ANGELS NOTEBOOK: IT TAKES THREE TO FILL IN FOR THE INJURED VAUGHN.Byline: Joe Haakenson Staff Writer SEATTLE - The Angels knew it wouldn't be easy to fill Mo Vaughn's spikes at first base, but manager Mike Scioscia Shawn Wooten William Shawn Wooten (born July 24, 1972 in Glendora, California), is a catcher who is currently with the New Orleans Zephyrs of the New York Mets organization. Previously, Wooten played with the Anaheim Angels (2000-03), the Philadelphia Phillies (2004), Boston Red Sox (2005) and got his fifth start of the season at first Friday First Friday is a city-wide public event that occurs on the first Friday of every month. The events may take on many purposes, including art gallery openings and social networking. night. Wally Joyner Going into Friday's game, the three had combined for two homers, six RBI RBI abbr. Baseball runs batted in Noun 1. rbi - a run that is the result of the batter's performance; "he had more than 100 rbi last season" run batted in and a .243 average. By comparison, the other first basemen in the AL West are Oakland's Jason Giambi Jason Gilbert Giambi (born January 8, 1971) is a Major League Baseball player who is the 1st baseman and designated hitter for the New York Yankees. He was the American League MVP in 2000 with the Oakland Athletics, and is a 5-time All-Star who has led the American League in (.389, 4 HRs, 9 RBI), Texas' Rafael Palmeiro Scioscia would like to have the job a little more defined, but for now he said he wants to give all three a chance, play the hot hitter and take advantage of matchups. ``The key for these guys, until we see how the offense is moving, is to get all of them at-bats,'' Scioscia said. ``That doesn't mean playing seven days a week, but we want to get 'em enough at-bats to stay sharp.'' The right-handed hitting Wooten has been the wild card in the equation, getting more playing time than even he expected. And it has come at the expense of the switch-hitting Spiezio. ``Woot is a guy with tremendous upside,'' Scioscia said. ``Even though he's not a young player (28), he's a late bloomer. This guy can swing the bat. We have to look at what's needed in the lineup, and we struggled against left-handers last year. Now we have two very viable alternatives versus left-handed pitching.'' --Critical Canseco: Jose Canseco, released by the Angels the last week of spring training, recently signed with the Newark Bears, an independent minor-league team. Canseco continues to criticize the Angels in television interviews, saying the club implied he was damaged goods DAMAGED GOODS. In the language of the customs, are goods subject to duties, which have received some injury either in the voyage home, or while bonded in warehouses. See Abatement, merc. law. and therefore hurt his chances of catching on with another major-league club. The Angels disagree. ``Nothing anyone said would lead anyone to believe he was damaged goods,'' Scioscia said. ``When we let him go, he was healthy. But there was much less uncertainty with Glenallen Hill, which is what it came down to.'' Hill, whom the Angels acquired in a trade with the Yankees, has struggled this season, hitting .146 with one homer and two RBI going into Friday's game. --Need help: Pitcher Jarrod Washburn will make his second start of the season today against the Mariners and he should have better support this time. His first start included three misplays in the outfield in one inning that led to a 6-3 loss to the A's. ``That was vintage Jarrod Washburn because he was unfazed un·fazed adj. Not fazed or disturbed. by everything around him,'' Scioscia said. ``I haven't seen anything go more wrong at the start of a game since I was in Kedron Little League in Philly.'' ANGELS vs. SEATTLE Time: 1:05 p.m. at Safeco Field TV/Radio: Ch. 9; 570-AM, 1090-AM Matchup: Jarrod Washburn (0-1, 5.40 ERA) will start for Anaheim against Seattle's Jamie Moyer (2-0, 4.76). Mariners right fielder Ichiro Suzuki extended his hitting streak to 15 games Friday. A seven-time batting champion in Japan, Ichiro went into Friday's game hitting .371, 10th best in the AL. -Joe Haakenson CAPTION(S): box Box: ANGELS vs. SEATTLE (see text) |
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