Vaughn Homers Right Off Bat

It took Mo Vaughn 29 games and 57 at-bats to hit his first home run as an Angel last spring, and though he claimed he wasn’t concerned about his power outage, he seemed relieved to finally hit that homer in a Freeway Series game against the Dodgers on April 2.

There will be no Mo homer watch this spring. Vaughn blasted Jamie Moyer’s first pitch to him over the right-center field wall for a two-run shot Friday, sparking the Angels to an 8-5 victory over the Seattle Mariners in the Cactus League opener at the Peoria Sports Complex.

Garret Anderson, with a double, and Scott Spiezio, with a single, also knocked in runs during a four-run first inning, and Tim Salmon hit a two-run homer in the third inning over the 40-foot wall in center field, a hitting background that is 410 feet from home plate.

“It’s good to drive the ball right off the bat like that,” said Vaughn, who also singled and was hit by a pitch. “Everyone took some solid swings. . . . I’m just happy to be healthy, playing, running around.”

Vaughn fell into the first-base dugout chasing a popup on opening night in 1999, suffering a severely sprained left ankle that hampered him all season. Though he won’t be a stolen-base threat, Vaughn is running without a limp and without pain, and he seems much more agile around first base.

“It’s almost like I’m out there playing for the first time,” Vaughn said. “I’m not worrying about certain things. When you’re able to move 100% without thinking about it, it makes playing this game a lot easier.”

*

Jarrod Washburn, one of several young pitchers competing for rotation spots, had been looking forward to Friday’s start for days. After giving up two runs on three hits in the second inning, he’ll try to take a more relaxed approach.

“I think I was too antsy,” Washburn said. “I don’t think I threw a first-pitch strike--or a second-pitch strike, for that matter--to anyone. I’ve got to work on things and try to make the team at the same time, but I definitely didn’t help my cause.

“I didn’t throw my breaking ball for a strike, I didn’t get ahead with my fastball. . . . There’s a lot of work to be done.”

Angel Manager Mike Scioscia, who is more of an optimist, saw some value in Washburn’s start.

“I like his makeup,” Scioscia said. “You like to see how a guy reacts when things don’t go his way. I know he’s a perfectionist. That’s a good sign when he doesn’t think he has his best stuff and he can get guys out.”

Matt Wise, the former Cal State Fullerton right-hander, struck out three in two innings, his only blemish Jay Buhner’s solo homer.

*

Seattle third-base coach Larry Bowa, who spent the last three seasons coaching in Anaheim, believes the Angels, who ranked last in the league in several offensive categories last season, will have many more outbursts like Friday’s first inning. “They started last season with [Gary] DiSarcina’s arm in a cast, [Jim] Edmonds having surgery, then Mo falls in the dugout and Salmon gets hurt,” Bowa said. “I don’t see that happening again. One thing that team will do is score some runs.”