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Rangers Pitching Coach Mike Maddux On Handling Rotation

Posted on March 28th, 2009 12:11pm by Evan Grant
Filed under Baseball, Starting rotation, Texas Rangers

SURPRISE, Ariz. – The Rangers still aren’t certain exactly how the starting rotation will line up beyond RHP Kevin Millwood and RHP Vicente Padilla, but if the opinion of pitching coach Mike Maddux matters, there will be no skipping of starters in April. The Rangers will pitcher their five starters in order all month.

“Extra rest in April shows up in August and September,” Maddux said. “If you have a great deal of separation between your No. 1 and No. 5, that’s one thing. But usually, you are better served to have the extra rest and to keep guys as fresh as possible all year.”

Maddux acknowledged Millwood and Padilla would start the first two games of the season. After that: “We’ve got options.”

The Rangers will pick three from this group of four: LHP Matt Harrison, RHPs Kris Benson, Scott Feldman and Brandon McCarthy. Because of an off day before the season and an off day after the season opener, the Rangers could use any of the next four.

Manager Ron Washington suggested he’d prefer to match up either Benson, if he makes the rotation, or McCarthy against an opponent’s No. 3 starter as often as possible. Washington would like Harrison and Feldman, neither of whom has more than 25 big league starts, to match up against the Nos. 4-5 guys in no particular order.

“That is just my personal opinion and it’s not something we have discussed or decided,” Washington said.

5 Comments to “Rangers Pitching Coach Mike Maddux On Handling Rotation”

Bennie @ March 28th, 2009 at 12:52 pm

Once again Washington is wrong. Harrison has been one of our best starters in ST. He should not be after Benson or Feldman in the rotation. To Washington it doesn’t matter how good you are it matters how long you have been in the league.

Maddux is right about not skipping the fifth starter. Wash wants to do that every April.
dp @ March 28th, 2009 at 1:23 pm

check out Rangers piece on HeyManWhatsUp – gives the Inside Corner guys some real love:

http://www.heymanwhatsup.com/main/2009/3/28/the-rangers-really-you-bet.html
Jolly @ March 28th, 2009 at 3:26 pm

Puttting Feldman 5th and Harrison 4th makes sense if either McCarthy or Benson is 3rd…..what is both make the rotation?…….McCarthy 3rd and Benson 4th?
MickeyTettletonFan2011 @ March 28th, 2009 at 5:13 pm

Why did Mike Maddux let Evan “Voted Worst” Grant into the same room as him? Was it so that all that the other folks in the room would feel like superstars in comparison?
Sabelotodo @ March 28th, 2009 at 10:13 pm

Once again I’m reminded how lucky we are to have Evan Grant on the Rangers beat. DMN blew it, big time!