Great Scott! I Have An Answer!

Happy Sunday my friends. Hope you had a wonderful weekend. Are you locked in on the Olympics? Are you enjoying all the hijinks, tweets, comments, and the like? Live and on tape delay? I’m also on that list.

Because of the oppressive heat that North Texas is currently going through I was content to just stay in and watch some baseball. Something I used to do religiously from 2003-2009 as an Arlington resident. The White Sox were trying to complete a sweep of the Rangers and extend a win streak to six on Texas. Gavin Floyd to face-0ff against Scott Feldman. Feldman has been nothing but money in his last four starts. Possible pitcher’s duel or a 21 run salute? The answers came very quickly.

As tonight’s 1st pitch began at 6:07 pm under 104 degree temps a part of me began thinking back to the summer of 2009.  A Ranger team that looked to be just a few pieces short of being playoff worthy. Newbie pitching coach Mike Maddux did a great job with the mantra of pounding the strike zone and trusting your stuff. Scott Feldman was great to watch that year with a 17 win season and a few no-decisions short of being a 20 game winner.

For Scott Feldman to be on, he will induce an abundance of groundouts via the split fingered fastball and slider. A double play here and there. Going deep into a game. A few strikeouts and even fewer walks is a worthy Feldy performance. While flashing back to 2009 I was keeping an eye on the duel between Floyd and Feldman. Time and time again Texas left runners on base. Unable to get one key hit the first 5 innings.

It took miscues by Adam Dunn and Alexei Ramirez to allow two runs to score. The only runs in the game. Eight solid innings of work by Scott Feldman in the triple digit heat. Then it occurred to me: If the Rangers are unable to acquire a bona fide #1 starter by the Deadline it’s okay. They’ll already have one in place. One who has been willing to start, do middle relief, even close if need be. That’s a team player in my book!

With Colby Lewis now on the shelf awaiting Tommy John surgery would Rangers fans be okay with a starting rotation that went: 1.Feldman 2.Holland 3.Harrison 4.Darvish 5.Oswalt ? Ross and Kirkman in middle relief? Adams and Nathan to close it out? My guess is yes. Good enough to withstand the presence of the A’s and Angels? Maybe not.

So for what it’s worth, come the 31st, when the Rangers stand pat and acquire nothing the #1 may in fact reveal itself…in the name of Scott Feldman!

Over and out in Big D.

Mr. Will