Washburn Needs to Impress Soon

As auditions go, the Angels aren’t quite ready to holler “next.” Still, pitcher Jarrod Washburn knows he can’t continue as he has since being recalled from triple-A Edmonton if he wants to stay with the team.

The Angels’ sinkhole drop since the All-Star break has provided the opportunity to see what their young pitchers can do.

Ramon Ortiz is making the most of the chance, going 1-1 with a 1.80 earned-run average in two starts. Washburn hasn’t been so sharp.

He is 0-2 with a 9.45 ERA in two starts since being put into the rotation.

“I don’t imagine I’ll keep pitching if I continue that way,” said Washburn, who pitches tonight against the Boston Red Sox. “I don’t plan to let that happen.”

Washburn has worked with pitching coach Dick Pole to correct flaws in his mechanics, which may be the reason his velocity is off. Washburn’s fastball hit 91 mph when he was in Edmonton, but has been topping out at 86 since he returned.

He gave up four runs in 3 2/3 innings against Chicago on Aug. 16 and three runs in three innings against Detroit last Friday.

His performance is a far cry from the promising debut he made last season. Washburn was called up in June and won his first four starts and finished 6-3, splitting time between the Angels and triple A.

Washburn began the season in Edmonton on the disabled list because of a strained muscle in his abdomen. He made seven starts, going 0-4, before being called up July 2.

Washburn made six relief appearances for the Angels, then was shipped back to Edmonton.

The yo-yo existence has been tough on his pitching.

“I probably took a couple steps backward,” Washburn said. “But any time you get called up, it’s a positive situation. It’s a chance to pitch against major league hitters.”

He might want to start getting them out more consistently, as the Angels have other young pitchers to check out.

“He is not the first pitcher I’ve seen get out of whack,” Manager Terry Collins said. “We want him to get some starts, that’s the plan right now. There are things that can happen.”

Scott Schoeneweis spent the first half of the season in the Angel bullpen, but he was sent to Edmonton to build his stamina, with the idea that he would get some major league starts. He is 1-3 in six starts and one relief appearance and has given up 28 runs in 28 innings.

Brian Cooper, who like Ortiz started the year at double-A Erie, may get a September look. He is 1-0 with a 3.57 ERA in three starts at Edmonton after going 10-5 with 143 strikeouts in 158 innings at Erie.

The problem for the Angels is finding spots in a rotation that includes Chuck Finley, Tim Belcher and Steve Sparks, not to mention Ken Hill, who is out with a groin injury.

On Deck * Opponent--Boston Red Sox, three games.

* Site--Fenway Park.

* Tonight--4 PDT.

* TV--Channel 9 tonight and Sunday, Channel 52 (KVEA) Saturday.

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

* Records--Angels 51-75, Red Sox 69-58.

* Record vs. Red Sox--1-6.

TONIGHT

ANGELS’ JARROD WASHBURN

(0-2, 8.56 ERA)

vs.

RED SOX’S KENT MERCKER

(0-0, 0.00)

* Update--The Red Sox are tied with the Oakland Athletics for the wild-card spot, a game ahead of Toronto. The Red Sox moved to strengthen their rotation by acquiring Mercker from St. Louis on Tuesday. He was 6-5 with a 5.12 ERA with the Cardinals. He replaced Bret Saberhagen, who is out because of a sore shoulder. Tim Wakefield has returned to the starting rotation after being the Red Sox’s closer much of the season. This is Mo Vaughn’s second trip back to Fenway Park and he arrives hitting .263 with 21 home runs and 73 RBIs. His struggles are representative of an offense that has scored two or fewer runs in 45 games this season. “I have never been in a situation like this where we can’t put anything together,” outfielder Jim Edmonds said. “Bad swings, bad at-bats, they just add up. If you want to be a good team, you can’t keep going like this.”

* Saturday, 1 p.m. PDT--Steve Sparks (5-10, 4.90) vs. Tim Wakefield (4-9, 5.33).

* Sunday, 10 a.m. PDT--Tim Belcher (5-7, 6.55) vs. Pat Rapp (5-5, 4.36).