The Texas Rangers clubbed the Tampa Bay Rays 6-0 Thursday to take a commanding 2-0 lead in their ALDS matchup.
The Rangers have never won a postseason series in the franchise’s history, but that looks like it will change in 2010. Are they just a fluke, destined to burn out in the ALCS, or something bigger and more promising?
Here are 10 reasons why the Rangers a trustworthy this October.
The Tampa Bay Rays entered the playoffs as the American League East Champions, with the second-best record in baseball.
None of that mattered once Cliff Lee took the mound for the Texas Rangers, which defeated Tampa Bay 5-1 in Game 1 of the ALDS. David Price got off to a shaky start and didn’t receive much assistance.
Cliff Lee is flat-out dominant in the postseason.
Lee had a historic 2009 postseason for the Philadelphia Phillies. He was 4-0 with a 1.56 ERA in five starts. He was 2-0 with a 2.81 ERA in his two World Series starts against the New York Yankees. He earned the win in game one of the World Series in Yankee Stadium, and in his two game one starts last season he threw two complete games with a 0.50 ERA.
He was only the second pitcher in history to throw a complete-game victory with double-digit strikeouts and zero walks. He also was the eighth starting pitcher in postseason history to win at least four games with a sub-2.00 ERA.
Lee made his sixth career postseason start today in his win against the Tampa Bay Rays and was phenomenal. He only gave up five hits and one earned run in the seven innings that he pitched. He also had 10 strikeouts and a 1.29 ERA.
Lee is just what the Yankees are missing.
New York is in desperate need of consistent pitching after CC Sabathia. They have pulled A.J. Burnett out of the starting rotation for the postseason, going instead with Andy Pettite and Phil Hughes. If Cliff Lee was in that rotation there isn’t a team in the American League that has the pitching to match.
The Yankees have been and continue to be the most likely destination for Cliff Lee’s talents next season. But the cost of his services continue to rise with every playoff pitch he delivers from the mound.
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Texas Rangers’ ace Cliff Lee has had a dominant career and deserves a World Series title. He has pitched great this season, with a 12-9 record and a 3.18 ERA.
Lee barely missed a World Series title last season with Philadelphia, and was traded in the offseason to Seattle. Earlier this year, he was traded to the Rangers to help them win a title.
Today, Lee had quite a dominating performance in Texas’ 5-1 win, pitching seven innings while only allowing five hits and one run. Lee has been so close to winning a title, but he must get through the Rays first.
With the Rangers lineup. they have the opportunity to go deep into the playoffs, but will they? First they have to get through Tampa Bay.
The Rays’ pitching has been pretty stellar throughout the year. They are ranked third in quality starts by pitchers with 95, and they are ranked eighth in ERA at 3.78. For the Rangers to defeat them, they must be able to get hits.
This series should be a great matchup because the Rangers are one of the best hitting teams in the league. They are the best team in baseball in batting average, at a stellar .276 as a team. They are also ranked fifth in runs with 787, sixth in on-base percentage at .338, and ninth in slugging percentage with .419.
With the Rays and the Rangers having such great teams overall, and both having stellar pitching staffs, it’s going to be tough for Lee to win a World Series this year. The Rays have proven to be clutch, and it will be hard to defeat them since they have home-field advantage.
Although Cliff Lee has proven himself as one of the greatest pitchers in baseball, and has proven he deserves a World Series title, that doesn’t mean he will get one. However, Texas will win the ALDS, 3-2.
Will Cliff Lee get his title this season, or will he still be searching for one in 2011?
James Evens is a Purdue student and Basketball/Football Featured Columnist for the Boilermakers, along with being a Writing Intern at Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter.
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Through three innings of Game One of the American League Division Series between the Tampa Bay Rays and Texas Rangers, the Rangers own a 3-0 lead thanks to major production from the bottom half of their lineup. Nelson Cruz, Jeff Francoeur, and Bengie Molina have notched early RBI against Rays starter David Price, who is making his debut as a starting hurler in postseason play.
