Mendoza on the disabled list
Pitcher Luis Mendoza will start the season on the disabled list with a blister on his right middle finger. The Rangers still expect him to be their fifth starter on April 12 and he'll likely make at least one start at Triple A Oklahoma on medical rehabilitation before that.
But this means Kason Gabbard will be the Rangers fourth starter while Mendoza gets the blister problem straightened out.
The Rangers have also told reliever Josh Rupe that he is on the team. That leaves one spot left in the bullpen: Wes Littleton or Robinson Tejeda.
I did not make it to Arizona this spring and I tried to look at the box scores every day. However, I must have missed the the day when K. Gabbert looked like a major league starter. Seems like he is on the ENTITLEMENT program, and has been since he arrived mid-season last year. The days I looked at the box scores, I seem to remember he couldn't get the ball over the plate, and when he did, he couldn't keep it in the park. Maybe I will wake up tomorrow and this will be just a bad dream.
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J, I'm with ya on the handouts. Gabbard is clearly not ready, A struggling Kam Loe probably would do better. A.J. was throwing better and got sent out...
I did get to AZ for a couple of games and saw Mendoza and Millwood. Mendoza probably does deserve the 4th spot based on what I saw and the TV game. He looked like a pitcher, not a thrower. But, he looks like he needs to get stronger because he seemed to be gettin' a little gassed by the 5th or 6th but if he keeps it up he'll do the job.
Millwood had the D-Backs guys chirping at the ump and throwing bats around in that start in Tucson. Spotting fastballs and then offspeed stuff for strikes that just froze most of their lineup. If he can go like that 3 out of every 4 starts we might get a 20 game winner.
BTW-- Wes Littleton is not the answer to the final 'pen spot. I saw 2 games in AZ and he got lit up in both. He came in and guys started lining the ball all over the park. There is a reason he has that many ST wins out of the 'pen...
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I had hoped maybe Gabbard would be the one starting in AAA, as he obviously needs to get some things about his game straightened out, but I guess not. Ron Washington seems to like him - what is it about Wash and guys who don't perform?
Mendoza going on the DL is probably a procedural move more than anything - if I'm not mistaken, this will prevent the Rangers from having to use one of his minor league opions, correct?
It's good to see Josh Rupe make the team, though. I hope he can stick in the bullpen, although if Robinson Tejeda fills the final bullpen spot, it's likely he will be the one optioned to AAA when Mendoza comes off the DL.
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I don't understand their continuing to praise him even after he gets bombed. Maybe they're just **** bent on having a lefty in the rotation.
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I hear you, hefe, although I have a difficult time understanding where RW is coming from in many of his quotes. It's almost like he says things in hopes that they will happen, and the guys will get such a boost of confidence from his confident statements that they will immediately turn things around.
I had also hoped that Mendoza might slip past Gabbard into the 4 spot. Oh well. I just hope Gabbard is not hurt (again).
BTW sean - I was glad to hear your reports from your trip to ST. Good to hear impressions from someone other than the usual sources.
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