In The Pros: Washburn Looking to Seal Perfect Month
Posted: April 26, 2009
*Former Sheboygan A’s pitcher, Jarrod Washburn, is looking to seal a perfect April with the Seattle Mariners
ANAHEIM — There is enough Angels blood still in left-hander Jarrod Washburn’s veins that he can sympathize with what the defending American League West champions have experienced this month.
Seven players, including four starting pitchers — John Lackey and Ervin Santana among them — are on the disabled list. Outfielder Vladimir Guerrero is also on the DL, and the death of rookie right-hander Nick Adenhart in a hit-and-run car accident on April 9 — hours after he tossed six scoreless innings in his first start of the season — has left the organization reeling.
“They have gone through more adversity than any team should go through,” said Washburn, who spent the first 11 years of his career with the Angels. “No matter who it is, you feel for them. They have had more than their share.”
That being said, he still wants to end this month with another victory en route to notching a 4-0 start for the second time in his career during the series finale Sunday afternoon at Angel Stadium.
“They have been the dominant team in our division for quite a few years, and coming into this season, they were the team expected to win [the AL West title],” Washburn said. “Their big pitchers will be back here shortly, and they will be a darn good team and tough to beat.
“So we have to take advantage of this right now, when they are down a little bit, and hopefully continue to play the way we have so far. It has been a good month.”
Washburn enters his final April start with a 3-0 record and 1.71 ERA. This will be his second start of the season against his former team, who he held to four hits and two runs over six innings on April 15 at Safeco Field.
Seattle won the game, 11-3, and Washburn notched his 100th career MLB victory.
Another win Sunday would put more space between the Mariners, who have been in first place since April 11, and the Angels, who have ended the last two seasons atop the AL West.
Washburn has been instrumental in the Mariners’ quick getaway, and said he’s not surprised that Seattle’s pitching has been so good the first month of the season.
“I know we are capable of this,” Washburn said. “We were capable last year, but just didn’t do it. I have faith in every guy in here. Talent-wise, we are there with any team in the league. I’m just happy we’re putting it all together.”
*note – The above article is from the Seattle Mariners website. To read the entire article, Click Here.
The Sheboygan A's are members of the Wisconsin State League and Northeastern Wisconsin Baseball League. The A's have helped develop more than 43 players that have reached professional baseball, including 2002 World Series Champion Jarrod Washburn (Anaheim Angels). All Sheboygan A's home games are played at Wildwood Baseball Park in Sheboygan. Connect with the A's on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
