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TEXAS ( MARTINEZ )
TAMPA BAY ( ARCHER ) |
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| 969 | TEXAS | +160 | Ov 7,-105 | +155 | Ov 7,-125 | | 970 | TAMPA BAY | -170 | Un 7,-115 | -165 | Un 7,+105 |
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| All Games | 11-16 | -1.5 | 12-13 | 4.0 | 0.224 | 0.292 | 0.360 | 0.651 | 4.5 | 0.262 | 0.326 | 0.404 | 0.730 | | Road Games | 8-7 | +4.6 | 7-8 | 4.5 | 0.221 | 0.286 | 0.362 | 0.648 | 4.0 | 0.261 | 0.323 | 0.390 | 0.713 | | vs Right-handed Starters | 7-9 | -0.4 | 5-9 | 4.2 | 0.221 | 0.286 | 0.361 | 0.647 | 3.7 | 0.244 | 0.312 | 0.390 | 0.703 | | Past 7 Games | 4-3 | +2.6 | 3-3 | 5.1 | 0.262 | 0.330 | 0.471 | 0.800 | 4.4 | 0.224 | 0.290 | 0.380 | 0.669 | | Night Games | 9-11 | +0.8 | 7-12 | 3.8 | 0.226 | 0.285 | 0.363 | 0.647 | 3.9 | 0.248 | 0.310 | 0.372 | 0.682 |
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| All Games | 4.0 | 0.224 | 0.292 | 27 | 923 | 207 | 53 | 3 | 22 | 0.360 | 100 | 88 | 212 | 17 | 194 | 16 | 25 | 30 | 18 | | Road Games | 4.5 | 0.221 | 0.286 | 15 | 506 | 112 | 27 | 1 | 14 | 0.362 | 61 | 46 | 114 | 10 | 95 | 11 | 12 | 15 | 6 | | Righty Starters | 4.2 | 0.221 | 0.286 | 16 | 521 | 115 | 30 | 2 | 13 | 0.361 | 61 | 48 | 121 | 13 | 95 | 13 | 16 | 14 | 9 |
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| All Games | 4.56 | 1.407 | 96.7 | 52 | 49 | 97 | 10 | 39 | 76 | 4-4 | 3 | 6 | 33.3% | | Road Games | 5.16 | 1.500 | 45.3 | 27 | 26 | 47 | 4 | 21 | 47 | 3-2 | 3 | 4 | 42.9% |
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| All Games | 15-13 | +3 | 10-18 | 3.6 | 0.234 | 0.307 | 0.373 | 0.680 | 3.6 | 0.211 | 0.278 | 0.345 | 0.623 | | Home Games | 6-6 | -0.2 | 7-5 | 3.8 | 0.248 | 0.321 | 0.394 | 0.715 | 3.7 | 0.205 | 0.276 | 0.352 | 0.628 | | vs Right-handed Starters | 12-9 | +3.7 | 8-13 | 3.6 | 0.231 | 0.302 | 0.369 | 0.671 | 3.4 | 0.202 | 0.273 | 0.347 | 0.620 | | Past 7 Games | 4-3 | +1.6 | 0-7 | 2.4 | 0.207 | 0.275 | 0.318 | 0.594 | 2.3 | 0.197 | 0.252 | 0.326 | 0.578 | | Dome Games | 7-7 | -0.5 | 7-7 | 3.4 | 0.232 | 0.301 | 0.365 | 0.666 | 3.4 | 0.201 | 0.270 | 0.338 | 0.608 | | Night Games | 11-10 | +1.8 | 7-14 | 3.6 | 0.226 | 0.304 | 0.358 | 0.662 | 3.7 | 0.212 | 0.283 | 0.348 | 0.630 |
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| All Games | 3.6 | 0.234 | 0.307 | 28 | 935 | 219 | 49 | 6 | 23 | 0.373 | 98 | 98 | 231 | 14 | 196 | 22 | 11 | 17 | 17 | | Home Games | 3.8 | 0.248 | 0.321 | 12 | 383 | 95 | 16 | 2 | 12 | 0.394 | 43 | 41 | 102 | 4 | 78 | 10 | 5 | 9 | 8 | | Righty Starters | 3.6 | 0.231 | 0.302 | 21 | 707 | 163 | 40 | 5 | 16 | 0.369 | 72 | 72 | 174 | 8 | 146 | 16 | 8 | 11 | 14 |
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| All Games | 3.89 | 1.211 | 95 | 41 | 41 | 76 | 11 | 39 | 86 | 6-4 | 12 | 2 | 85.7% | | Home Games | 3.24 | 0.936 | 41.7 | 15 | 15 | 24 | 5 | 15 | 44 | 4-1 | 4 | 1 | 80% |
