First Look at ’09 Texas Rangers Leaves Angels Impressed

ARLINGTON - Chone Figgins managed a weak smile.

“You don’t like to score that many runs and lose, but that’s part of the game,” he said.

From the perspective of past Rangers teams playing the Angels, it definitely was part of the game. Last season, Texas twice scored in double digits only to lose while dropping the season series for the fourth consecutive season.

Angels manager Mike Scioscia seemed impressed with what he saw Friday night in his first in-person glimpse of a Rangers team billed as new and improved, Texas allowing five in the ninth to hold on 10-8 in the weekend opener.

“There should be some good head-to-head battles,” Scioscia said. “They present a lot of challenges.”

The last Rangers team to finish ahead of the Angels? Those ’99 A.L. West champions who finished 25 games ahead of them. Which prompted the dismissal of Terry Collins and the hiring of Scioscia.

Since then, California/Anaheim/LAA has been the class of the division. In capturing four West titles and one runner-up finish during the last five years, they’ve finished a collective 68 games ahead of the Rangers.

North Texas resident Torii Hunter came into Friday night’s game with a .433 career batting average against Rangers starter Kevin Millwood and struck out twice and walked against him.

“Millwood looked great,” Hunter said. “He was throwing pitches in and out, kept guys off balance.”

As for whether this Rangers club resembled recent models, he laughed and said, “Those guys always could hit. I always have respect for their team.”

Figgins, who went 3-for-5, expressed similar sentiments.

“They pitched, and they slugged like they normally do,” he said. “You never know what can happen in this ballpark. History shows if you’re down a couple runs, you’ve got a chance.”

Angels starter Joe Saunders outdueled Royals sensation Zack Greinke in his last outing, shutting out Kansas City on five hits for a 1-0 victory last Saturday. On Friday night, he lasted only 5.1 and was tagged for five earned runs and allowed three home runs. He left with the Rangers leading 7-2.

“Joe needed to make better pitches; he’s capable of it,” Scioscia said. “He’s pitched well here. Early on, he had the ball in the heart of the plate a little bit. He did settle down. He was throwing the ball a little bit better until the change-up, the second ball that Kinsler hit out.

“I don’t really believe in psychological victories. There were some things on the field that were really good for us and some things on the field that were really ugly.”

Back to Scioscia on the Rangers overall: “Some of the names are the same, but you’re seeing some growth in some of the young players as we are. They’re a heck of a team with a good young foundation probably, much like our team is.

“They played great baseball after the first six weeks of the season last year. They’re a good club. There’s no underrating them.”