The real danger signs for the Rays, though, are on the other side of the ball. After two tough innings in which he threw a combined 42 pitches and allowed four base-runners, Rangers ace left-hander Cliff Lee has settled in, needing just seven pitches to retire the Rays in order in the third inning.
Lee is finally using his whole repertoire, offering the Rays at least three distinct fastballs, a changeup and a curveball. Tampa cannot lay off the deceptively tough Lee heat, which registers only in the low 90s but is located perfectly. Lee is getting more and more calls on the corners as the umpires watch him paint the black, and the Rays may be in real trouble if he has another clean frame in the fourth.
Keep an eye on Lee’s pitch count from here on out: He never exceeded 119 pitches in regular-season play, and the high pitch counts in the first two frames could be as damaging as they were surprising and uncharacteristic. For a man who averaged over seven innings per start this regular season, it could mean an early exit.
Will Ron Washington stretch out his ace to earn a crucial Game One win? Will Lee simply continue his efficient third-inning pace? Only time will tell. The Rangers may allow Lee to take it easy if they continue their barrage on Price: They have just scored again on a Molina homer to make the score 4-0 through three and a half innings.
Matt Trueblood is a student at Loyola University Chicago and B/R Writing Intern. Follow him on twitter.
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With the MLB playoffs just hours away, many fans are inevitably experiencing their own version of postseason baseball butterflies.
But it isn’t just the fans that are trying to quell their nervousness; it’s also a handful of players who are playing for more than just a shot at the Fall Classic.
No pressure, really.
Lurking in the dugouts of the eight remaining teams are a collection of various players who are not only trying to help their respective teams advance in the playoffs but are also trying to prove their free-agency worth.
And what better stage than the postseason, right?
But we’re not just talking about your average, random player without a contract per say; we’re talking about some guys who already have some quality value as MLB players, whether it be as a pitcher or hitter.
Let’s take a look at who I want to highlight, and what exactly these guys are really playing for.
In a perfect world, according to my most favorable teams they divisions would annually end something like this:
American League East: Baltimore Tampa Toronto Boston and New York
American League Central Minnesota Kansas City Detroit Chicago White Sox, Cleveland
American League West: Texas Oakland Los Angeles, Seattle
National League East: Florida, Washington, Philadelphia, New York, and Atlanta
National League Central: Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, Chicago, Houston, St. Louis
National League West: San Diego, Colorado, Arizona, San Francisco, LA Dodgers
As you can easily tell, I am a fan of small market clubs.
I as happy as I am to see Cincinnati make the playoffs after a 15 year drought (1995) and Texas after an 11 year span (1999) it was just as equally disappointing to see San Diego miss, especially at the expense of the boring, overrated Atlanta Braves who have wasted a playoff spot in every one of their last 15 appearances save for the 1995 miracle vs. almost as equally pathetic Cleveland in what I like to call the World Series from Hell.
Besides, its not like they are going to do anything anyway, so why not give San Diego a chance, we all know they could have used the extra cash from the playoff revenue.
Growing up Cincinnatti was good (1990) along with the Oakland A’s (I’d like to see a replay of that World Series with the Reds playing their role and my Minnesota Twins playing that of the A’s even if their 2010 payroll-top ten is significantly higher. Can you imagine Commissioner Selig’s face having to go to those small, cold markets? Can you imagine the complaining corporate America would be doing if their precious Yankee$ do not make it, in addition to the Phillie$ getting bounced early? This is what I am hoping for.
ALDS ESPN Yankee$ at lowly Minnesota Twins
My heart wants to say Minnesota in who cares-3, 4, 5, but the fact remains the Yankee$ are the Yankee$ and something about October just brings out the best in some people: Luis Polonia, Scott Brosius, Shane Spencer, Bernie Williams, Jorge Posada, Paul O’Neill, Tino Martinez, not to mention Mo Rivera, Jeter, Pettite etc.
