Texas Deals Staff Ace Kevin Millwood To Baltimore For What Amounts To A Bag Of Balls And Some Sunflower Seeds

Ownership uncertainty has resulted in yet another casuality from Texas' suprise 2009 season. The Texas Rangers have reportedly agreed to trade veteran starting pitcher Kevin Millwood and $3 million to the Baltimore Orioles for reliever Chris Ray. The deal is contingent on both clubs seeing medical records of the players involved.

The trade gives the Rangers more financial flexibility -- $8 million when you factor in the close to $1 million that Ray would probably make -- to sign another veteran starting pitcher. The club has high interest in Rich Harden, who is coming off an injury and would be willing to take a one-year deal to show that he's healthy.

The Rangers are also looking for a right-handed bat, a catcher, a utility infielder and relievers to bolster the bullpen. And they came to the winter meetings with about $5 million to spend, so this deal gives them a better chance to fill more holes on a team that club officials expect to be contenders in the American League West in 2010.



Millwood, who turns 35 later this month, earned that vested option after pitching more than 180 innings in 2009. He was 13-10 with a 3.67 ERA in 198 2/3 innings pitched. He did have lower back and gluteus muscle soreness in September but returned to finish the season.

The Rangers signed Millwood to a five-year, $60 million deal before the 2006 season to front their rotation. He won 48 games in four seasons with Texas with a 4.82 ERA, but pitched over 200 innings just once. Millwood had his most wins with Texas in 2006 with 16, and his best ERA came last season at 3.67 (to go along with 13 wins).

Ray was a former closer for the Orioles before surgery to repair ligament damage in his right elbow set him back. He was 0-4 with a 7.27 ERA in 46 appearances in 2009. Ray, 27, has 49 career saves for the Orioles. Ray's best season was 2006, when he sported a 2.73 ERA and had 33 saves.

Financial Limitations Loom As Rangers Talk Trade

It has been reported that the Rangers have recently been contacted by the Baltimore Orioles concerning the availability of right-handed starter Kevin Millwood.

The talks between the clubs are not yet considered serious, and Millwood is one of several options that the Orioles are pursuing.

Texas, thanks in part to the development of Scott Feldman, Tommy Hunter, Derek Holland and Neftali Feliz, finds itself in the rare position of being able being able to consider trading starting pitching.



One rumor has Texas considering a trade of Millwood in an effort to clear money off the payroll to sign free agent slugger Jermaine Dye.

However, with the team ownership issue still an albatross around the neck of the franchise, most believe the Rangers would only consider moving Millwood to eliminate or reduce their $12 million commitment to him in 2010.

Millwood went 13-10 with a 3.67 ERA in 31 starts last season.

Harrison Pulls Things Together, Rangers Take Series

Texas finally got some consistent pitching out of Matt Harrison as he went seven innings, surrendering four earned runs, walking only one hitter. Struggling early in the season with his control, Harrison stepped up, giving the bullpen some extra rest, and, in the process, picking up his first win of the year.

Darren O'Day and C.J. Wilson combined to pitch a scoreless 8th with Frankie Francisco coming on to pitch the 9th, picking up his fifth save of the year.

The game started off rough for Texas, with Harrison allowing all four of the runs he surrendered in the first two inning. But after the 2nd, Harrison and Co. combined to pitch seven scoreless innings.



"I just tried to change the tempo of my delivery and attack hitters," Harrison said. "The first couple of innings I was up in the zone and wasn't finding my release point. I slowed it down just a little and started getting the ball down in the strike zone. I just got into a groove and kept going with it."

Michael Young added a 2-run homerun in the 5th pulling Texas to within one run. In the 6th, they added three more, highlighted by a 2-run single buy the suddenly scorching David Murphy. Before hitting a homerun two game ago, Murphy had started the season 0 for 22. He's since gone 3 for 8 with 3 RBI. Before his recent hot streak, many speculated Murphy might be on his way to the Minors.

