Beaning Kinsler, Part II: Lackey Speaks

During John Lackey’s post-game press conference with reporters, he insisted he did not try to hit Kinsler.

“I haven’t pitched in six weeks,” Lackey said. ” I was obviously trying to come in on him but there was no intention to hit him or to come in behind him. If you know anything about me, I’d go straight to the source if I was going to do something. If you’ve ever talked to me, I’d tell you I was going to do something, I’d tell you if I did it, I’d stand up and own up to it. I did not try to throw at him. I hadn’t pitched in six weeks. The last thing I wanted to do was come out of the game early.”

I texted with a pretty astute baseball man, who still had doubts about Lackey’s aim. One point he made: Replays apparently showed that Angels C Mike Napoli didn’t have to move very much at all to catch the first pitch. If a pitcher was trying to come inside and missed by as much as Lackey did, the catcher would have had to lunge for the ball.

I remember this happening once before where a pitcher threw two pitches at a hitter early in a game and it was with complete purpose. It was Adam Eaton, then of the Rangers, throwing at Juan Rivera. It was 2006. The Rangers were trying to hang in the playoff race and were chasing the Angels (it was much later in the season). But it struck me at that point as a move of panic or desperation. It also led to a bench-clearing brawl a couple of weeks later in Arlington.  I’ll just say this, if indeed Lackey threw with purpose, it says one of two things: The Angels either respect the Rangers or they fear them.

Beaning Ian Kinsler, Part I

Be around later with full coverage – going to go try and catch a little of Robert Earl Keen – but in the meantime,  let me just give you the thumbnail version of the Rangers and umpires take on the beaning of Ian Kinsler and the message that went along with it.

Umpire crew chief Tim Tschida, explaining home plate umpire Bob Davidson’s decision to eject John Lackey two pitches into the game: “They banged the ball around pretty good last night. The kid [Kinsler] hit two home runs. When the first pitch of the next game to that hitter is behind him, that’s a red flag. We gave [Lackey] the benefit of the doubt because maybe he was a little amped up coming off the DL. When he hit him with the second pitch hit him, that was something else.”

Kinsler, asked about any message that might have gone along with his two-pitch appearance against Lackey: “It was interesting. I play the game the right way. I play hard. I compete to win. I don’t know what that’s all about. I don’t know what he’s trying to prove.”

Michael Young on whether the Angels might be trying to intimidate the Rangers: “I don’t know and I don’t really care. I don’t think intimidation really works at the big league level. You aren’t going to scare anybody. Whatever goes on in their clubhouse goes on over there. We are focused on taking care of our business.”

Post-Game Show: Rangers 5, Angels 3

The overwhelmingly big topic for me is the implications that go along with John Lackey’s ejection from the game two pitches in. It made the Angeles bullpen work overtime again. Los Angeles relievers threw 121 pitches today after throwing 120 pitches on Thursday. Sunday is set up perfectly for the Rangers to stage a big-time comeback if they fall behind.

The other issue? The way in which the Rangers are pushing their starters to go a littler farther each time out. It’s happened this week with Matt Harrison, Brandon McCarthy and now Vicente Padilla. All three have come to points where you would think they were coming out of the game, only to have them stick around and pitch another effective inning.

The Depot: Live Game Blog, News and Notes

Comin’ at you in a moment.

4:48: Mmm, something is starting to smell like a pennant race. L.A.’s John Lackey lasts just two pitches into his first start of the season. He threw the first pitch behind Ian Kinsler, then plunked him in the ribs with the second. Home plate umpire “Balkin’ Bob” Davidson didn’t waste any time in making his presence behind the plate known by throwing Lackey out. There are a lot of reasons to consider why Lackey might have lackey-ed control today.

First, perhaps he was simply trying to send a message to the Rangers to get off the plate after there were foour hit yesterday. Kinsler hit two of them.

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Frank Francisco To DL; Warner Madrigal On The Way

After watching RHP Frank Francisco throw in the bullpen Saturday morning, the Rangers decided to continue with the cautious route on his comeback from biceps tendonitis. Francisco will need at least two more throwing sessions before being fully ready to compete in games, so the club put him on the DL, retroactive to May 7. He is eligible to return Friday when the Rangers begin a three-game series at Houston. The Rangers are optimistic he’ll be ready then.