Reasons the Yankee$ will win: They have the history, they have the experience, they are the defending champions and as much as I hate them, they are who we thought they were. October is their time to shine. Last year they won the World Series their first year in their new building, somethng I am hoping the Twins can copy-if they took good notes.
Swept the Twins last year (7-0) and 3-0 in playoffs. Karma is on their side. Until they get beat, even if Twins somehow take first game or two that’s gone good enough until these spoiled elitists are gone.
Reasons they’ll lose: Wonder how long it will be before we find out A-ROID juiced in 2009? Someone’s gonna talk a decade or two from now, is my guess. He was too good to be true last year. Look how they treated (as I predicted) 2009 hero’s Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui who were both given their walking papers despite Matsui (MVP) and Damon .381 BA. Granderson is all or nothing. Pettite’s coming back from long injury, Burnett’s already out. Jeter’s having his worst year. They gotta slow down some time right? Buster Olney (Yankee homer) calls this the “most wide open American League I’ve ever seen” (yesterday’s SportsCenter). Keep telling yourself that, Yankee lover.
Reasons the Twins will win: Went 2-4 against New York this year. While that’s not much its light years ahead of last year. Also, the last time they played, the Twins won (in NY) so they have some momentum and that in the back of their minds. Also, Jason Kubel emerged as a legit Yankee$ killer having hit a Grand Slam off Rivera in the game. Also, the last time the Twins played them at home, they too won so this first game is huge.
The bad luck, jinxes, (14-46) in their past 60 head to head have to end sometime right? Why not take a page from the NBA’s Suns who had similar woes against the cow-town Spurs before finally beating them. A good friend of mine, Yankee fan, admits “this isn’t our year” and “the Yankees aren’t going to do anything, they’re hurt”. I’d like to believe him but until the Twins prove me wrong, they get what they deserve.
Yankee-cowards Morneau, Perkins, and Nathan who I bashed last year relentlessly won’t play this year giving me hope. The same hope that newcomers Hudson, Thome, Capps, and Fuentes don’t carry that putrid Yankee$ stink with them like the latter three did. Good riddance. Thank god they moved on from crybaby Morneau. Get over it already and come back next year.
Reasons they’ll lose (see reasons Yankees will win) also, I dont like the Twins hosting. Granted the last time they hosted a series they won (2002) but nothing since. These aint the A’s. Also, when you are a road team you are hoping for a 1:1 split. Yankee$ should at least do that, we all know Twins won’t win 1st two or ESPN will hype-rventilate. I really wish the Twins were going to the Bronx 1st. Less pressure since you aren’t defending home field trying to take at least one.
In the end I expect a SOBathia gem 2-0 shutout of the Twins at home in game 1, followed by the usual 3-1 heart-breaker that we saw last year setting the stage for a Yankee$ $weep in New York as always. Petitte is automatic in game 2. Yankee fans want us to think they are the underdogs (0-3 all time as a Wild Card) but there is a reason SOBathia is their ace and Phil Hughes went 18-8. I ain’t buying it until I see it. Too many years of expections so why have any?
Yankee$ in three.
Texas Rangers vs. Tampa Bay Rays
Reasons Texas will win: At first I gave them no chance due to their lack of playoff experience. Still Lee’s good for at least a win right? Bobby Valentine already picked them in 4 and Chris Singleton thinks they can come out of the AL although he’s the only one that crazy so far although I could live with it if and when my Twins lose. They’ve got the hitting we know that.
Reasons they’ll lose: Read a stat that Texas is 0-12 against the rest of the AL competition. Also, only one of the American League teams (Atlanta in the NL) to have a losing road record. You get the feeling like the Reds of the NL, they are simply happy to finally be here after years being out, never mind the fact they’ve never won a playoff series in their history. The only active team to say that. Lots of reasons to not like them, still its good to see them back, can’t say that enough. Rusty Greer, Roger Pavlik, Mickey Tettleton, Johnny Oates, Dean Palmer, guys I grew up watching the last time they made the playoffs would all be proud.
