I went out to the Home Depot Center in Carson today to chat with some people for a couple of upcoming soccer stories, and here is a bit of news (at least to me) on Landon Donovan that I can pass along …

Donovan, the Los Angeles Galaxy’s star forward, will play with the U.S. national team in the Confederations Cup, in South Africa, June 14 through at least June 21.

Donovan will not play for the U.S. in the Gold Cup, July 3 through at least July 11. Donovan didn’t say that, but his Galaxy coach, Bruce Arena, did.

In theory, Donovan could be called in by national team coach Bob Bradley for both events, and he would have to go. But in practice the U.S. team heading to South Africa and to the Gold Cup (which is in the U.S., albeit spread all over the country) probably will be a sort of varsity/junior varsity breakdown.

The Confederations Cup, which features stern competition (Italy, Brazil, Egypt, in group play) as well as a look at the 2010 World Cup host country and some of the venues the big event will be played in, will get the varsity squad. That is, the guys who will be on the field against Costa Rica and Honduras in World Cup qualifying on June 3 and June 6. To wit: Tim Howard, Carlos Bocanegra, Clint Dempsey, Oguchi Onyewu, Frankie Hejduk, DaMarcus Beasley, Michael Bradley, Donovan …

The Gold Cup, made up of the usual CONCACAF crowd, will get the U.S. JVs, with perhaps a smattering of varsity guys who are younger and want/need the extra competition. Maybe a Bradley or a Freddy Adu or Jozy Altidore. Mostly, though, think in terms of guys called in for the qualifiers who don’t get into the matches. Jonathan Spector, Maurice Edu, Brad Guzan, etc.

No one has come out and said that, but that’s how it probably will work.

“As of now, I’m going to the Confederations Cup,” Donovan said. “After that, well see. My guess would be I won’t go to Gold Cup, but we’ll see how it goes. I know there’s all sorts of factors that play into that.”

Having a top player compete in both competitions is a bit of a hardship. If the player is in Major League Soccer, he could miss 4-6 club matches. If he is playing in Europe, he effectively loses most of his fairly short summer away from the grind of practice and matches.

Asked if he were looking forward to South Africa, Donovan said, “I am, actually. Well, first, the competition. Second, I’ve never been to South Africa. Third, assuming we qualify (for the World Cup) it will be good to have a feel for it before we go. It’s going to be a good tournament. It will be a good barometer for us to see where we’re at.”

The Confederations Cup could last as late as June 28 for the Americans, if they finish in the top two of their group (which would be an upset, given that Italy and Brazil are there, and Egypt is no slouch, either). They would have a far better chance of getting to the semis of the eight-nation tournament for federation champions were they in Group A — made up of Spain, Iraq, New Zealand and South Africa. But Group A seems designed to get the host country to a top-two group finish.

The Gold Cup could go on as late as July 26, and recent history indicates the U.S. will be there at the end. Thus, in theory, someone like Donovan or other national team players in MLS (such as Frankie Hejduk and Pablo Mastroeni) could miss as many as eight MLS matches if they played in both tournaments.

In non-soccer news … Donovan said that the sitcom his wife, Bianca Kajlich, stars in, “Rules of Engagement,” has been picked up by CBS for next season. At least 13 episodes, perhaps 22 — which constitutes a full season, these days.

As one of the principles in a successful sitcom (part of CBS’s formidable Monday night lineup of “Big Bang Theory,” “How I Met Your Mother” and “Two-and-a-Half Men”), Bianca undoubtedly is making serious money now.

(The six principals of “Friends” each reportedly made $1 million per episode the final two years of that series, which ended in 2004).

Let’s guess and say the “Rules of Engagement” crew of David Spade, Patrick Warburton, Oliver Hudson, Megyn Price and Kajlich are making a fraction of “Friends” money … but even 10 percent of what Aniston, et al, were paid … is $100,000 per episode. And 22 episodes would provide Kajlich with income more than twice as large as Donovan’s $900,000 MLS annual salary — biggest in the league for an American-born player.

Asked if his wife might be supporting him in the not-so-distant future, Donovan smiled and said, “I’ve already been thinking of that. I can see myself spending a lot of time at the beach with a mojito in my hand.”