starter whose April batting average is .217, but he opens 2001 in his favorite park, a stadium where he has a .438 average with 13 home runs and 45 RBIs in 40 games. Salmon is also a career .403 hitter with 25 homers and 81 RBIs against the Rangers. Schoeneweis, the left-hander who drew the opening-day start because Jarrod Washburn is on the disabled list recovering from strep throat, got roughed up in two starts against the Rangers last season, giving up 14 earned runs in 13 innings. He’s hoping the addition of a changeup will make him more effective. He’ll need all the weapons he can muster against a potent Ranger lineup that includes Alex Rodriguez, Ivan Rodriguez and Rafael Palmeiro. Rogers has a 12-7 record and 3.50 ERA in 44 games against the Angels, and threw a perfect game at them in 1994.

* Wednesday, 5 p.m. PDT--Pat Rapp (9-12, 5.90) vs. Darren Oliver (2-9, 7.42).

* Thursday, 5 p.m. PDT--Ramon Ortiz (8-6, 5.09) vs. Ryan Glynn (5-7, 5.58).