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Rays/MLB
Up next: Rangers
By MARC TOPKIN
Published April 21, 2006
WHAT'S NEW: The Rangers for years have been known as a good-hitting team that could score but couldn't win because of a poor pitching staff. So they spent millions and made several deals (including one that cost them Alfonso Soriano), and they still have a team loaded with hitting that can't win because of a poor pitching staff, even poorer after the injury to starter Adam Eaton. They did add veteran starters Kevin Millwood and Vicente Padilla and reliever Akinori Otsuka, though it's not enough. What they still have is a lineup that can be explosive, what with Mark Teixeira, Hank Blalock, Phil Nevin, Brad Wilkerson, Kevin Mench and Rod Barajas, plus injured Ian Kinsler (who replaced Soriano at second base).
INJURIES:
The Rangers have lost their starting second baseman, Kinsler, and a top utility infielder, Mark DeRosa, to injuries in the past week. They are also without two key pitchers, Eaton and Frank Francisco.
KEEP IN MIND:
The Rangers went into play Thursday having scored 43 percent of their runs (31 of 72) with two outs. ... Nevin leads the team with 10 two-out RBIs. ... Texas pitchers have allowed the second-fewest walks in the majors. ... Rangers relievers have a 5.05 ERA and only two saves.
WHO'S HOT:
Shortstop Michael Young went into play Thursday on a seven-game hitting streak during which he is hitting .379 (11-for-29).
WHO'S NOT:
Wilkerson, a former Florida Gator, is 9-for-51 over his past 12 games with 23 strikeouts.
SERIES:
The Rangers lead 47-32 overall and 25-14 at Ameriquest Field, but the Rays went 6-2 last year, their first winning season against them.
WHEN/WHERE:
8:05; Ameriquest Field, Arlington, Texas.
TV/RADIO: Ch. 66; 1250-AM, 820-AM (Spanish). PROBABLE PITCHERS: Rays - RHP Seth McClung (1-2, 9.00); Rangers - RHP Kameron Lee (0-2, 3.38).
RAYS TICKETS: Available at Tropicana Field box office, all Ticketmaster outlets, through devilrays.com and the Devil Rays Dugout store at WestShore Plaza in Tampa.
RAYS INFORMATION: (727) 825-3250.
WATCH FOR
BIG RED: Rays starter Seth McClung has had decent success against two of Texas' key hitters, holding Hank Blalock to a .222 average (2-for-9) and Michael Young to .143 (1-for-7).
LOE DOWN: The Rays have had limited exposure to Rangers starter Kameron Loe, but they like what they've seen: Toby Hall is 2-for-2, Jonny Gomes 1-for-1 and Damon Hollins 1-for-2.
C.C. REVIVAL: If the Rays are down late, don't expect Carl Crawford to start a comeback. He is 2-for-11 against reliever Joaquin Benoit and 1-for-1 against closer Francisco Cordero.
[Last modified April 21, 2006, 01:43:05]
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