Washburn Hasn’t Lost Faith in His Abilities

Undeterred by the injuries and ineffectiveness that marred his season, Jarrod Washburn said he still considers himself the Angels’ go-to starter.

“I will always like being the guy that’s depended on,” he said, “and I’m still that way.”

Washburn’s statistics have dipped significantly since last season, when he established himself as the ace of the Angel rotation by winning 18 games and compiling a 3.15 earned-run average that ranked seventh best in the American League.

The left-hander is 10-13 with a 4.35 ERA and is tied for the league lead with 32 home runs allowed but has made strides since a midseason slump in which he lost four consecutive games and said he was “as bad as I could possibly get.”

“I was letting negative things get to me and my confidence was down a little bit,” Washburn said.

“I went back to believing in myself and knowing what I’m capable of.”

Pitching coach Bud Black is also a big believer in Washburn, who has persevered through shoulder, hip and back injuries at various points of the season.

“I still see him as the frontrunner of our guys,” Black said. “The bill that Wash fills for us is that he’s a very team-oriented player. He puts the team in front of him, takes the ball and shows a lot of competitiveness, passion to pitch and talent. All the good qualities you look for in a pitcher he has, and that’s a thing our other pitchers look to.”

Washburn recently corrected a mechanical flaw in his delivery in which he wasn’t fully extending his arm, Black said.

“I’ve seen better life on the ball in the strike zone and better performances overall since the adjustment,” Black said.

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