Reasons Tampa will win: Forget their bandwagon home crowd full of converted Red Sox fans who just plain hate New York, or the transplants, or the fake fans who only started following the team in 2008. The team makes Tropi-crapa field their home and use it to their advantage. Honestly the atmosphere is great there. I’ve been there as a pseudo Rays “fan” (until Baltimore gets back). They have the experience. Many see this as a final run with Rafael Soriano, Carl Crawford, and Carlos Pena although I think only Crawford will depart. The Rays if they lose are still going to be a threat in 2011.
Reasons they’ll lose: Overconfidence. Underestimating their competition. James Shields and his crap 5.18 ERA, Jeff Neimann fading down the stretch (largely due to injury)Matt Garza can’t possibly duplicate 2008 can he? They won’t be able to sneak up on anyone this time. 27th in hitting (BA) has to come into play at some point, right? Pressure to keep Crawford around a bit longer.
Rays in 4 (although nothing would surprise me and if the Twins actually win (hell freezes over) I want to play Texas, so Go Rangers, conditional o the Twins winning, otherwise, go Rays! Easily the x-factor series of the 1st round (best one). Could see several games going into extra innings.
NLDS Atlanta Braves vs. San Francisco Giants
You know the saying “If you don’t have anything nice to say….” That’s how I feel about the Braves who I still don’t forgive them for wasting all those oppotunities in the ’90s and denying other teams Pittsburgh chances to do something which may have created parity.
Forget the fact Atlanta is either one big ghetto (depending on where you are) or a cosmopolitan city full of snobbish transplants and “old money” and there are a lot of reasons to hate Atlanta as I do. Overrated Bobby Cox, the damn annoying “chop” that still rings in my ears having to suffer many an October with that droning. Won’t matter though, they won’t be staying long.
Reasons Atlanta will win: Annoying rallying around Bobby Cox and his impending retirement, same for Chipper Jones. They can’t choke every time they are in. New faces immune to 1990s failures.
Reasons Atlanta will lose: Typical loser franchise come October. Seriously, 14 division titles should have got the Yankee$ of the NL at least 3-4 rings. They went 1/5 in the Fall Classic with my Twins starting them out in the right foot. In 2006 28,000 fans showed up for game 1 of the NLDS. It was explained that “In Atlanta you expect to make it past the first round”.
Tickets were going for $6 on StubHub for this team of fickle followers. I know-I checked. If there is an excuse in the book for failure, this team, this city, and their blind-loyal announce teams will find it. 0/4 in NLDS since 2001. I can’t wait until they go away. Remember the Padres should be the Giants rally cry!
Reasons the Giants will win: (see reasons Atlanta will lose, above!) Seriously, just by playing this annual disappointment, they got the luck of the draw. Can throw Tiny Tim (Lincecum) twice if they actually have to). Have momentum now.
Reasons they’ll lose: Tim can’t do it all. New generation of Braves fans, yet to be disillusioned could bring a new 1991-like excitement. Braves have to snap jinx sometime right? Honestly, this is the least intriguing series by far of the first round and I really don’t care for either team so I’m done.
Giants in 5 (Braves always make ’em interesting)
Cincinnati Reds vs. Philidelphia Phillies
In 2008 when the Phillies made the playoffs it was cool. When they won the World Series that year, while I wanted the Rays, I felt good for the city. Now its just getting old. Like Boston fans of 2004 and 2007 they act like its their birthright. Phily fans are lame in general but it was fun when they were just happy to be in the playoffs (2007) or 1993 which I have fond memories of.
Reasons the Phillies will win: ESPN wants them to. Seriously, get ready to hear the Halladay-Oswalt-Hamels love fest ESPN Bias. Playoff experience. Embarrassing whiffle ball park that benefits the home team. Just remember Phillies fans, I know when you sucked. Do you?
