D

Fixing A Leaky Pen

When Jimmy Rollins sent Jonathan Broxton’s 99 mph fastball screaming into the right-center gap of Citizens Bank Park last night, Dodgers right fielder Andre Ethier chased obligatorily after it, although he never really had a chance. The ball bounced off the wall, just below the scoreboard, and dribbled along the warning track before Ethier could finally scoop it up and fire it in to shortstop Rafael Furcal. Philadelphia’s Eric Bruntlett scored easily from second base, and Carlos Ruiz, despite his 5’10″, 216-pound frame and catcher’s knees, made it all the way around from first before Furcal could get the ball out of his glove. After being an out away from tying the NLCS at two games apiece, the Dodgers fell dangerously close to elimination with a 5-4 loss.

Broxton was only the second reliever to play a major role Monday, as just hours before Yankee closer Mariano Rivera worked out of a tight spot in the bottom of the 10th of their game with Los Angeles to keep it going. After the Angels put runners on the corners with no outs, Rivera forced three straight ground outs to push the game into a second extra frame, and though the Angels ended up winning in 11 innings, Rivera’s performance is a testament to the value of having a dominant pitcher in the back of a bullpen.

To this point, the ’09 playoffs haven’t been kind to closers. Maligned Angel’s closer Brian Fuentes blew a save in the 11th inning Saturday after allowing a homer to Alex Rodriguez. One day earlier, former Ranger Chan Ho Park earned an 8th inning blown save after he gave up two runs to the Dodgers. In the postseason’s first round, Huston Street allowed a run in the 9th inning of a tied game three against the Phillies. One night later, he came into the 9th inning of game four with a 4-2 lead, and left two outs later with a 5-4 deficit. Boston’s Jonathan Pabelbon, Minnesota’s Joe Nathan, and St. Louis’ Ryan Franklin all blew two-run, 9th inning leads in their respective divisional series, leading their teams to early ousters. Through 62-9th inning outs, the equivalent of 21 innings, 15 runs scored in the ALDS and NLDS, and there have been nearly as many blown saves (9) as saves (10).

Which brings us to the Rangers. Although they didn’t quite qualify for the postseason this year, it’s hard to imagine that they wouldn’t have been contributing to the bullpen debacle had they made it in. The Rangers closer situation was an interesting one in 2009. It started about as well as anyone could have hoped — with 17.2 scoreless innings and 11 saves from Frank Francisco — but the remainder of the season was marked with injury, uncertainty, a lot of collar loosening, and plenty of brow wiping. It got so bad by season’s end that some fans were calling for rookie Neftali Feliz or soft-tossing sidearmer Darren O’Day to take over the final frame. But with Feliz likely moving back into the rotation next year, O’Day’s unproven track record, and the relative unpredictability of relievers from year to year, should the Rangers be looking to stabilize the back of their pen?

(more…)

Rangers Turn to All-Purpose Pitcher Dustin Nippert

ARLINGTON – Wednesday dawned as the darkest day of the Rangers’ season to date, at least mathematically. Never further from a post-season invitation, and only 18 more chances to alter that.

With so much at stake in Wednesday night’s series finale against Oakland, circumstances again dictate the Rangers hand the ball to maybe their least likely contributor this season. Dustin Nippert’s name isn’t included when discussing top of the rotation starters or closers or gems for the future. The 28-year-old didn’t pitch for the Rangers until July 7, activated from the 60-day disabled list following a back injury that doctors struggled to identify and cure. Since then, he has become the staff’s 6-foot-8 version of duct tape – eating innings when necessary, starting on a day’s notice if needed.

Wednesday night’s start figures to be his most important outing of the season. “I don’t really want to think about it like that,” Nippert said Tuesday. “They need a starter, and they think I can do the job.”

(more…)

As We Were Saying (Back in Early June), Texas Rangers’ Brandon McCarthy Looking Good

ARLINGTON - When Brandon McCarthy last took a big-league mound, the Rangers held a 4.5-game lead in the A.L. West. Almost 13 weeks and yet another D.L. stint later, he didn’t appear to miss a beat and helped the Rangers pull within 4.5 games of the Angels (and within 3.5 in the wild-card race).