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| 4/24/2015 | RODRIGUEZ(L) | @ LA ANGELS | RICHARDS(R) | 2-3 | L | 160 | 8 un | U | 3 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 1 | | 4/25/2015 | LEWIS(R) | @ LA ANGELS | WILSON(L) | 1-4 | L | 135 | 7.5 un | U | 8 | 10 | 0 | 8 | 6 | 0 | | 4/26/2015 | MARTINEZ(R) | @ LA ANGELS | SANTIAGO(L) | 5-4 | W | 145 | 8 ov | O | 9 | 14 | 1 | 15 | 14 | 2 | | 4/27/2015 | GALLARDO(R) | SEATTLE | WALKER(R) | 1-3 | L | -115 | 9 un | U | 8 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 1 | | 4/28/2015 | DETWILER(L) | SEATTLE | HAPP(L) | 1-2 | L | +105 | 8.5 ev | U | 7 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 1 | | 4/29/2015 | RODRIGUEZ(L) | SEATTLE | HERNANDEZ(R) | 2-5 | L | +145 | 7.5 ov | U | 5 | 3 | 4 | 9 | 11 | 0 | | 5/1/2015 | LEWIS(R) | OAKLAND | KAZMIR(L) | 5-7 | L | +135 | 8.5 un | O | 9 | 7 | 0 | 8 | 4 | 0 | | 5/2/2015 | MARTINEZ(R) | OAKLAND | POMERANZ(L) | 8-7 | W | +115 | 8.5 ev | O | 14 | 10 | 2 | 12 | 7 | 0 | | 5/3/2015 | GALLARDO(R) | OAKLAND | GRAY(R) | 1-7 | L | +105 | 8 ov | P | 4 | 14 | 1 | 10 | 8 | 1 | | 5/4/2015 | DETWILER(L) | @ HOUSTON | KEUCHEL(L) | 2-1 | W | 182 | 8.5 ov | U | 7 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | | 5/5/2015 | RODRIGUEZ(L) | @ HOUSTON | FELDMAN(R) | 7-1 | W | 145 | 9 un | U | 11 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 1 | | 5/6/2015 | LEWIS(R) | @ HOUSTON | DEDUNO(R) | 11-3 | W | 115 | 8.5 ov | O | 13 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 4 | 0 | | 5/7/2015 | MARTINEZ(R) | @ TAMPA BAY | ARCHER(R) | | | 5/8/2015 | GALLARDO(R) | @ TAMPA BAY | KARNS(R) | | | 5/9/2015 | DETWILER(L) | @ TAMPA BAY | ODORIZZI(R) | | | 5/10/2015 | RODRIGUEZ(L) | @ TAMPA BAY | SMYLY(L) | | | 5/11/2015 | LEWIS(R) | KANSAS CITY | DUFFY(L) | | | 5/12/2015 | | KANSAS CITY | | | | 5/13/2015 | | KANSAS CITY | | | | 5/14/2015 | | KANSAS CITY | | |
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| 4/23/2015 | ODORIZZI(R) | BOSTON | BUCHHOLZ(R) | 2-1 | W | -120 | 7.5 un | U | 6 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 0 | | 4/24/2015 | SMYLY(L) | TORONTO | DICKEY(R) | 12-3 | W | -125 | 7.5 un | O | 13 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 1 | | 4/25/2015 | RAMIREZ(L) | TORONTO | NORRIS(L) | 4-2 | W | -105 | 8.5 un | U | 9 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 0 | | 4/26/2015 | ARCHER(R) | TORONTO | BUEHRLE(L) | 5-1 | W | -140 | 7.5 un | U | 13 | 9 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 1 | | 4/27/2015 | KARNS(R) | @ NY YANKEES | WARREN(R) | 1-4 | L | 115 | 8.5 ev | U | 6 | 6 | 0 | 9 | 10 | 0 | | 4/28/2015 | ODORIZZI(R) | @ NY YANKEES | WHITLEY(R) | 2-4 | L | -105 | 8 un | U | 9 | 10 | 1 | 9 | 6 | 0 | | 4/29/2015 | SMYLY(L) | @ NY YANKEES | PINEDA(R) | 3-2 | W | 130 | 7.5 ev | U | 7 | 9 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 1 | | 5/1/2015 | COLOME(R) | @ BALTIMORE | TILLMAN(R) | 2-0 | W | -105 | 8 un | U | 4 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 1 | | 5/2/2015 | ARCHER(R) | @ BALTIMORE | GONZALEZ(R) | 0-4 | L | -125 | 7 un | U | 4 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 0 | | 5/3/2015 | KARNS(R) | @ BALTIMORE | CHEN(L) | 2-4 | L | 100 | 7.5 ov | U | 7 | 7 | 0 | 9 | 7 | 1 | | 5/4/2015 | ODORIZZI(R) | @ BOSTON | BUCHHOLZ(R) | 5-1 | W | 140 | 8.5 ov | U | 11 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 0 | | 5/5/2015 | SMYLY(L) | @ BOSTON | PORCELLO(R) | 0-2 | L | 105 | 8 un | U | 8 | 7 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 1 | | 5/6/2015 | COLOME(R) | @ BOSTON | MASTERSON(R) | 5-3 | W | 115 | 8.5 ov | U | 9 | 11 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 0 | | 5/7/2015 | ARCHER(R) | TEXAS | MARTINEZ(R) | | | 5/8/2015 | KARNS(R) | TEXAS | GALLARDO(R) | | | 5/9/2015 | ODORIZZI(R) | TEXAS | DETWILER(L) | | | 5/10/2015 | SMYLY(L) | TEXAS | RODRIGUEZ(L) | | | 5/11/2015 | COLOME(R) | NY YANKEES | SABATHIA(L) | | | 5/12/2015 | | NY YANKEES | | | | 5/13/2015 | | NY YANKEES | | | | 5/14/2015 | | NY YANKEES | | |
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| |  | TEXAS: When Yu Darvish pitched only one inning this spring before season-ending elbow surgery, the Texas Rangers were already off to an ominous start.
The Rangers lost their ace even before what they are still hoping will be a comeback season.
''There is no way to spin that, other than it's a tough deal for us. He's one of the best pitchers in the game,'' general manager Jon Daniels said this spring. ''That being said, it's one guy. It's not 17. Good teams and good organizations have had similar news at similar times before and found a way. That's got to be our mentality.''
Texas had 22 different players spend time on the disabled list last season, including Darvish missing the final seven weeks with elbow inflammation before needing Tommy John ligament-replacement surgery this spring.
The aching result for the Rangers was the American League's worst record (67-95) and their most losses since 1985, ending an impressive four-year run of 90-win seasons with their only two World Series appearances (2010-11).
Darvish was 10-7 and an All-Star again before getting sidelined last season.
As for the top of the rotation without him, the January trade to get local pitcher Yovani Gallardo proved even more important. Gallardo, who can be a free agent after this season, started the last five season openers for Milwaukee.
Derek Holland, who didn't pitch until September last season after knee surgery, had a strong finish. Shoulder soreness slowed the left-hander this spring, but that likely set him up to start the home opener April 10 against Houston, in the fifth game of the season.
Also among the injured in 2014 were slugger Prince Fielder and Shin-Soo Choo, the big offensive additions before last season.
Fielder had missed only one game the previous five seasons with Detroit and Milwaukee before being limited to only 42 games and three home runs in his Rangers debut because a herniated disk in his neck that required surgery. Choo played 123 games, but his on-base percentage dipped from .423 in 2013 for Cincinnati to .340 before operations late last season for a bone spur in his left elbow and torn cartilage in his left ankle.
