ANGELS NOTEBOOK: HENDU: UNEASY BLAST FROM PAST.

Byline: Joe Haakenson Staff Writer

SEATTLE - It was merely coincidence, the Seattle Mariners said, that Dave Henderson threw out the ceremonial first pitch before Saturday's game between the Angels and Mariners.

But the irony of it was not lost on anybody. With the Angels one win away from clinching their first playoff appearance in 16 years, there on the mound stood Henderson, the man whose home run in the 1986 American League Championship Series kept the Angels from going to the World Series for the first time. Some say the Angels still haven't recovered.

The Angels led 5-2 over the Boston Red Sox going into the ninth inning of Game 5 of the ALCS, leading the series three games to one. But in the ninth, Don Baylor hit a two-run homer to make it 5-4. Then with two outs and two strikes, Henderson hit a two-run homer to put the Red Sox ahead 6-5.

The Angels managed to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth but lost in 11 innings 7-6 and eventually lost the series in seven games.

The Mariners said Henderson threw out the first pitch as part of a season-long series celebrating the franchise's 25th season. Former players have thrown out the first pitch on Saturday home games, but Henderson was saved for September because many of the other players could not come to Seattle this time of year. Henderson could because he's a television broadcaster on Mariners games.

Even though there are no players from the 1986 team on this year's Angels team, Henderson noticed some funny looks coming from their dugout.

``They did look at me like, `What are you doing here?' '' Henderson said. ``But Hendu's not playing this year. They DO have a chance. But if I pick up a bat they'll be shaking in their boots.''

Henderson said the homer doesn't rank on the top of the list of his most memorable baseball moments, even though the Angels' franchise will never forget it.

``It's history,'' Henderson said. ``I'm part of that, and I'll always be connected with the Angels. I have a lot of postseason home runs, it's just that the Angels haven't been back. I'm just a guy that hits home runs for a living and I just happened to hit one versus the Angels.

``Don't be writing no jinx or curse (stuff). Those guys know it has nothing to do with that. It's just baseball.''

--Washburn's chance: Pitcher Jarrod Washburn would have preferred the Angels wrap up a playoff spot Saturday, but since they didn't, he's happy to get the ball today with the opportunity to put them in the playoffs.

``I'm just going to do what I always do, and that's execute my pitches,'' he said. ``Every start this year has been big. And there are going to be some bigger ones after this.''

Washburn had one of his best games of the season in his last start, when he threw eight scoreless innings against the A's in a 1-0 victory. He went on three-days' rest in that one, giving the Angels reason to watch him closely even though this start comes on four-days' rest.

--No more tickets: Tickets for the American League Division Series, either against the Twins or Yankees, went on sale Saturday morning and were sold out by Saturday night.

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