NewsMcCarthy ready to start season right
Cleveland (0-2) at Texas (2-0), Thursday, 1:05 p.m. CT
Brandon McCarthy allowed three runs on four hits over five innings. (AP)
By T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com
04/09/09 1:59 AM ET
ARLINGTON -- The Rangers were encouraged by what they saw from Brandon McCarthy this spring. After two years of injuries, McCarthy had no more than a tenuous spot in the rotation when the Rangers arrived in Arizona for Spring Training. But McCarthy, showing he was healthy and taking advantage of a new pitch, quickly cast aside any doubts about whether or not he belonged in the rotation, going 4-0 with a 4.37 ERA in Spring Training. Now he makes his first start of the season when he pitches against the Indians on Thursday afternoon at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. "He threw the ball well in Spring Training," Washington said. "He's healthy; that's something we haven't been able to say the last couple of years. I expect Brandon to go out there and hold his own and do what we expect from our other pitchers: keep us in the game." McCarthy was acquired from the White Sox before the 2007 season in a trade for thee pitchers, including John Danks, but injuries have limited McCarthy a combined 27 starts over the past two years, now he knows it's time to give the Rangers a substantial return on their investment. "I'm just excited to be a part of this and what we have going on here," McCarthy said. "I have a role on this team. There's no way to get a whole season of results from one game so I just have to focus on each individual outing and roll it into one after another. Hopefully, at the end of the year we'll be looking at 30-something quality outings." McCarthy's catcher will be Taylor Teagarden, who is expected to make his first start of the season. Omar Vizquel is expected to start at shortstop, and Washington said he wants to get Andruw Jones into the lineup as well. Pitching matchupTEX: RHP Brandon McCarthy (2009 debut)
McCarthy missed most of last season with severe right elbow inflammation and made just five starts for the Rangers. He made just 22 starts and one relief appearance for Texas in 2007, when he went 5-10 with a 4.87 ERA. For his career, McCarthy is 10-14 with 4.56 ERA in 39 starts with the Rangers and White Sox; McCarthy is 4-2 with a 4.58 ERA in 13 career games against the Indians, who are the only team McCarthy has beaten more than once. CLE: RHP Carl Pavano (2009 debut)
Pavano is the mystery man of the Indians' rotation. It's difficult to predict what the Tribe can expect from a guy who has only logged 45 2/3 innings in the Majors over the past three seasons. A disappointment in four years that cost the Yankees $40 million, Pavano is looking to repair his reputation and rejuvenate his career with an Indians team that believes he can still be effective if healthy. Pavano, who won 18 games for the Marlins in 2004, returned from Tommy John elbow ligament replacement surgery at the end of last season and made seven starts. And he made it through the Tribe's Spring Training camp with no body woes. Pavano's stuff improved as camp went along, so the Indians are encouraged. Pavano has never faced the Rangers. Tidbits
Catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia left Wednesday's game in the eighth inning with some light-headedness from an inner ear inflammation. He will be reevaluated Thursday. ... Rangers pitchers have held the Indians to 2-for-20 (.100) with runners in scoring position over the first two games. ... Texas had nine hits on Wednesday; seven were for extra bases. Tickets
Buy tickets now to catch the game in person.
On the Internet
MLB.TV
Gameday Audio• Gameday
• Official game notes On television
• FSSW HD On radio
• 105.3 The Fan, KFLC 1270 (Español) Up next
• Friday: Rangers (Kris Benson, 2009 debut) at Tigers (Armando Galarraga, 2009 debut), 12:05 p.m. CT
• Saturday: Rangers (Matt Harrison, 2009 debut) at Tigers (Justin Verlander, 0-1, 19.64), 12:05 p.m. CT
• Sunday: Rangers (Kevin Millwood, 1-0, 1.29) at Tigers (Edwin Jackson, 0-0, 1.23), 12:05 p.m. CT
T.R. Sullivan is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
