The Associated Press

A week later and several thousand miles east of Tokyo, the Oakland Athletics and Seattle Mariners finally will play.

And are they ever ready - especially Seattle, which started spring training early in anticipation of opening in Japan against the AL West champion A's. Commissioner Bud Selig canceled the trip before the start of the war in Iraq, leaving both teams scrambling.

The matchup between the past two AL West champions has a different look now that managers Art Howe and Lou Piniella are in new jobs.

Oakland bench coach Ken Macha was promoted when Howe left for the New York Mets, and Bob Melvin also will make his managerial debut. He has the tough task of replacing the popular Piniella, now with Tampa.

Oakland's Tim Hudson starts against Freddy Garcia, though the A's originally announced Barry Zito would start.

GIANTS: All-Star closer Robb Nen, who underwent offseason surgery, was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right shoulder.

He is scheduled to be examined by Dr. Lewis Yocum of the Anaheim Angels on Tuesday.

Nen had 43 saves and a 2.20 ERA last year, when he was an All-Star for the fifth straight year.

To take Nen's roster spot, the Giants recalled right-hander Jim Brower from Triple-A Fresno. In five big league seasons, Brower is 15-16 with one save and a 4.60 ERA for Cleveland, Cincinnati and Montreal.

EXPOS: Montreal, which won its third straight opener Monday, 10-2 over the Braves, was without its top hitter, Vladimir Guerrero. He was suspended for the first two games for his involvement in a March 10 spring-training brawl, but the Expos didn't need him and outhit the Braves 14-11.

TV TALK: Baseball's opening night drew higher TV ratings than last year.

The Texas Rangers' 6-3 win over the Anaheim Angels on Sunday night drew a 2.1 overnight rating, a 40 percent increase over last season's opener.

CARDINALS: Kerry Robinson beat out So Taguchi for the final spot on the roster.

Taguchi, a Japanese outfielder in the second year of a $3 million, three-year contract, was optioned Monday to Triple-A Memphis.

"In the end, Kerry has done a really good job for us the last couple of years and it really balances our bench," manager Tony La Russa said.