Reasons they’ll lose: Maybe the Reds have a 2008 small-market mentality like the Rays did. Maybe the Reds will sneak up on them and steal an early game or two swinging the series. Too many stars and too much expectations? Seriously, that’s all I got until the Reds show me something.
Reasons the Reds will win: At the risk of repeating, maybe they can sneak up on someone seeing how they should have no pressure having no experience. Chapman could be this year’s David Price x-factor, rookie phenom. Still seems like a team just happy to be there, despite the fact I picked them as a pre-season Wild Card.
Reasons they’ll lose: Just repeating the same things, so I’ll refain, Prove me wrong, Reds, I want to play you in the Series!
Phillies in THREE (see 2008 Brewers) Just happy to be there.
Stay tuned for next round picks when it gets closer.
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Marquee pitching match-ups are what playoff baseball is all about. Men like Curt Schilling and John Smoltz built their legacies in the harsh crucible of October, and now a new set of aces is ready to take center stage and make that sort of impact themselves.
Some, like Texas Rangers ace Cliff Lee, have already established their postseason prowess. For others, like the Giants’ Tim Lincecum and Philadelphia’s Roy Halladay, 2010 will mark a long-awaited playoff debut. The intensity of duels like these put butts in seats, and draw those watching at home up onto their feet to pace the living room. When runs are as scarce as they may be in these contests, every pitch is crucial.
What follows are the five best playoff pitching match-ups of the first round. Baseball connoisseurs, bon appetit.
After 162 games, the Major League Baseball postseason is finally here.
The 2010 playoffs has it all, from powerhouses like the Yankees and Phillies, to upstart teams like the Braves and Giants.
The games start Wednesday when the Texas Rangers travel to Tampa Bay to take on the Rays, followed by the Reds against the Phillies, and the Yankees against the Twins.
But before the first pitch has even been thrown, it already looks like some teams have positioned themselves as early favorites to play in the World Series.
Of course, that’s why the games are played. If everything happened the way it was supposed to, then the predictability of it all would stop millions of fans from watching the game.
My predictions might be a little out of the norm, but not impossible. After all, anything can happen in October.
Here are my MLB playoff predictions, and a look at which teams will have the easiest path to the World Series.
The age-old axiom so often quoted in baseball circles that pitching and defense win championships is just as true today as it has always been. Of course, loaded lineups and the ability to score runs in bunches are always a plus, but those aspects of a team don’t always show up in the playoffs when you’re facing the best pitching staffs in the league.
Fortunately for them though, the Texas Rangers possess the best of both worlds. They have a deep pitching staff, led by one of today’s premier left-handers, as well as the fifth-highest scoring offense in Major League Baseball. Even on the days that their lineup isn’t battering opponents pitching, Texas‘ staff can keep them in tight contests long enough to squeak out wins late in games.
Texas has a long tradition of slugging ball-clubs in Arlington, but under the guidance of team president, baseball Hall-of-Famer and former Ranger fire-baller, Nolan Ryan, the Rangers have endeavored to remake themselves as a pitching oriented franchise.
Helping lead them to an American League West title, and their first playoff appearance since 1999, their pitching staff as a whole is currently fourth in the AL with a 3.93 ERA. The starting staff has been consistent if unspectacular, but is rounding into form as the post-season approaches.
Their starters’ ERA of 4.25 ranks them eighth amongst AL clubs and their WHIP of 1.33 places them seventh. They have pitched slightly better in the second half, partially due to the arrival of Lee.
Texas’ bullpen has been a strength all year with its 3.33 ERA leading all American League bullpens, and their collective WHIP of 1.27 places them third in the AL. Their 7.63 strikeouts per nine innings ranks them fourth in the AL. Rangers pitchers are a significant factor in the increasing confidence evident around the Ballpark in Arlington.
Originally intending to use a three man starting rotation throughout the first-round divisional series, the club decided to go with a four-man staff after analyzing the statistics regarding pitching on three days rest.