(more…)

Pitching Profile – August Edition

Just like we did at the end of May, and at the end of June (sorry about the end of July) – Here is the latest extensive look at the Rangers starting rotation. The point of this exercise is to dig a bit deeper than the basic stats for each starting pitcher to see what they are good at – or what they are not good at.

In the 129 games that were played before the calendar turned to September, 9 pitchers have started games for the Rangers. Kevin Millwood (26), Scott Feldman (24), Derek Holland (16), Tommy Hunter (12), Matt Harrison (11), Brandon McCarthy (11), Dustin Nippert (7), Kris Benson (2), and Doug Mathis (2). This study will focus on the six pitchers who have made at least 10 starts. The other 3 run into sample size issues that might render verdicts a bit meaningless.

Proceed at your own risk – for stat nerds only:

(more…)

No Relief: Texas Rangers to Cut Ties with Starter-Turned-Reliever Jason Jennings, Add Pedro Strop

NEW YORK – In the end, there simply was no role for RHP Jason Jennings.

After a solid start, cracks started appearing in the game of the converted starter trying to reinvent himself as a middle reliever after two years of arm problems. Initially, he simply couldn’t pitch on back-to-back days. Then, there appeared problems with him inheriting another pitcher’s runners. He fell in the pecking order as rookie RHPs Doug Mathis and Neftali Feliz started establishing themselves as reliable options. And finally, on Wednesday, when it became apparent hitters were no longer chasing his slider and instead waiting for his average fastball and change, there simply wasn’t a place for him on the roster anymore.

Shortly after he made a fielding error Wednesday, then allowed three solid hits accounting for three runs of his own and two of starter Derek Holland, the Rangers decided they had no choice but to move on. So,  Thursday, four days before rosters could be expanded to 40 players, th e club purchased the contract of RHP Pedro Strop and placed Jennings on waivers for the purpose of giving him his unconditional release.

(more…)

Jason Jennings Designated for Assignment

Just got off the phone with Evan who relays that RHP Jason Jennings was designated for assignment to make room for Pedro Strop on the Rangers’ roster. Evan will have more shortly.

About Last Night: Looking Back at Texas Rangers Wild 10-9 Win over the New York Yankees

NEW YORK - Really no idea where to begin breaking down last night’s game, so we might as well start at the end.

In theory, manager Ron Washington made the prudent – or safe – call in turning a five-run ninth-inning lead over to RHP Jason Grilli. It was not a save situation and Washington was trying to keep his bullpen in order to give him the best shot at winning more than just one game in the series.

That said, don’t expect to see anybody other than RHP Frank Francisco or LHP C.J. Wilson in to start the ninth unless the Rangers lead is double digits.

Washington’s mode of operation this year has been to go to his closers when there is a game to be won, regardless of score. It’s why Francisco got up with a six-run lead in Seattle back in May and entered the game with one out and a five-run lead – right before he went on the DL for the first time. And if he had it to do all over, Washington would have started the ninth with Francisco on the mound Tuesday.

“I was hoping I didn’t have to go to Francisco,” Washington said after the game. “But I learned a lesson tonight. I’m going to stick to my guns no matter what. I thought Grilli had had a chance to get us through the inning; he throw a good slider to [Johnny] Damon, but he got enough of it for a single and then he walked the next guy.”

(more…)

Post-Game Show: Twins 9, Rangers 6

D-tails:
• Box score; A.L. West standings; A.L. wild-card standings

Story of the Game
Who left the 2009 model of Texas Rangers baseball team parked back at the garage? For the second consecutive night, a big early lead against the Minnesota Twins was imperiled in the middle innings; this time, it was impaled. The Twins crawled from a 5-0 hole on Tuesday night to win 9-6, marking only the fourth time this season that the Rangers have scored six runs and lost; two of those games were played the first 14 games of the schedule.

Scott Feldman and Jason Jennings combined to allow eight earned runs on 13 hits. For Feldman (12-5), it was his third consecutive start of six innings or less allowing an average of eight hits.

“I might have been overthrowing a little bit,” he said. “I was probably a little too predictable in my pitches.” Manager Ron Washington chalked it up to: “When you take the ball as often as he’s taken the ball, there are going to be some times when that happens.”

Jennings has a 6.75 ERA in 11 outings since the All-Star break. He gave up home runs to Joe Mauer and Delmon Young on cutters, his first multi-homer outing since April 2008 when he was starting.