"I obviously know I have to perform," Murphy said. "As far as getting sent to the Minors, I wasn't worried about that. I know they have confidence in me, but you can only struggle for so long."

The series win has Texas feeling good heading back home for a 3 game series with Oakland.

"A good road trip," outfielder Marlon Byrd said. "A real good road trip, especially winning three here. We've got a good team; we should expect to win every series. I know that's not possible but this is the way you have to play to get into the playoffs. I'd love to be Boston and win 11 in a row, but I'll take about six series in a row."

Rangers Pitching Lets Another One Slip Away

In the top of the 5th inning on Sunday, both Hank Blalock and David Murphy hit homeruns, driving in three runs and giving Texas a 5-1 lead. In the bottom of the same inning, starter Brandon McCarthy gave all three runs back to Baltimore, letting them right back into the game.

"To me, that's the game right there," McCarthy said. "I couldn't be more disappointed with what happened in the fifth. They gave me three runs, and it's time to get a shutdown inning. Giving up those runs, that's unacceptable. That's the tipping point that could have pushed us in the right direction or the wrong direction."

Manager Ron Washington couldn't disagree.

"The fifth inning killed us," Washington said. "Once you get that lead, you want to shut them off and keep that momentum."

"I just wasn't comfortable throwing strikes," McCarthy said. "I just didn't feel comfortable mechanically. I don't have an explanation. It's something I have to figure out immediately.

"I was fighting myself. I was putting myself in bad counts, and it got to the point where they were excited to face me. You can't let that happen. You can't let a good hitting team like that be hungry and excited to face you."

Regardless of the poor outing, McCarthy did leave with a one-run lead. Reliever Jason Jennings made sure they didn't stand up, allowing a 3-run homer in the bottom of the 6th inning to Adam Jones. In six games this season against Texas, Jones is now 11 for 28 with 3 homeruns and 12 RBI.



"We didn't want to lose three games to these guys," said Jones. "We know we are a good team. We have to go out there and do it."

The homerun by Jones gave Baltimore a 7-5 lead and their bullpen made the lead stand up, throwing 5 scoreless innings and not allowing a baserunner until Andruw Jones got on in the 9th.

"It's a great win for us," said relief pitcher Danys Baez. "We went through a lot of things in the past couple days."

Kinsler Continues His Hot Streak, Texas Wins Another Close One

Starter Scott Feldman finally managed to get some outs, turning in a nice, five inning, allowing only one run.

Rookie Derek Holland replaced Feldman and, while he had a few hiccups out there, still went three inings, allowing only one run. Holland will hit a tough stretch at some point (young pitchers always do) but if he continues to pitch anywhere close to how he has thus far, he'll be in the regular rotation before the All-Star break.

Ian Kinsler hit two more homeruns and continues to pace this team. When he hits, this offense just rolls. Kinsler is now 30-for-59 (.508) against the Baltimore Orioles since the beginning of 2008.



Josh Hamilton went 2 for 3, but aggravated a rib injury in his final at-bat and was obviously laboring on the basepaths. In the dugout, cameras caught Hamilton trying to catch his breath, telling manager Ron Washington, "I can't breathe." One has to worry that this might become a season-long issue. Surely Texas will be very cautious with this injury.

Texas hit four more homeruns (Kinsler w/ 2, Chris Davis and Andruw Jones with solo homeruns) and are leading the league in this category.

However, Texas is also the worst in the league in bullpen ERA and C.J. Wilson did nothing to help that stat last night, allowing 3 more runs in only 1/3 of an inning before being bailed out by Frank Francisco. After allowing a 2-run double, Frankie reached down for a little something extra and throwing 96 mph heat past Nick Markakis, saving the game and picking up his 4th save of the year.

More Last Inning Heroics For Michael Young, Texas Get Big Win

It looked just another uninspired effort for 7 innings. Vicente Padilla was again struggling with his coomand, walking 3 and giving up another 4 earned runs. Texas' offense had nothing, seemingly unable to figure out Orioles starter Koji Uehara.

