Black tabs veteran Lane to start Cactus League opener

PEORIA, Ariz. -- The Padres have tabbed 38-year-old lefty Jason Lane to start Wednesday's charity game against the Mariners, the first exhibition game of the Cactus League schedule.

Manager Bud Black said on Saturday that Lane, a non-roster invitee in camp on a Minor League contract, will likely go two innings in a game that begins at 12:05 p.m. PT at the Peoria Sports Complex.

Black indicated that Lane will be followed by two other Minor League pitchers -- Justin Hancock and Jay Jackson. He gave no other details as to who else would pitch.

"We have scheduled, sort of mapped out, what we want," Black said when asked why Lane is starting. "… We want to get our guys into games."

The Padres have 29 pitchers in big league camp.

Lane, the former big league outfielder turned pitcher, reached the Major Leagues last season with the Padres, making three appearances and allowing one run in 10 1/3 innings. He started one game, allowing one run in six innings of a 2-0 loss to the Braves in Atlanta.

Before last season, Lane last played in the big leagues in 2007, when he was an outfielder for the Padres and Astros.

Lane spent six seasons with the Astros (2002-07), hitting .241/.315/.457 with a career-high 26 home runs in 2005.

The veteran said he felt honored to get the nod.

"When you get here, and everyone is putting in the hard work, there's an excitement to kick things off," Lane said. "I'm excited to get things going."