Series Thread: Rangers Open the Season by Hosting the Cubs for Three Games March 28-31

[saddles]

He needs to improve on 2nd and 3rd time through the lineup if he can get that far, otherwise I think he’s better suited for middle relief.

If I am not mistaken, in his first 2 or 3 starts he was actually worse the first time through the lineup.

 

[saddles]

From Scott Lucas:

Owen White offered the reverse of the Jekyll/Hyde performance I saw in Surprise. This time, Hyde (the bad guy) arrived first. White needed 51 pitches to complete the first two innings, walking two and allowing a two-run homer and deep double to right-center. His velocity was fine (92-95 fastball), a couple of tics above what he often dealt in 2023, but basic control was absent, resulting in three three-ball counts in addition to the walks.

Dr. Jekyll arrived in the 3rd. White needed only 26 pitches in the next two innings, regaining his control such that he could deceive opponents with first-pitch changeups and sliders, and nothing but sliders to one batter followed by nothing but fastballs to another. Much, much better. A single to start the 5th ended his night. On the whole, White did throw a higher percentage of swinging strikes than he averaged last year, and he dealt first-pitch strikes to 12 of 18 batters.

I don't wish to make such an ominous pronouncement on day one of the minor league season, but here it is: The difference between White's second two innings and first two is the difference between getting back to the Majors and not. Mr. Hyde can't be out there throwing half his innings.

I'd marked a couple of early pitches from Cole Winn as changeups, but they looked a little funny, tending to dive in toward left-handed batters' feet. Statcast called them sinkers. Statcast can get a little carried away with pitch categorizations in the minors, and the spin and movement figures were in the same range as his straight change, but yeah, many of them appeared to be sinkers. Winn hit a batter and walked another, but the sinker (or sinker-change tandem) was effective, and every pitch had its moments. A new, effective pitch in Winn's arsenal would be a blessing, and after his trying Spring Training, it's nice to be able to look forward to his next outing.

 

[saddles]

 

[Senator_fan]

If I am not mistaken, in his first 2 or 3 starts he was actually worse the first time through the lineup.

I wish him the best as a starter and always have.

 

[saddles]

Lorenzen and then Leiter.

 

[DT LUNA]

Bradford with a nice start.

 

[saddles]

Corniell and Stephan to miss time.

 

[DT LUNA]

Two lead off hits and did not score.

 

[DT LUNA]

Bradford with a nice start.

And then flew the coop.

 

[DT LUNA]

Lankford singled after a 10 pitch AB and Walsh ties it with a HR

 

[DT LUNA]

HR Adolis

 

[Duane1952]

Garcia having a good start to the season.

 

[DT LUNA]

Walsh showing good power.

 

[DT LUNA]

Seager with 3rd hit in 4th inning.

 

[saddles]

A really good outing for Bradford.

 

[saddles]

 

[saddles]

A really good outing for Bradford.

 

[saddles]

 

[saddles]

 

[Duane1952]

Bout time Leody.