But in the 7th, Hank Blalock went yard for the 4th time this season, cutting the lead to 2. Marlon Bryd then singled in another run in the 8th. But after Orioles closer George Sherrill sat down the first two hitters of the 9th, things were not looking good for Texas. That is, until Ian Kinsler laced a single over the head of shortstop Cesar Izturis.

"I'm just doing what I can to get on base," Kinsler said. "Once it got to two strikes, it became a defensive at-bat. Get the barrel on something and give Mike (Young) a shot."

Michael Young delivered, crushing an opposite field home run, giving Texas a 5-4 lead.



"I got pretty lucky," Young said. "I was hoping it would stay left. A couple feet to the right and it would have hit the scoreboard."

Rangers closer Frank Francisco would make the lead stand up, setting Baltimore down in the bottom of the 9th, picking up his 3rd save of the season. He has yet to allow an earned run.

But the day belonged to Michael Young who, for the 3rd time in 5 games, hit a 9th inning homerun.

"It's a lot different on the road," Young said. "Against Kansas City, the game was over, you've got your teammates waiting for you at the plate and you can celebrate for a few minutes. This game, they still have [the middle of the order] coming up and you still have to get three outs. Fortunately, Frankie did a great job."

Ron Washington is impressed with more than Young's flare for the dramatic: "Mike is becoming a team leader big-time. Every team has a superstar that steps up, and Mike has been stepping up big-time for us."

Texas Rolls As Kinsler Hits For Cycle

Well, something had to give...

Both Texas and Baltimore had beat up each others opposing pitching over the first two games of the season, to the point where both teams were forced to call up extra arms from AAA just to have bodies in the bullpen. Early on it looked like Texas would be the team needing the extr help as Kris Benson looked less than sharp, giving up three runs in the first two innings. Had he not worked himself out of a jam in the 2nd, things could have been much worse.

But today, on Jackie Robinson Day, this game was to belong to the Rangers offense. After taking a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the 3rd, Texas then exploded for eight runs in the bottom of the 4th, an inning prolonged thanks an error by Orioles 2B Brian Roberts.

With a big lead, Benson settled down, going six innings and picking up his first victory in over two season.

"It's a big monkey off my back," Benson said. "I had a few wins in Spring Training but that doesn't mean anything. Now I'll be able to relax after I got this one behind me."

Despite Kris Benson's big night, the game truly belonged to Ian Kinsler. Kinsler went 6 for 6 with five runs scored and four rbi, becoming only the 4th Rangers player to ever hit for the cycle.



"I knew I had an opportunity to hit for the cycle walking up for my at-bat in the sixth," said Kinsler, who is now hitting .474. "When I hit that ball, I was hoping for it to go over his [Jones] head. And when it got over his head, I was hoping for it to rattle around. I wasn't going to stop at second base regardless if he came up with it clean or not. I was going to give it a shot."

The offensive explosion was not limited to Kinsler as Marlon Byrd had a five-hit night and Nelson Cruz drove in a career-high six runs with a grand slam and two-run double.

"I love it," Byrd said. "Five hits and I'm second on the team in hits. That tells you something is going right."

Ron Washington was pleased with the victory saying, "That's what we've been looking for, that's what we needed. Then we can come back with the momentum in our favor and we can keep it going."

The 19 runs scored by the Rangers are the most in a big-league game this season and the most they've scored since they beat Baltimore, 30-3, on Aug. 22, 2007.

Final Score:
Texas - 19
Baltimore - 6

Rangers Relievers Let Another One Slip Away

Over the past two seasons Brandon McCarthy has done little live up to his live up the amount of promise heaped upon him early in his career. But after spending most o fthe last few years injured, McCarthy appears to be finally rounding into form, going six strong innings tonight, surrendering three earned runs and striking out five hitters. However, once again a quality effort by a Rangers starting pitcher is spoiled by the bullpen as tonight it was Eddie Guardado's turn to come in and hand the opposing team another win.

