Confidence Key to Millwood’s Strong Start

Kevin Millwood allowed a run in seven innings Monday. (Photo: R.P. Washburne)

ARLINGTON — The theme in the clubhouse after the game — whether it was Rangers starter Kevin Millwood talking about himself and his teammates or others talking about him — was confidence.

Confidence that he was physically prepared to deliver the innings. Confidence that his catcher was calling the right game and would make plays behind the plate. Confidence that he could throw strikes. Confidence that his defense would get to whatever was hit their way.

Millwood sped through seven frames on 113 pitches (16.14 per inning), allowing one run on five singles and just one walk.

And when he was done, the bullpen came in — asked to deliver just two innings of work instead of the four they were asked to deliver so often last year — and slammed the door on the Rangers’ opening day 9-to-1 victory over Cleveland.

The Rangers couldn’t have drawn it up any better.

Millwood wasn’t surprised he remained strong through seven frames and more than 110 pitches. Not this year, anyway. Not after the conditioning program. Not as a guy 20 pounds lighter than he’s been in several years.

“Coming out of spring training, I felt like I could do this, but I don’t think I’ve felt like I could do it in years past…. Even after I came out of the game, I felt like I could go back out there after 115 pitches or whatever it was. That’s a good sign. Conditioning made a huge difference.”

His manager was confident Millwood as well. Even though his starter had delivered six stellar frames and was already nearing 100 pitches, Ron Washington said that he gave no thought to taking him out of the game before sending him back out for the seventh, saying that Millwood “was strong, he wanted the ball and I was proud of him.”

Praise for the starter’s performance came from all corners: Catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia wasn’t surprised at Millwood’s dominating effort given the work he had put in while in Surprise. “All spring, Kevin was throwing 50-pitch BP’s and 50-pitch bullpens. He’s worked hard, he’s hungry and ready to battle.”

Reliever C.J. Wilson continued: “[Millwood] was an ace today. He was tenacious. He just went after guys, worked inside, utilized the deer-like foot speed of Elvis and challenged hitters.”

Though he pitched behind in the count to 13 of the 24 batters he faced, Millwood posted a very solid 64% strike rate and said that what appeared today to be a vastly improved infield defense gave him the confidence to pound the zone.

“I’m not going to strike out a ton of guys, so when you see things like what Michael and Elvis and Ian were doing today, it gives you confidence. You know you can challenge guys to hit the ball which is important for me. I’ve played with some really great shortstops in my day — [Rafael] Furcal, [Jimmy] Rollins and Mike [Young]. What this kid can already do is up there with anybody and it’s pretty exciting to be around.”

Andrus participated in two double plays with Kinsler and made plays that no shortstop in recent Rangers history could have made.

Saltalamacchia, said Millwood, gave him confidence to work quickly and use any of his pitches in any count — which he did. “Salty and I were on the same page all day and he did a great job of keeping the ball in front of him — except once,” joked Millwood. “He was perfect on balls that made it to the plate. I had one there [scored as a wild pitch in the 7th inning] that didn’t quite make it to the plate.”

And just as Millwood was praising his defense, the Rangers bullpen was praising Millwood for giving them a boost. “We were fired up out there,” said Wilson — who dealt a perfect eighth. “Seven innings and 113 pitches on opening day? And they couldn’t do anything with him. By the time Frankie [closer Francisco] and I got out there, they were demoralized.”