Angels' Jon Garland says he doesn't deserve to be a playoff starter

"If it was my decision, I wouldn't be a starter, not with what I've seen from Ervin Santana, John Lackey, Joe Saunders and Jered Weaver," Garland said before tonight's game against Seattle.

"Whatever Mike wants me to do, I will do. I'm not going to bitch. I'm not going to complain. I'll do whatever he wants me to do, the best that I can."

The Angels, if they finish with the best record in the American League, will have the choice of starting the division series Wednesday or Thursday.

They appear to be leaning toward the Wednesday start, which would spread the five-game series over eight days and allow them to use a three-man rotation of Lackey, Santana and Saunders.

If they opt for the Thursday start, though, they would need four starters, and that last spot in the rotation would come down to Weaver, who is 11-10 with a 4.33 earned run average, and Garland, who is 14-8 with a 4.90 ERA.

But Garland's struggles over the final six weeks have essentially knocked him out of the running for a rotation spot.

Including Wednesday night's five-inning, five-run, 11-hit no-decision in a 6-5 win over Seattle, Garland has given up 31 earned runs and 54 hits in 38 2/3 innings of his last seven starts for a 7.22 ERA. He is 3-0 during that stretch because his teammates have supported him with 58 runs.

"I feel better now than I did in April, and that definitely makes this more frustrating," Garland said. "It's always frustrating when you're getting runs and giving them back. I let my team down."

Garland has studied video and tinkered with his mechanics, but the sinker-ball specialist thinks his problems have stemmed from trying to do too much at times.

"Guys are hitting jam-shots and grounders through the infield, and I'm trying to make better pitches to the next guy when I don't have to," Garland said. "That's when I give up the big hit, the double, the triple, the home run.

"My ball is moving, the sinker and the changeup. I need to focus on that instead of trying to make a better pitch than I'm capable of."

Garland will probably have to adjust his focus next week on a new, though not entirely different, role: the bullpen. The eight-year veteran has made 23 career relief appearances, going 2-1 with a 3.23 ERA, allowing 14 runs and 32 hits in 39 innings, striking out 27 and walking 19.

"I've got to be aware of situations and start getting warmed up sooner," Garland said. "I take a completely different approach in the bullpen. I may take only two pitches into a game instead of four. I've got to keep an eye on the game and be ready to go if called upon."

mike.digiovanna@latimes.com