Washburn Doesn’t Take Time to Gloat

The only thing that might have made Wednesday’s win sweeter for Mariner pitcher Jarrod Washburn was if Bill Stoneman, the Angel general manager who made no attempt to keep the free-agent left-hander this last winter, had been in Safeco Field to witness it.

But Washburn, the former Angel who gave up two runs and six hits in seven innings to lead Seattle to a 6-4 victory in his Mariner debut, did not use Wednesday’s performance or platform to gloat.

Asked whether he was disappointed Stoneman didn’t accompany the Angels on their season-opening trip, Washburn said, “He knows what happened. I was no more motivated today than I would have been for any other start. No matter what the situation, no matter who we play, I want to win.”

The Angels expected no less and were not surprised that Washburn was able to maintain his composure in what could have been an awkward and emotional situation, facing the team that let him go and friends he played with for years.

“We’ve seen what he does--he’s the ultimate gamer,” Angel center fielder Darin Erstad said. “That’s not going to affect him. He’s going to come after you, and you know you have to bring your A-game to beat him.”

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With Washburn starting Wednesday, Angel Manager Mike Scioscia replaced left-handed-hitting second baseman Adam Kennedy in the lineup with Edgardo Alfonzo, who played third while Chone Figgins moved from third to second.

Kennedy, the normally sure-handed defender who committed two errors in the first two games, wasn’t thrilled to be on the bench, but he had no reason to think he would be reduced to a platoon player, a role he accepted begrudgingly in 2002.

“It’s a little too early to be jumping the gun on that,” Kennedy said. “It’s a little frustrating, but I’ll just deal with what’s handed me.”

Scioscia didn’t want Kennedy to get the wrong idea. “We’re very committed to defense, and Adam is a huge part of that,” Scioscia said. “He’s going to be out there almost every day.”

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A mobile museum dedicated to the history of Negro Leagues Baseball will be on display Friday and Saturday in the Angel Stadium parking lot before the Angel-New York Yankee games.

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Mariner second baseman Jose Lopez had a big day Wednesday, reaching on an infield single and scoring in the first inning, hitting an RBI single in the second, and tripling and scoring in the fifth.... Angel reliever Scott Dunn, who was designated for assignment Saturday so the Angels could put Tim Salmon on their 40-man roster, was claimed by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.