1999 Results: March 23, 1999 (W: 4-3)[ Previous Game | Next Game ]
[ Back to Schedule Menu ]
1999 Results: March 23, 1999 (W: 4-3)
[ Previous Game | Next Game ]
[ Back to Schedule Menu ]
Game Commentary
Game Photos
Box/Line Score
Game Recap
Rangers
Media Notes
Commentary (by me)
I'm getting really annoyed about not being able to hear the Rangers on the radio.
I know it's less than two weeks, and they'll all be there, but dammit, I want Eric
& Vince! :) If anyone's actually reading these things, don't forget, the
Rangers are on TV in the Metroplex this Friday and Saturday for the first
time.
After yesterday's tough loss, it was nice to bounce back and get a tight win. Again our pitching looked pretty decent (even though we gave up 4), and Burkett had a decent outing. I hope there's more good ones than bad ones for Burkey this year.
David Wells pitched really good against us again, which was shades of the 98 playoffs. I like David Wells because of his musical tastes, but dammit, he doesn't have to pitch against us quite so good, does he? But, we got a balk out of him, though. :) We had some back to back longball today from Pudge & Todd Zeile, and
Hey, if you check out the Sports Ticker recap below, they refer to the Blue Jays as the Maple Leafs. :)
Commentary (by Jim Meeks)
The pitching of the Texas Rangers continues to improve day-by-day, as proven in the
game Tuesday. The Rangers won the game, 4 to 3 over the Blue Jays. But just like the three
days prior, the big news is that four of the men in the five man rotation are pitching
well.
Rangers' starter John Burkett, who was terrible most of last year and in his first two
outings this spring, pitched his second consecutive effective outing. Here's a look at his
last two spring outings:
IP H R ER BB SO HR 03-18-99 5 3 1 1 1 2 0 Tuesday 5 3 2 2 0 6 0 ----------------------------- totals 10 6 3 3 1 8 0
Have a look at the last 4 games by the Rangers' starters:
IP H R ER BB SO HR Rick Helling 5 7 2 2 2 2 0 Aaron Sele 5 1 1 1 0 6 1 Mark Clark 5 6 3 3 1 2 0 Burkett 5 3 2 2 0 6 0 -------------------------------- totals 20 17 7 8 3 18 1
Those last 4 starts have an earned run average of 3.60. While
that's not earth-shattering, it's impressive news for fans of the feeble-armed Rangers.
There continues to be trouble with one spot in the rotation however; the one belonging to
Esteban Loaiza. He's been just plain bad in his last two outings: (5.2 IP, 9 hits, 6
earned runs). Johnny Oates, who had declared Loaiza the starter before spring play ever
began, declared yesterday that on Wednesday Loaiza will be pitching for his rotation life.
On the horizon is veteran Mike Morgan, who's been nothing short of spectacular this
spring. Tomorrow, they will duel in a "pitch-off", with the winner getting the
#5 spot in the rotation, according to an article in
Tuesday's Dallas Morning News. There's even talk of the Rangers possibly trading
Loaiza, so it's apparent the Rangers are unhappy with the way he's performed.
Meanwhile. lefty Mike Munoz has really stepped it up the last couple of weeks. At first,
he didn't look all that impressive according to the stats. However, his last 6 outings
have been a completely different story:
IP H R ER BB SO HR outing 1 2 2 0 0 0 2 0 outing 2 1.1 1 0 0 1 1 0 outing 3 .1 0 0 0 0 0 0 outing 4 1 2 1 1 0 3 1 outing 5 2 2 0 0 0 1 0 outing 6 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 ---------------------------------- ERA 1.04) 8.2 9 1 1 1 7 1
On the offensive side, which rarely is a worry, Ivan Rodriguez and Todd Zeile hit back-to-back homers today, the first for Pudge, and the second for Todd. Rodriguez added 2 RBI's as well.