“This was his first bullpen and we could probably push him and have him ready for Detroit,” GM Jon Daniels said. “But we’re trying to take the approach that there are at least five months left in the season and we want to take that into account. We want a healthy Frank Francisco for the rest of the season.”

To replace Francisco, the Rangers recalled RHP Warner Madrigal from Triple-A Oklahoma City. Madrigal, who began the season on the big league roster, was optioned to Oklahoma City on April 15 after allowing four runs in 2.2 innings. Since going to Oklahoma he has compiled a 1.65 ERA in 16.1 innings and has held opponents to a .164 batting average.

It’s Free Swim Time At The Old Homer Pool

So, with the game being delayed until at least 4 p.m, you should have plenty of time to wade into the Home Run Pool.

Here is your Rangers lineup against Los Angeles RHP John Lackey, who will be making his first start of the 2009 season: 2B Ian Kinsler (2 HRs vs. Lackey), 3B Michael Young (2 HRs), CF Josh Hamilton (3 HRs), DH Hank Blalock (2 HRs), LF Marlon Byrd (2 HRs), RF Nelson Cruz, 1B Chris Davis, C Jarrod Saltalamacchia, SS Elvis Andus and pitching fo rthe Rangers … RHP Vicente Padilla.

If there is no lightning in your general vicinity feel free to enter now. Because we want only safe swimmers.

Weather Update: Game Not Starting Before 4

From the Rangers Meteorological Department:

The forecast for the area in the vicinity of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington calls for light to moderate rain over the next several hours. The chance of precipitation then decreases as the afternoon and evening progresses.

As a result, the start of Saturday’s game between the Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, scheduled for 3:10 p.m., has been delayed until at least 4:00 p.m.

The Rangers do expect that today’s game with the Angels WILL BE PLAYED and will do everything possible to make certain that is the case. However, the club wants to alert its fans on the current forecast and the delay.

The post-game concert featuring Robert Earl Keen will also take place.

This information will be updated as necessary.

And now we’ll move on to the soggy home run pool.

Viral Video: Hail To The Chief

Nolan Ryan stopped by the beautiful InsideCorner Studios to chat a little bit about the improvement in the Rangers pitching staff this year. Also, to abuse me. And, really, what good is a day without some abuse from a Hall of Famer?

Again, much thanks to videographer extraordinaire Ted Price of Rangers Podcast in Arlington. We stocked up on some more viral video, including Josh Hamilton, Eddie Guardado and Matt Harrison, all coming in the next few days.

About Last Night: Battle Of The Bullpens

Newest theory: Bullpens, not starting pitching, will determine the outcome of this series and maybe the AL West race as a whole. Addressed a lot of the issues yesterday in the series preview.

What’s disconcerting, if you are the Rangers and obsessing over bullpen pitch totals as I am, is that the Rangers threw considerably more pitches out of the bullpen last night (74) than did the Angels (36) even though Rangers starter Kevin Millwood once again pitched deeper into the game than his opponent. What mitigates most of that consternation, however, is that Derek Holland threw 58 of those pitches, so the bullpen workload wasn’t spread out among too many people. Holland won’t be available for the rest of the series, but he wouldn’t have been available even if he’d have come out after the eighth inning last night.

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Road To Arlington: Rangers Minor League Report (5/16)

Neil Ramirez, Joe Wieland, Robbie Ross, Carlos Melo, Richard Alvarez, Geuris Grullon, Juan Grullon, Eziquiel Rijo, Miggy De Los Santos, Guillermo Pimentel (the one Texas already has), Leury Garcia, Tomas Telis and Cristian Santana haven’t even played yet.

Think about that.

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Weekend Reader: Texas Rangers Are Making A Fashion Statement In The A.L. West With Higher Quality Leather

ARLINGTON - As the Rangers peer down from high atop the A.L. West, note that they are among the major league leaders in “defensive efficiency” according to the minds at Baseball Prospectus. And for that, Rangers fans should provide a round of applause to Bud Selig.

The commissioner has been the driving force behind the establishment of the World Baseball Classic. Squeezing chapter two of the event this March led to spring training being extended by almost another week to enable participating players to get acclimated to their teams after playing for love of country.

“It was perfect for us,” said Dave Anderson, the Rangers’ new first lieutenant of infield play. “A young shortstop. A new third baseman. Basically a second-year player at first base in his first full season. It was great.”

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