Maddux set for Padres debut

Now it’s the old guys’ turn.

Greg Maddux of Las Vegas and David Wells, with a combined 39 seasons of big league experience and 563 victories, are scheduled to start the first two games of the San Diego Padres’ weekend series against the Colorado Rockies at Petco Park.

Maddux, who turns 41 on April 14, gets the home opener tonight when the Padres will hoist a banner commemorating their 2006 National League West title. Wells, who turns 44 on May 20, gets the call for his hometown team Saturday.

If it seems they’ve been around forever, well, in baseball terms they have.

Maddux’s first big league start was Sept. 7, 1986, a win over the Cincinnati Reds and player-manager Pete Rose. Wells made his big league debut the following June, as a reliever with Toronto.

“It’s absolutely exciting,” Maddux said of drawing the home-opening assignment. “I’m looking forward to it.”

San Diego is Maddux’s third team in less than a year. He was traded from the Cubs to the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 31.

He signed a $10 million contract with the Padres in December. Maddux’s combined 15 victories and 210 innings last year would have led the Padres, who barely held off the Dodgers to win their second straight NL West title.

“He’s a good pitcher,” Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. “Have you looked a the back of his bubble gum card?”

Maddux is 333-203 with a 3.07 ERA. He won four straight NL Cy Young Awards in the 1990s and a World Series title with Atlanta. He won his record-tying 16th Gold Glove last year.

• YANKEES — Center fielder and leadoff hitter Johnny Damon has a mild strain in his right calf and was not in New York’s lineup Thursday against Tampa Bay.

Damon underwent an MRI exam in the morning, but the Yankees were waiting to determine whether to put him on the 15-day disabled list.

Damon, entering his 13th major league season, has never been on the DL.

Melky Cabrera started in center field for New York and second baseman Robinson Cano batted leadoff.

• ANGELS — Los Angeles closer Francisco Rodriguez responded to reporters’ questions about a smudge seen on the bill of his cap by a blogger.

Major League Baseball would not confirm if any complaints were filed by the Texas Rangers, who faced him twice during the Angels’ season-opening three-game sweep.

“If somebody sees something on my hat, they’re probably going to think I’m cheating. But I’m not, so I’m not worried about that,” Rodriguez said. “They’re looking at it in a bad way and trying to make something out of nothing.”

• WHITE SOX — Chicago left-hander Mark Buehrle was forced out in the second inning Thursday against Cleveland after being hit in the forearm by a line drive off the bat of Ryan Garko.

Buehrle sustained a bruised left forearm, and X-rays were negative.

• RED SOX — Jon Lester made his first start of the year Thursday at Charleston, S.C., as he attempts to return to Boston’s rotation after an offseason of cancer treatments.

Pitching for the Class-A Greenville Drive, he shut out the New York Yankees’ affiliate, the Charleston RiverDogs, on one hit over four innings before coming out.

• DIAMONDBACKS — Arizona added right-hander Micah Owings to its 25-man roster so he can start today against the Washington Nationals in his major league debut.