Silva set for Mariners debut

Carlos Silva knows cold weather. After all, he spent the past four years playing in Minneapolis.

But at least the Twins have the good sense to play indoors, a luxury Silva won't have when he makes his Mariners debut Wednesday night at Safeco Field. The temperature should be in the 40s and falling at first pitch, scheduled for 7:10 p.m.

But the big right-hander said he doesn't expect to be bothered by the cold.

"I've pitched in colder weather than this," he said Tuesday. "I never had any problem before, and I don't think I'll have a problem tomorrow. I hope not.

"For hitters I think it's tougher. They've got to stand there waiting for us."

The Mariners hope to see Silva go deep into the game, with his ability to do so chief among the reasons they signed him to a four-year, $48 million contract in December. Last season he was one of 19 American League pitchers to pitch more than 200 innings, going 202.

Since becoming a starter in 2004, Silva is 1-2 in his four season-opening starts with a 4.18 ERA. His best debut game was at Safeco Field in 2005, when he allowed one hit over seven innings against the Mariners.

Silva has enjoyed success in limited duty at Safeco. He was 3-1 with a 3.18 ERA in four starts for the Twins at Safeco, one his best career marks at any ballpark.

Silva didn't have a good spring, putting up a 7.32 ERA in five starts, but saved his best for last, allowing just three hits in five innings.

"That's the one thing we talked about going into the last week, finishing strong," manager John McLaren said. "Don't go limping into the season, don't go thinking you can just turn the light switch on. I feel good about the way we competed the last week."

Cold weather in Seattle poses its own challenges, but the hot Arizona air at spring training was tough on pitchers. It made grip difficult and breaking pitches didn't break much.

"When I throw my bullpen (in Seattle), my ball is moving better, and I get a better grip on the ball," Silva said. "The difference is that your pitches are better. You get better spin, better movement. In Arizona it was so dry you couldn't feel the ball in your hand."

Silva will be countered on the mound Wednesday by Rangers right-hander Jason Jennings, who will be making his first American League start. He played last season for Houston, going 2-9 with a 6.45 ERA while enduring recurring elbow troubles, then signed with his hometown team over the winter.

Jennings had his best season in 2002, when he went 16-8 with a 4.52 ERA for the Colorado Rockies and was named the NL rookie of the year (Mariners right fielder Brad Wilkerson, then with Montreal, finished second in the balloting).

Jennings made two career starts against the Mariners while playing with Colorado, a bad one in 2002 and a good one in 2006. He's 1-1 with a 4.97 ERA against the Mariners.

Silva has had mixed results against Texas, going 3-4 with a 4.64 in nine starts.

"They have a pretty good team," he said Tuesday. "No matter what I've done before doesn't matter. Tomorrow is the day. I'm very excited for tomorrow to start."