Well to review how Texas has been doing lately, I must mention the road trip at New York and Boston. Many saw this as an opportunity for the Rangers to prove themselves to be among the top teams in the American League. In their first visit to Yankee Stadium, the Rangers were 1-2 resembling the series we hosted vs. the Yankees. Losing in a blowout in both openers, salvaging the middle game, and coming up short in each rubber finale. Texas knew that wasn't the end of the world. The expectations weren't high for the trip at two teams who both had records just as good as theirs. 2-4 was a success, and 3-3 was more than welcome. Visiting Fenway Park in '09 for the first time, the Rangers led by a very hot Nelson Cruz lit up Boston pitching taking 2 of 3, and go back to Texas with a 3-3 road trip.
One of the more interesting points of the trip was Vicente Padilla. Padilla is one of the few Rangers known well for on field antics. Nothing startling just a guy who has the guts and the stupidity to throw at Mark Teixeira not once but twice. Teixeira exchanged his profanities with Vicente but took his base. Padilla was fresh of the DL, but obviously had fine control of his pitches. Ron Washington, quite displeased with him took him out of the game. After the game which Texas lost Padilla was placed on outright waivers by the Rangers, and fined by MLB. Padilla being put on waivers was a snap descision. Nine out of ten times he would be off the team or in AAA within 1 week. My first thoughts of the move consisted or "Good, he deserves it," but upon looking at his numbers I thought "What were they thinking?" I certainly hope they were sending Padilla a serious wake up call, but whether or not that is the case, putting him on waivers, and giving another team a chance to pick him up was a move that involved acting before thinking. I'm very disappointed in the "professionals" down at the front office. This guy tossed back to back outings giving up only 1 hit each. Padilla is a streaky one, but the Rangers don't have a playoff run without all the pitching they can get. However if he continues to act upon his own decisions rather than what the team asks of him, then only after the season, when his contract is up should we cut ties with him.
With McCarthy sidelined, the whole opening rotation has seen the DL, with the exception of Kevin Millwood. But our spot starters have held their own and kept us afloat the top of the division. Doug Mathis and Tommy Hunter both held their when called upon to pitch for injured members of the rotation. However I think Derek Holland has been asked too much of too early in his career and he needs to go back to long relief. Unlike Holland, Mathis and Hunter both have some if little experience in the big leagues which I think has helped them.
Scott Feldman stepped in for Kris Benson who has struggled all season long. I think Benson needs to be sent to AAA and heavily conditioned there. Benson was a no. 1 pick, he was the Stephen Strasburg or David Price of his college days. Jason Jennings was never considered of that calibur but showed great promise as a youngster winning rookie of the year in 2002 getting 15 wins in the exceedingly hitter friendly Coors Field. Jennings is tossing great long relief for Texas this year, coming back from a disappointing 2007 with Houston and a demotion in 2008 after he couldn't rebound with the Rangers. I see alot of similarities between Jennings and Benson and I feel if Benson gets the same approach, he can still be an asset to the Texas Rangers, in 2010*.
*That is two thousand ten, not twenty ten.
Final Notes:Staying current, Pudge Rodriguez tied the record for most game caught in MLB history today. He celebrated by homering for his Astros' only run of the game in a 6-1 loss to Texas. He is expected to break the record against his same former team tomorrow.
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