Sunday
Mar152009
Rangers Gameday: 3/15 Vs. SD
Joey MatschulatSunday, March 15th Game Preview
San Diego Padres (4-8-3) vs. Texas Rangers (8-9-0)
Wade LeBlanc (0-0, 9.00 ERA) vs. Kevin Millwood (0-1, 11.25 ERA)
3:05 p.m. CST in Surprise, Arizona (Surprise Stadium)
TV: - - - | Radio: KRLD 1080 AM
| Padres |
Rangers |
||
| Position | Player | Position | Player |
| CF |
Drew Macias |
2B |
Ian Kinsler |
| RF |
Chris Snelling |
3B |
Michael Young |
| LF |
Chase Headley |
CF |
Josh Hamilton |
| DH |
Kyle Blanks |
DH |
Hank Blalock |
| C |
Nick Hundley |
RF |
Marlon Byrd |
| 1B |
Peter Ciofrone |
LF |
Frank Catalanotto |
| 2B |
Matt Antonelli |
1B |
Chris Davis |
| 3B |
Brett Dowdy |
C |
Taylor Teagarden |
| SS |
Everth Cabrera |
SS |
Elvis Andrus |
Notes: Right-hander Tommy Hunter (right groin strain) will be re-evaluated tomorrow morning ... Eight Rangers were optioned or reassigned to minor league camp this morning, including catchers Manny Pina and Kevin Richardson, infielder Jose Vallejo, left-hander Kason Gabbard and right-handers Casey Daigle, Thomas Diamond, Guillermo Moscoso and Omar Poveda ... Left-handers Derek Holland and Joe Torres and right-hander Willie Eyre are slated to pitch this afternoon.
Reader Comments (17)
Texas had taken an early 3-0 lead against the Padres, but two runs against Millwood here in the top of the third inning have made it 3-2...on a brighter note, I've missed my last televised Rangers exhibition game of the spring (wasn't able to catch yesterday's MLB Network broadcast, but should be able to watch the rest)...
And make it 3-3...
In other news, Jon Daniels apparently envisions a bullpen role for Moscoso at the beginning of the season, which dovetails with the line of thought that his past injury problems and limited repertoire (in terms of pitches) could push him out of the rotation picture sooner rather than later...
And the Padres jump ahead with a Ciofrone home run, and a great try by Andrus at shortstop proves futile as Antonelli beats out an infield single...hopefully Millwood isn't forced to cut his outing short before reaching his optimal innings count for the afternoon...
Chris Davis goes yard with his first blast of the Cactus League season (against a left-hander, no less), and we're tied at 4-4...
Kinsler draws a walk, and the bases are juiced for Mike Young (whose solo homer in the first inning was hit approximately 420 feet, per JN)...
Bad throw from Dowdy at third base keeps everybody safe, and Texas takes the 5-4 lead...
Now Josh Hamilton laces a two-run double, and Metcalf will be replacing Blalock due to left quad tightness...
A monster rally has put Texas ahead 9-4, and Catalanotto is finally the Rangers' first out of the inning...
The ever-mercurial Joe Torres is struggling mightily with his command right now, and the Rangers' lead has been slashed to 9-5...
Torres walks in a run during the course of an abysmal four-walk inning, but somehow escapes with the score still in the Rangers' favor at 9-6...
Things have slowed down a bit, but Derek Holland is now in, with his first fastball registering at 94 mph, and his second pitch resulting in a quick fly out...
And a perfect eighth inning for Holland culminates with a strikeout on a 95 mph heater...
Joaquin Arias smashes a long home run to put the Rangers in double digits for the day...
My goodness...Holland goes from a 96 mph heater to his first batter of the ninth inning to an 81 mph backdoor slider, and notches a strikeout to put Texas two outs away...
And another strikeout for Holland puts him an out away from collecting the save...
Again proving that nothing comes easy for Texas, Holland has now allowed the tying run to reach base with two outs in the top of the ninth inning...
Love hearing that about Holland... that's some NASTY stuff!! It may be sooner than later if he keeps that up!!