SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) -Two days into spring training, Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington says his rotation is set. That doesn’t mean the starting pitchers won’t be challenged.
The Rangers deviated from their norm by having pitchers throw to hitters during batting practice on the first day of workouts Sunday. A day later, Washington indicated he was ready to roll with Kevin Millwood and Vicente Padilla, followed in no particular order by Scott Feldman, Matt Harrison and Brandon McCarthy.
“The only thing that can unseat it is if one of those guys come up with an injury or something unforeseen happens,” Washington said Monday. “But that’s where we want to go.”
Facing batters so early couldn’t have come as a surprise because new pitching coach Mike Maddux made it clear over the winter that his pitchers should arrive in shape and ready for a heavier workload. Last season, the Rangers had the fifth-highest ERA in club history at 5.37.
Accountability and reliability are two things that take no talent,” said Maddux, the brother of 355-game winner Greg Maddux. “The game is about God-given ability, but it doesn’t take any talent to hustle or be in shape.”
Team president and Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan watched Sunday’s first session. The plan is for pitchers to throw to hitters every other day.
Millwood, whose hamstring problems last spring set the tone for an injury-filled season in which 14 pitchers spent time on the disabled list, said Maddux’s regimen is similar to what the Braves used when Millwood was in Atlanta.
“Throwing live BP makes you concentrate a little bit more, and you get a little bit more out of it, so that’s a good thing,” said Millwood, who was 9-10 with a 5.07 ERA in 2008, his second straight year with a 5-plus ERA after 10 seasons without one.
Millwood, the likely opening day starter, and Padilla (41-8, 4.74 ERA a year ago) are the known quantities for Washington.
The 23-year-old Harrison posted a 9-3 mark in 15 starts as a rookie after a July callup, although his ERA was a somewhat bloated 5.49. McCarthy hasn’t stayed healthy in Texas and made just five starts last season. Feldman was a career reliever before starting 25 times in 28 appearances last year.
rom the bullpen,” Washington said. “I’m not saying anything’s set in stone, but he’s got a spot to give up if that’s what he wants to do. Knowing Feldman, he’s not going to give it up.”
Feldman abandoned the sidearm delivery he had used since becoming a reliever in favor of the traditional over-the-top motion he used when he was a starter in college.
“The more difficult thing was trying to get a consistent delivery and arm angle,” Feldman said. “It’s a lot of fun to know when you’re going to pitch and knowing you’re going to pitch more than one inning or face more than one batter.”
Notes: Washington says Frank Francisco “is the guy” right now in a closer battle also featuring former All-Star Derrick Turnbow and C.J. Wilson, who saved 24 games in 28 tries for the Rangers last year before having season-ending elbow surgery. … OF Marlon Byrd, coming off October knee surgery, was the latest position player to report ahead of Wednesday’s deadline. Michael Young is among the eight who haven’t reported. He’s moving to third base to make room for Elvis Andrus even though he was a five-time All-Star and won a Gold Glove at shortstop.
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