''There's no telling what this ballclub can do,'' new manager Jeff Banister said. ''They've yet to have an opportunity to play together. Let's hope they get a really strong shot of playing together for 162-plus (games).''
Here are a few things to know about the Rangers, who open the season April 6 at Oakland:
CLOSING TIME: Neftali Feliz is back in his World Series role for the Rangers as their closer after an ill-fated and injury-plagued attempt to be a starter. The right-hander was 3-1 with a 3.16 ERA in eight games (seven starts) in 2012 before Tommy John surgery. Feliz was 2-1 with 13 saves in 14 chances with a 1.99 ERA in 30 relief appearances after rejoining the Rangers last July, just before Joakim Soria was traded.
BELTRE'S IMPACT: Third baseman Adrian Beltre is going into his 17th major league season, his fifth with the Rangers and signed through next season. ''He's the heart and soul of this club,'' Banister said. ''A shining light in the storm, that's what he was last year. ... Do yourself a favor and watch that last at-bat he put together in 2014.'' Determined not to be the final out of the season, Beltre went from an 0-2 count to getting a single on the third straight slider thrown after that.
LEFT OF CENTER: With pretty much every other defensive position set, Jake Smolinski and Ryan Ruo entered spring as candidates in left field. Both showed promising glimpses in short stints in their major league debuts the second half of last season. Ryan Ludwick, who made his major league debut with Texas in 2002 and played for five other teams the past decade, was a non-roster invitee who could play left. Michael Choice, who got 35 of his 55 outfield starts in left last year, was the early man out when optioned to the minors in mid-March. Choo moves from left to right after Alex Rios departed in free agency.
MISSING WORK: The 26 different DL stints for the Rangers last season amounted to 2,281 days lost. That was 833 more than Arizona, who had the second most, and more than double any other American League team. | | TAMPA BAY: ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) - A year after being a trendy preseason pick to contend for the World Series, the Tampa Bay Rays are back in a familiar role as underdogs.
''That's good. ... We like that,'' three-time All-Star third baseman Evan Longoria said, noting the team has a history of flourishing most when little is expected from outside the organization.
''I just think it's going to be a really good year,'' the club's career home run and RBIs leader said. ''We've got a young team, a bunch of guys eager to learn and get out there and win games. I'm really looking forward to that.''
Former manager Joe Maddon - and his often unconventional way of doing things - is gone.
So is Andrew Friedman, the young executive who was architect of the teams that made the playoffs four of the past seven seasons.
The roster has a much different look, too, with 10 key players from a year ago either traded or released this winter.
''The end result is a club that we have optimism about, a club that we're excited about, that we think can compete for a playoff spot. And, that's what we want,'' team president of baseball operations Matt Silverman said.
''Every year, we want to come into camp believing our team can play meaningful games in September and have a chance to go to the playoffs, and even beyond,'' Silverman added. ''We have that - and at the same time, we've reloaded our minor league system, added some players who impact us this year, might impact us in the future, and we're better off because of that.''
Shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, catcher Rene Rivera, outfielder Steven Souza Jr., and pitchers Kevin Jepsen, Ernesto Frieri and Burch Smith are offseason acquisitions who could figure in the team's success - or failure.
Smith and two other young starters - Matt Andriese and Nathan Karns - figure to begin the season in the rotation because of injuries to Alex Cobb, Drew Smyly, and Matt Moore.
The hope is the rest of the projected rotation, Chris Archer and Jake Odorizzi, can help the Rays stay afloat until they can get back to full strength.
''If you've got starting pitching, you've got a leg up on going into the season,'' rookie manager Kevin Cash said. ''We're very fortunate with the pitchers we have - starters and relievers.''
Cobb, sidelined by a forearm strain during spring training, believes the team will thrive as underdogs.
''We're not going to get bullied. A lot of people are picking us at the bottom, and we're going to embrace that and have each other's backs,'' the right-hander said.
''Any time anybody calls you out in your profession and makes you feel like you're not as good as you know you are, there's always something to prove,'' Cobb said. ''I don't feel like we need to have extra motivation. It's just going to be that much sweeter when we go out there and perform well.''
