Maybe this is the way it’s going to be with this motley crew of discount pitchers.
Maybe we need to expect one good start, one bad start. Hamels went bad-good. Fister went good-bad.
Last night, he was a victim of too many pitches and a cutter that wasn’t cutting it.
Sure of the five runs he gave up, only two were earned. But unearned runs matter only the player’s agent and his parents. Unearned runs still count. And in many cases they could have been prevented if you just went to work and got the next guy out.
Yes, an error killed Fister. But Fister was dancing on the blade of a razor all night. He could have dug down and pitched around him. He didn’t. He wasn’t sharp.
And the Rangers lost 6-2 to fall to 2-5.
Seven games into the season the paper-thin rotation is starting to wear down the bullpen.
If they can just hang on for 155 more games they will have all winter to rest.
*****
TODAY’S GAME:
Martin Perez (0-0, -.–) vs. Daniel Mendgen (0-1, 7.94)
Game time: 2:35
How the Rangers hit against Mendgen.
How the Athletics hit against Perez.