 |
 |
 |
|
| Pudge rounds third after his homer. | David Wells pitches. | John Burkett warms up |
Line Score
GPFT FINAL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
TEXAS 0 0 0 1 1 2 0 0 0 4 5 0
TORONTO 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 3 8 1 FINAL
WP - JOHN BURKETT (1-1)
LP - BILL RISLEY (0-1)
SAVE - TONY FOSSAS (1)
HOME RUNS: TEX - IVAN RODRIGUEZ (1) OFF RISLEY IN THE 6TH
TODD ZEILE (2) OFF RISLEY IN THE 6TH
TOR - WILLIE GREENE (1) OFF BURKETT IN THE 3RD
CARLOS DELGADO (3) OFF BURKETT IN THE 4TH
TIME: 2:20 ATT: 3,230
Box Score
TEXAS (4) AT TORONTO (3)
TEXAS AB R H BI TORONTO AB R H BI
S GREEN CF 3 1 0 0 STEWART LF 4 0 2 0
CUYLER LF 4 0 0 0 BUSH 2B 4 0 1 0
I RODRIGUEZ C 3 1 1 2 MARTIN 2B 0 0 0 0
SASSER 3B 1 0 0 0 S GREEN RF 3 0 1 0
ZEILE 3B 3 1 1 1 J HURST RF 1 1 1 0
HUBBARD C 1 0 1 0 C DELGADO 1B 3 1 1 1
L STEVENS 1B 3 0 0 0 K WITT 1B 0 0 0 0
S GALLAGHER 1B 1 0 0 0 FIELDER PH 1 0 0 0
MATEO RF 4 1 1 0 JO CRUZ CF 3 0 0 0
ZAUN DH 2 0 0 0 MATHENY C 1 0 0 0
SHELDON 2B 3 0 1 1 D FLETCHER C 2 0 0 0
SHAVE SS 3 0 0 0 A SANDERS CF 2 0 1 1
W GREENE DH 2 1 1 1
BERROA DH 2 0 0 0
EVANS 3B 3 0 0 0
A GONZALEZ SS 3 0 0 0
T PEREZ SS 0 0 0 0
TOTALS 31 4 5 4 TOTALS 34 3 8 3
TEXAS 000 112 000-- 4
TORONTO 001 100 001-- 3
E--BUSH. DP--TORONTO 1. LOB--TEXAS 2, TORONTO 4.
2B--SHELDON, STEWART, J HURST. HR--W GREENE (OFF BURKETT),
C DELGADO (OFF BURKETT), I RODRIGUEZ (OFF RISLEY), ZEILE
(OFF RISLEY). SB--S GREEN. CS--BUSH, ZAUN.
IP H R ER BB SO HR
TEXAS
BURKETT (W) 5 3 2 2 0 6 2
MUNOZ 2 2 0 0 0 0 0
CRABTREE 1 1 0 0 0 1 0
FOSSAS (S) 1 2 1 1 0 1 0
TORONTO
D WELLS 5 2 2 2 1 2 0
RISLEY (L) 1 2 2 2 0 2 2
LLOYD 1 0 0 0 1 1 0
DAVEY 1 0 0 0 0 1 0
RO PERSON 1 1 0 0 0 1 0
BALK--D WELLS.
T--2:20. A--3,230.
DUNEDIN, FLORIDA (TICKER) -- David Wells started for the
first time this spring before reliever Bill Risley allowed a pair of solo homers in his
place as the Texas Rangers edged the Toronto Maple Leafs, 4-3, in exhibition play.
Wells had pitched only three innings in relief since being acquired February 18 from the
New York Yankees in a deal for Roger Clemens. But he retired the first nine batters he
faced before giving up a run each in the fourth and fifth innings.
Ivan Rodriguez and Todd Zeile hit back-to-back homers in the sixth off Risley, snapping a
2-2 tie.
Rangers starter John Burkett earned the win, allowing two runs and three hits while
striking out six over five innings. Tony Fossas gave up a run in the ninth but recorded
the save.
Wells showed his impeccable control, walking one and striking out two. But he committed a
balk in the fourth, leading to Texas' first run on a ground out by Rodriguez. The Rangers
tied it 2-2 in the fifth on Scott Sheldon's run-scoring double.
Shannon Stewart had two hits for the Blue Jays, who scored a run in the ninth on Anthony
Sanders' two-out RBI single.