“That’s the first time in awhile it’s been hit hard,” he said of the pitch. “I actually felt good tonight mechanically, physically. But it’s not really clicking as well as it was a few months ago.”

(more…)

Kids Do Darndest Things as Texas Rangers Even Wild-Card Showdown with 7-2 Win Over Bosox

ARLINGTON - Little known record set at Rangers Ballpark on Saturday night: a sellout crowd of 48,201 took in a “futures” game.

An apt description for a 7-2 Rangers victory over Boston in which Julio Borbon and Elvis Andrus raced around the bases like kids on a playground. (You can’t catch me!) Derek Holland and Neftali Feliz hit the target like the dunking booth at the fair. Quarterbacked by Taylor Teagarden, the greybeard of the Rangers rookies at 25, who will step in behind the plate for most of the next two weeks and maybe longer.

Thanks in great measure to the youngsters, the Rangers pulled back within one-half game of the Red Sox in the wild-card race. “We’re not afraid to bring our young kids up here and let ‘em play,” manager Ron Washington said. “I think the whole organization gets a pat on the back for that.”

(more…)

In Other Rangers News: Francisco To Close Again

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Rangers manager Ron Washington said Friday afternoon that bidding farewell to RHP Vicente Padilla wasn’t the only pitching-staff news of the day.

Also: RHP Frank Francisco will return to closing duties immediately; LHP C.J. Wilson will go back to working the eighth inning and, when needed, at least part of the seventh.

(more…)

In The Wake Of Trade Deadline Drama, Catching Up With Justin Smoak And Neftali Feliz In OKC

OKLAHOMA CITY - You’re in your early 20s, trying to get your feet wet with the Triple-A Oklahoma RedHawks. And you seem to be in the middle of every trade deadline report and rumor involving the Rangers and Roy Halladay.

Welcome to the past week for Justin Smoak and Neftali Feliz.

(more…)

Rangers Roster Roulette: Madrigal For Moscoso

Pretty much says it all, doesn’t it?

To fortify their beleaguered bullpen, the Rangers have optioned RHP Guillermo Moscoso, who pitched the last two nights, to Triple-A Oklahoma City and recalled RHP Warner Madrigal. It’s the third consecutive day the Rangers have made a pitching move.

More Musical Chairs For Texas Rangers Bullpen

ARLINGTON - Gas up the I-35 shuttle again. Manager Ron Washington said the Rangers will probably need to bring in another arm from Triple-A Oklahoma after the bullpen was needed for another 6.2 innings to get through Wednesday night’s 13-5 loss to Detroit.

(more…)

Long And Middle Relievers, Supposed Soft Spot Of Bullpens, Have Been Anything But For Rangers

ARLINGTON - Turns out a number of the Rangers relievers enjoy TV’s “Dirty Jobs.”

How appropriate.

Because if host Mike Rowe, who plods through stinking filth every week as Geoduck Harvester or Cow Inseminator or Road Kill Remover, were to ever get down and dirty in a baseball uniform, it would be as a reliever. A long or middle reliever to be exact. These are the jobs nobody wants. There are no real glamor stats to justify your existence. They rarely start and almost never finish a game. They are as likely to enter with their team trailing as with the lead. They do the thankless work that few ever recognize and that nobody wants to make a career of. And if Mike Rowe wanted to do a segment on just how somebody does this with grace, elegance and success, he’d go spend some time with the Rangers crew. In the last week, they’ve demonstrated very vividly just how vital good long/middle relief work is to a playoff contender.

On Tuesday, long man RHP Doug Mathis stepped in as a last-minute starter in the Rangers’ 7-3 win over Detroit when scheduled starter RHP Vicente Padilla was still too weak after a bout with the flu to pitch. After Mathis gave the Rangers four adequate innings, RHP Jason Grilli and RHP Guillermo Moscoso, who has shuttled frequently between Triple-A Oklahoma City and a long relief role in Arlington, were part of a quartet of relievers who pitched five scoreless innings.

(more…)

‘Pen Is Mightier: For 40 Days and 40 Nights, Rangers Relievers Have Dominated The Opposition

ARLINGTON - Just how good has the Rangers bullpen been this summer. Well, have a look for yourself. After the jump, comes a chart comparing the 14 AL teams in relief ERA, opponents batting average, holds and blown saves since June 10.

(more…)