Texas opened the game with a series of solo homeruns by Michael Young, Nelson Cruz (who only seems to hit them when no one is on base) & Chris Davis. McCarthy wasn't perfect, surrendering a few solo homeruns of his own to Aubrey Huff and Luke Scott, but left with the score tied 3-3.



C.J. Wilson came in and went 1 2/3 innings, striking out two before once again getting into trouble with a couple of walks, eventually giving way to Frank Francisco who again looked dominant, going 1 1/3, striking out two.

But Texas was unable to push across baserunners in both the 7th and 8th innings, leading to extra innings where, in the top of the 10th, Orioles CF Adam Jones took an 0-1 pitch out for a homerun. That was followed by a Nick Markakis single and, after an Aubrey Huff fly out, a Ty Wigginton walk. Luke Scott then doubled to center, scoring both Markakis & Wigginton.

In the bottom of the 10th, Texas started off hot getting singles by Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Omar Vizquel, Ian Kinsler (scoring Salty) and Michael Young. Josh Hamilton then grounded into a fielder's choice, scoring Vizquel. But, despite a couple of good hacks, both Hank Blalock and Nelson Cruz (again coming up short with men on) flied out to the warning track, ending the ballgame.

Final Score:
Baltimore - 7
Texas - 5

Poor Pitching, Fundamentals Cost Texas Another One

Last night simply was not Vicente Padilla's night. The Baltimore Orioles came to town with an offense that looks to be one of the more potent in the American League and proceeded to hit virtually everything Padilla threw in their general direction. In his first start of the season, Vicente had location issues, battling for 5 2/3 and picking up the victory again Detroit. But last night, location was the least of his worries. Padilla just didn't have the same type of velocity on his fastball that he usually has, barely hitting 90 on the radar gun when we're used to seeing 93 and 94 out of him. The Orioles jumped all over him, to the tune of seven runs on eleven hits (including five in a row that ran him out of the game) in 3 1/3 innings.

"There are no excuses for that. I threw all my pitches today, and they hit everything. I threw a split finger. I threw fastballs. I threw curveballs. I threw changeups. They hit everything," said Padilla after the 10-9 loss.



In a trend which is appearing more ominous with each game, the bullpen offered zero relief as Scott Feldman looked no better, surrending three runs in 2 2/3 innings.

The Rangers offense was again the lone bright spot, pounding Baltimore pitching for nine runs on eleven hits and five walks, with several player showing a great deal of patience at the plate. Included in this list onf players is Chris Davis, who was set to have the day off until Hank Blalock woke up with a stiff neck. Davis took advantage of the change, going 2 for 3 and clubbing his first homerun of the year into the right field upper deck. The homerun came after Davis had worked a full count against pitcher Koji Uehara, showing patience he hadn't shown in the first six games of the year.

Andruw Jones continued his hot hitting as well, going 2 for 3 with a homerun and 3 rbi. He appears to have found his stroke, hopefully leading to a return to the all-star form he's shown for most of his career.

Mike Young added a 2-run homer and almost tied the game with another big hit until Orioles right fielder Nick Markakis made a great catch up against the wall to rob him of an rbi in the bottom of the ninth. This play proved to be very controversial as Ian Kinsler, who had been standing on 2nd base, chose to take off running (rather than tag up) assuming the ball wouldn't be caught. When it was, Kinsler was forced to hurry back to 2nd, costing Texas a base. After Josh Hamilton flew out to left center, Andruw Jones walked and was pitch run for by David Murphy. Murphy and Kinsler then got away with a double steal (Murphy appeared to out by a foot), before Marlon Byrd struck out to end the game.

Despite all the poor pitching, Texas went into the bottom of the ninth with a chance to win. But once again poor fundamentals (something Ron Washinton has suppossedly been preaching since becoming manager 3 seasons ago) play a role in costing the Rangers another win.

This is a young team but the question has to be asked: when will these guys start playing and thinking like Major League players?