The bullpen situation

ADSENSE Link Ads 200 x 90

ADSENSE 336 x 280

Hey Joe

Last night's 4-3 loss to the Seattle Mariners presents an excellent opportunity to address a relatively major factor for the Texas Rangers and Ron Washington moving forward.

In case you missed it, the Rangers nursed a 3-1 lead going into the ninth inning and closer Joe Nathan was tapped to close out his second straight game.

My gut reaction: There's going to be trouble. It's early in the season anyway and the triumvirate of Nathan, Alexi Ogando and Mike Adams have been called upon a lot so far.

For whatever reason, I thought Nathan would get into trouble last night.

Now, Washington was in a lose-lose situation and maybe he'll use it to teach or to learn a bit himself. Moving forward, Washington and pitching coach Mike Maddux will need to wind up doing two things:

1. Trusting one other reliever.

2. Trusting Nathan on back-to-back nights.

I'm pretty sure that Wash and Maddux would like to steer clear of Mark Lowe and Koji Uehara in close situations. I don't think they trust Robbie Ross fully yet. And I think they like keeping Scott Feldman for mop-up duty and long relief.

Fact is, they will need to fully trust at least two of those guys for spot duty in high-pressure, close situations. My first thought last night was to go with Scott Feldman in the seventh and/or eighth innings and then maybe Ogando or Nathan in the ninth.

I do think Wash had an excellent opportunity last night to test things out. They were playing Seattle -- a poor hitting team -- at home after taking the first two games of a four-game series. If it works out last night, great. If not, they have a day game today to get the series win.

Wash was probably thinking trying Nathan again on back-to-back days (Nathan allowed the game-winning homer to Alex Rios in the first series of the season after pitching the day before) against a bad Mariners line-up. Or, he could have gone with Ross, Lowe, Uehara or Feldman against the same bad Mariners team just to see what they would do.

It was a lose-lose or a win-win situation for Wash. It turned into a lose-lose. Still, you know now that Nathan probably needs a little more time. It didn't appear that the injury was the issue. Nathan's velocity seemed normal. It was the location catching large chunks of homeplate that doomed him.

Granted, I'm one that thinks Nathan will not work out longterm as closer, but I don't think it's quite as doom and gloom as we think.

Ask the California Angels. Or Justin Verlander.

Notes:
1. Yorvit Torrealba's catching line, for starting pitchers: 18.2 IP - 16 hits - 2 runs - 3 BBs - 18 Ks - 1 home run. With Colby Lewis: 12.2 IP - 12 hits - 2 runs - 1 BB - 15 Ks - 1 home runs.

2. It is a shame the bullpen deal went down like it did because it negated a second-straight awesome start from Colby Lewis, who went 6.2 allowing just five hits, no home runs or runs or walks. Quietly putting together a phenomenal start.

3. Rangers pitching has issued 13 walks in 54 innings pitched. Good for ninth in MLB.

4. Lost in the fray: Another substandard night for the offense. Of all people, it was Kevin Millwood allowing just one run in six innings.

5. Rangers hitters: 11 strikeouts, seven against Millwood.

6. The unlikeliest back-to-back home run duo: Ian Kinsler and Elvis Andrus.

ADSENSE 336 x 280 dan ADSENSE Link Ads 200 x 90

Tweet