For the ALDS, the Rangers will pitch Cliff Lee in Game 1, C.J. Wilson will take the mound for Game 2, followed by Colby Lewis in Game 3, and if necessary, Tommy Hunter will be handed the ball in Game 4. A playoff hero for the Phillies last season, Lee would then take the ball in a decisive Game 5 if the series came to that.
Lee, the suddenly well-traveled ace, has pitched for four teams in the last year-and-a-half, after spending the first seven-and-a-half years of his career in Cleveland. After getting off to a superb start with the Mariners, he was traded to the Rangers on July 9 to bolster their starting staff in order to make a strong run at a playoff berth. His numbers have dipped slightly after coming to Texas, but overall he has pitched well.
After the trade, he is 4-6 with a 3.98 ERA and a WHIP of 1.06. A poor August skewed his overall numbers, but his performances have been improving, and he just finished a stellar September in which he went 2-1 with a 1.93 ERA, as opponents only hit .189 against him.
His dominant playoff performance in 2009, in which he was 4-0 with a 1.56 ERA and 0.82 WHIP in five starts, gives Texas every reason to hope he can repeat that form as he leads them deep into October.
Converted reliever C.J. Wilson made a seamless transition to the starting rotation for the Rangers. After spending the previous four years as a closer and set-up man, he has been one of the Rangers top starters all year. The lefty is currently 14-8 in 32 starts, pitching 199 innings, striking out 166, while posting an ERA of 3.35, with a WHIP of 1.25. He has proved tough to hit, as opponents have only hit .217 against him.
Wilson has been brutal on lefties, as they’ve only hit .144 against him, with a paltry .400 OPS. C.J. will prove a valuable commodity against any team with big left-handed hitters that the Rangers may face in the playoffs.
Game 3 starter Colby Lewis has made a triumphant return to Major League Baseball after pitching the last two seasons in Japan. Although he’s only 12-13, the big right-hander has pitched well, tallying 196 innings, and leading the team in strikeouts with 192. His 3.72 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and .231 opponents’ batting average have earned him a coveted spot in Ron Washington‘s post-season plans.
In the event of a Game 4 in the ALDS, 24-year-old Tommy Hunter will get the nod. After a solid first year with the team in 2009, Hunter joined the rotation in Arlington during June of this year. Overall his stellar 13-4 record, 1.27 WHIP and 3.72 ERA have been a pleasant development for the Rangers, but he has pitched even better than his totals might suggest.
Of course, the win/loss totals are great, but the ERA is bloated by a few terrible starts, but otherwise he has been a force in the rotation. Out of his 21 starts, he has gone at least six innings and allowed two or less earned runs in nine of them. His emergence has allowed the Rangers the luxury of a deep four man staff to ease the burden on the front three, eliminating the need for Lee to pitch on three days rest.
Although the Rangers have yet to announce their final post-season rosters, several recent revelations have helped to form a clearer picture of what their bullpen could look like in the playoffs.The decision to use Hunter as the fourth starter has eliminated him from inclusion in the relief corps.
It has also been announced that Frank Francisco, the 2010 squad’s original closer, who transitioned to a set-up role in favor of highly-touted phenom Neftali Feliz, won’t be available to pitch until at least the American League Championship Series.
Francisco strained a rib cage muscle in late August, and was hoping to return prior to the division series, but a recent MRI revealed that he was not yet ready to begin his throwing program.
After Feliz assumed control of the closer’s role around May 1, Francisco had thrived as the primary set-up man, throwing 41.2 innings, striking out 51 and only walking 11, posting a 1.15 WHIP and a 3.24 ERA, while stranding 85% of inherited base-runners. His presence will undoubtedly be missed.
Thankfully for the Rangers’ sake though, they possess a strong stable of quality arms capable of filling the void created by Francisco’s injury. After making his debut on June 15, rookie Alexi Ogando has emerged as likely candidate to fill Francisco’s role. He has assimilated nicely into the late-inning corps available to Ron Washington.
