Royals rout Rangers, 17-8
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Ever watched a "contestant" wriggle around in a tub full of leeches or try to keep down a plate full of cow organs on Fear Factor? If so, you know that "reality TV" can be one long display of the grotesque.
Those who tuned into the Rangers' 17-8 loss to Kansas City on Sunday got a similar dose of the occasional ugliness of reality TV.
After an encouraging run of success by rookie pitchers, the Rangers' return to reality was inevitable. And the reality is this:
Relying on rookie pitchers makes for unpredictable footing.
Rookies can dominate one day and not find the strike zone the next. They usually struggle to grasp the differences between dom- inating minor league hitters and competing against major leaguers.
A day after Juan Dominguez flirted with a no-hitter, Edison Volquez, who was making his second big league start, looked overmatched against the lowest-scoring team in the AL. The Royals ended up blowing away their season high in runs, which was 12.
Volquez lasted two innings plus six batters into the third. All six of those batters reached base. Before that, he allowed a three-run homer to Angel Berroa, who hadn't had an extra-base hit in 22 games.
"It's happened to Dominguez, [Kameron] Loe, [C.J.] Wilson," manager Buck Showalter said. "It's happened to every young pitcher. This is a tough job. But the only way to learn is to go through the hard part. It's not something you want to see happen, but you stay the course and hope they learn."
Volquez, 22, pitched 4 2/3 innings against Chicago on Tuesday and very nearly made it out of the game in fine fashion. Showalter said he expects Volquez will pitch again this season but isn't sure if it will be next weekend against Oakland or if he will wait a while because of an upcoming off day.
After a 1-2-3 inning, Volquez retired just three of the next 12 hitters. In the second, he allowed a leadoff double to Matt Stairs and walked Mark Teahen with one out. Berroa followed with his homer.
Things got worse in the third. Volquez allowed singles to the first two hitters, then walked two to force in a run. His next two pitches were lined for two-run doubles.
Volquez said he may have been fanning his glove too far out.
"I actually feel more comfortable than after my first start," he said. "I had a little problem with my glove, and they got my pitches. I don't feel good about the way I pitched, but I don't feel bad. I just know I have to make adjustments."
And that is the reality.
Briefly: RHPs Thomas Diamond and Tim Crabtree were sent to Triple-A Oklahoma to help the RedHawks in the Pacific Coast League playoffs. Oklahoma began play Sunday leading its division by 1 ½ games with two to play. Crabtree could join the list of Oklahoma callups after the RedHawks' season, possibly as late as Sept. 18. ... LHP C.J. Wilson and INF Marshall McDougall will be recalled from Double-A Frisco today. Mc- Dougall received a cortisone injection for tendinitis in his left wrist while not on the big league roster.
Source: http://www.dallasnews.com/
Those who tuned into the Rangers' 17-8 loss to Kansas City on Sunday got a similar dose of the occasional ugliness of reality TV.
After an encouraging run of success by rookie pitchers, the Rangers' return to reality was inevitable. And the reality is this:
Relying on rookie pitchers makes for unpredictable footing.
Rookies can dominate one day and not find the strike zone the next. They usually struggle to grasp the differences between dom- inating minor league hitters and competing against major leaguers.
A day after Juan Dominguez flirted with a no-hitter, Edison Volquez, who was making his second big league start, looked overmatched against the lowest-scoring team in the AL. The Royals ended up blowing away their season high in runs, which was 12.
Volquez lasted two innings plus six batters into the third. All six of those batters reached base. Before that, he allowed a three-run homer to Angel Berroa, who hadn't had an extra-base hit in 22 games.
"It's happened to Dominguez, [Kameron] Loe, [C.J.] Wilson," manager Buck Showalter said. "It's happened to every young pitcher. This is a tough job. But the only way to learn is to go through the hard part. It's not something you want to see happen, but you stay the course and hope they learn."
Volquez, 22, pitched 4 2/3 innings against Chicago on Tuesday and very nearly made it out of the game in fine fashion. Showalter said he expects Volquez will pitch again this season but isn't sure if it will be next weekend against Oakland or if he will wait a while because of an upcoming off day.
After a 1-2-3 inning, Volquez retired just three of the next 12 hitters. In the second, he allowed a leadoff double to Matt Stairs and walked Mark Teahen with one out. Berroa followed with his homer.
Things got worse in the third. Volquez allowed singles to the first two hitters, then walked two to force in a run. His next two pitches were lined for two-run doubles.
Volquez said he may have been fanning his glove too far out.
"I actually feel more comfortable than after my first start," he said. "I had a little problem with my glove, and they got my pitches. I don't feel good about the way I pitched, but I don't feel bad. I just know I have to make adjustments."
And that is the reality.
Briefly: RHPs Thomas Diamond and Tim Crabtree were sent to Triple-A Oklahoma to help the RedHawks in the Pacific Coast League playoffs. Oklahoma began play Sunday leading its division by 1 ½ games with two to play. Crabtree could join the list of Oklahoma callups after the RedHawks' season, possibly as late as Sept. 18. ... LHP C.J. Wilson and INF Marshall McDougall will be recalled from Double-A Frisco today. Mc- Dougall received a cortisone injection for tendinitis in his left wrist while not on the big league roster.
Source: http://www.dallasnews.com/
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