Control Is the Issue for Sele

The Angels were whole again Tuesday, fielding their full opening-day lineup for the first time this spring and providing a glimpse of the offensive potential many believe will vault them into pennant contention this season.

Vladimir Guerrero hit a two-run home run and a double, scored three runs and ranged far into the gap in right-center to chase down a second-inning drive by Milwaukee’s Junior Spivey; Jose Guillen had a three-run homer, singled and threw out another runner at the plate; Darin Erstad doubled twice and scored two runs; and Garret Anderson had an RBI double and a single in a 7-2 exhibition victory over the Brewers.

“As a pitcher, when you stack all those guys back to back to back, you don’t have any breathing room,” said Angel right-hander Aaron Sele, who threw five scoreless innings. “If our starting pitchers keep the game close and give our offense time to get in a groove and see some pitches, we’re going to score some runs.”

Whether Sele will reap the benefits of that offense remains to be seen.

The Angel rotation seems set, with Bartolo Colon, Jarrod Washburn, Kelvim Escobar, John Lackey and Ramon Ortiz, and it’s possible Sele, who is guaranteed $8.5 million this season, will be traded or demoted to the bullpen.

The right-hander, a year and a half removed from major shoulder surgery, didn’t hurt his cause Tuesday, giving up four hits, walking one and striking out three against a Brewer team that had been shut out in four of its previous nine games.

“I’m just trying to control the things I can control -- making pitches, getting outs,” Sele said. “Mechanically, I’m not quite where I need to be, but I’m getting close. I threw too many pitches up in the zone, but I made some good pitches when I had to and got some outs.”

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Not that he had any doubts, but Washburn’s rotation spot seemed even more secure Tuesday, after the left-hander threw five scoreless innings in a triple-A game against Oakland, giving up one hit, striking out seven and walking one.

It marked the fourth time this spring Washburn and Sele have pitched on the same day and the third time Washburn has pitched away from Tempe Diablo Stadium on a day Sele pitched at home.

“If I’m pitching in a triple-A game, that means they’re not worried about watching me, and I made the team,” Washburn said. “There were no thoughts in my mind coming into camp that I wasn’t going to be a starter on this team ... unless I got traded.”

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Reliever Brendan Donnelly, who underwent surgery to stem the bleeding from his broken nose Saturday, was released from Scottsdale Memorial Hospital on Monday and will remain home to rest for several days.

Donnelly, who was hit by a batting-practice fly ball March 9, will be reexamined today and Sunday and is questionable for the season opener.