His predominantly fastball/slide repertoire has stymied AL hitters thus far, making him a dangerous weapon late in games. In just 40.1 innings, he has struck out 37, only allowed 31 hits, a fine 1.17 WHIP and a 1.34 ERA.. His only Achilles heal may be that he allowed 40 percent of inherited runners to score, so he is not ideal for situational use.
Closer Neftali Feliz is finishing off his first full season in fine form. Originally slated as a set-up man, he assumed full control of the closer’s role after Francisco’s struggles and never looked back. In 68.1 innings, he has notched 71 strikeouts, allowed a stellar 0.89 WHIP, a 2.77 ERA, with 39 saves in 42 opportunities.
Opponents have only hit .177 against him, with a meager OPS of .520. After struggling slightly at times early in the year, he has been absolutely dominant in the second half, posting an ERA of 1.47 and a WHIP of 0.69 after the All-Star Break. Although only 22 years old, there is little doubt about his ability to shut down the Rangers; opposition in the late innings of October.
Darren O’Day offers the Rangers the versatility to be utilized in a variety of roles. His submarine style delivery makes him death on RH hitters, as they only hit .185 off him in 2010. He was effective against lefties as well, only allowing them a .229 average, so he is not limited to situational status.
Overall, in 71 appearances, he has thrown 61 innings, allowing only 43 hits for a minuscule 0.90 WHIP. He only struck out 43, but excelled at keeping men off base. His arm will surely prove useful over the coming weeks.
Darren Oliver keeps defying time, and at age 40, continues to provide Ron Washington with a valuable veteran arm as his left-handed specialist. Since transitioning to full-time bullpen work in 2006, Oliver has turned in three of his best career seasons from 2008-10. Pitching 60.2 innings, he struck out 65, with a WHIP of 1.10, and an ERA of 2.52.
Against left-handed hitters is where he excels, only allowing a .192 average and .516 OPS in those splits. With all the top left-handed hitter on the opponents’ playoff rosters, Oliver will surely be a valuable component of the Ranger bullpen.
Other left-handed options for the bullpen include young starters Matt Harrison and Derek Holland. Due to their starting experience, each could be valuable as a long reliever as well. Holland could also be suited as a LH specialist to aid Oliver, since he only allowed lefties to hit .130 this year with an impressive .362 OPS.
Harrison was not as effective against lefties and struggled somewhat with his control this year, so he would most likely see long relief duty if included on the roster. Scott Feldman provides another long relief option as a regular starter, but he struggled mightily this year with a 1.6 WHIP and 5.48 ERA, after posting a strong 2009 in which he won 17 games.
Manager Ron Washington has several other hard-throwing options to choose from as he finalizes his postseason bullpen. Dustin Nippert can bring the heat as he vies for a spot in the Texas pen. He was very good in 2009, but regressed in 2010, as he struggled with his command and appeared too hittable at times. His 4.36 ERA was decent, but his 1.73 WHIP provided evidence to support the concerns over his ability to keep men off base.
Mark Lowe could be a late inclusion to help fill Francisco’s shoes. He has only pitched one inning for the Rangers after rehabbing from a back injury, but he is receiving a late look to see if he may help bridge the gap to Feliz.
A wild-card could be Rich Harden, he of the phenomenal ability, but unable to stay healthy. He was used only a couple times in relief, to disastrous results, but the Rangers may be inclined to try to get some value out of him, as they have thus far not been repaid on their $7.5 million investment.
We shall soon know how the Texas Rangers will construct their post-season bullpen for their first playoff appearance since 1999. Whichever relievers he selects, Ron Washington possesses a deep group to choose from, and the Rangers appear well-armed to attempt to make it beyond the Divisional Series for the first time in franchise history.
Please check out Featured Columnist Brian Winett’s detailed analysis of all the playoff teams’ bullpens in this piece.
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