A look at the keys to the Rays' season:
WHO WILL LEAD?: Pitching and defense were staples during six consecutive winning seasons that produced four playoff berths and one trip to the World Series. The Rays slipped to 77-85 a year ago, their first losing record since 2007. They're banking on Cash, who has no previous managerial experience, being the right fit to restore winning ways. At 37, he's the youngest current manager or head coach in the four major professional sports.
BETTER LONGO: Longoria played in every game in 2014 for the first time in his career, however he hit a disappointing .253 with 22 homers and 91 RBIs. He's moving into the cleanup spot after batting third most of his career, and knows he has to be more consistent if the Rays - last in the AL in runs scored a year ago - are going to have a chance to be better offensively.
BEHIND THE PLATE: Catcher Ryan Hanigan was traded and backup Jose Molina was released this winter. The three-team deal that sent Wil Myers to San Diego and brought Souza to Tampa Bay from Washington, also landed Rivera from the Padres.
The Rays believe he's an upgrade defensively, as well as offensively.
Rivera posted career highs with a .252 batting average, 11 homers and 44 RBI's in 103 games last season. Still, the 31-year-old catcher stresses his job is to provide solid direction behind the plate.
''I want to help my pitching staff first. I think that's what the game is all about. If you pitch well, you're going to win some games,'' Rivera said. ''If I get a hit here, a hit there and help us win some games, that's even better.'' |
| | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PA SPORTSTICKER AL PREVIEW (TEXAS-TAMPA BAY) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Rangers-Rays Preview* ======================
Texas (10-16) at Tampa Bay (14-13), 7:10 p.m. EDT
Nick Martinez looks like a far more formidable pitcher now as he returns to the site of his big league debut one year later.
The Texas Rangers look to improve to 6-0 in Martinez's starts and win their fourth straight Thursday night in the opener of a four-game road series against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Martinez (2-0, 0.84 ERA) gave up three runs over six innings and left with the lead before the bullpen blew it in a 5-4 loss at St. Petersburg in his debut April 5, 2014. He allowed two homers.
The right-hander has yet to be taken deep in 32 innings this year. His worst effort was Saturday's 8-7 win in 10 over Oakland in which he was charged with five runs - two earned - over six innings.
Martinez is second in the majors in ERA, and what is unusual about his success is his lack of strikeouts (13). His 3.66 strikeouts per nine innings rank among the lowest in baseball.
Not far behind Martinez among the ERA leaders is Tampa Bay starter Chris Archer (3-3, 1.64), who saw his mark rise from 0.84 after he allowed four runs over six innings in Saturday's 4-0 defeat to Baltimore.
Archer is 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA in three starts against the Rangers, with Adrian Beltre going 1 for 9 with three strikeouts when facing the right-hander.
Tampa Bay (15-13) has failed to give Archer any runs of support in his defeats.
Runs figure to be at a premium Thursday, and hitters have been grumbling about how much tougher their jobs are getting. Rays star Evan Longoria hit two solo homers in Wednesday's 5-3 victory at Boston after not going deep since opening day.
"It's become more and more difficult in this league to hit," he said. "Luckily for me, the team was winning ... so it doesn't put a whole lot of pressure on me necessarily to hit home runs."
David DeJesus went 6 for 10 and Steven Souza Jr. was 4 for 7 with three walks as Tampa Bay took two of three from the Red Sox.
Texas (11-16) completed its first three-game sweep by winning 11-3 at Houston on Wednesday. Beltre finished a home run shy of the cycle, Carlos Peguero hit a pair of solo homers and Robinson Chirinos drove in three runs.
"One thing we did tonight is we continued to add on," manager Jeff Banister said. "It was special to see the middle of that lineup show up. Guys got on base and barreled the baseball. It's fun to watch those guys run around the bases."
Peguero, who did not homer in his first 18 games, has three in the last two. His only other multihomer effort was June 2, 2011, against Tampa Bay.
"I tried to wait for the ball, let it drop and I put a good swing on it," he said.
The Rangers played the final two games without Leonys Martin, who is day to day with a sprained left wrist.
Tampa Bay took five of seven from Texas in 2014.
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| | Last Updated: 5/8/2024 12:10:27 AM EST. |
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