VENUE: Safeco Field
Jarrod Washburn didn't hide his emotions when he learned the Seattle Mariners would be opening the season against his former club, the Los Angeles Angels.
Washburn makes his Mariners debut at Safeco Field on Wednesday when they play the rubber game of a three-game set against the Angels.
"Of course, I'd like to get even," said Washburn in spring training. "Yeah, I want to beat the Angels."
The veteran left-hander spent his first eight seasons in Anaheim pitching for the team that drafted him in the second round in 1995. He went 8-8 with a 3.20 ERA in 29 starts last season before Seattle signed him to a four-year, $37.5 million deal on Dec. 19.
Washburn claims that there was no phone call from the Angels telling him thanks and good-bye.
"I do understand it's part of the business, but at the same time it hurts your feelings a little bit," he said. "To be kind of cast aside and say, 'We don't want your services any more' and not even get a 'Hey, thanks,' not even a call and say, 'Thanks for all your hard work, but we're going to go in a different direction.' I didn't even get that."
The 31-year-old has faced just two current Angels, Vladimir Guerrero and Orlando Cabrera. Washburn is 5-4 with a 3.53 ERA in 11 career starts at Safeco Field - all against Seattle.
Washburn could be caught by Kenji Johjima, who has made quite an impact through two games for the Mariners. The Japanese catcher homered for the second straight game Tuesday as the Mariners evened the series with a 10-8 victory.
Richie Sexson homered and drove in five runs for Seattle, which survived rough outings from relievers J.J. Putz and Eddie Guardado. The Angels rallied for five runs and five hits over the final two innings, but it wasn't enough.
Garret Anderson started in left field for Los Angeles and went 2-for-3 with his first homer after serving as the designated hitter in the opener. The Angels have indicated they want to limit Anderson's time in the outfield after he missed 18 games this spring with a strained left arch.
"Garret wants to try and get out there and play," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "We will pace him a little but he feels OK."
Scioscia also said that Tim Salmon and backup rookie catcher Jeff Mathis will start Wednesday. Appearing as a pinch-hitter, Salmon hit his 291st career homer in the ninth inning Tuesday.
Starter Jeff Weaver makes his Angels debut after signing a a one-year, $8.325 million contract in the offseason. One of the reasons Weaver signed with the team was because of the presence of his brother Jered, a first-round pick in 2004 by the Angels who is starting the season in the minors.
"I get to see him in action, we get to hang together, go to dinner," the elder Weaver said in spring training. "We've spent the most time that we ever have together, because we'd always been on different schedules in different places.
Weaver went 14-11 with a 4.22 ERA last season for the Los Angeles Dodgers, pitching 224 innings. He's 1-2 with a 5.35 ERA in six career appearances, including five starts, against Seattle.
