Eppley-leptic ... yeah, I went there Just ask the Dallas Mavericks ... about the inverse of that equation.
As for the Texas Rangers, things are peachier than they were a week ago limping home after a rugged roadie and then losing two of three from the California Angels.
Then Neftali Feliz goes on the disable list.
No problem. The Rangers handle the Kansas City Royals rather easily (if that's possible) rounding out the weekend with a stormy 3-1 win Saturday and a too-close-for-comfort 8-7 win yesterday.
Thanks to the Boston Red Sox sweeping the Angels, the Rangers have a 2 1/2 game lead in the West.
The story this weekend was pitching.
Not unlike Derek Holland Friday night, Alexi Ogando was not sharp Saturday. Threw a lot of pitches and not a lot were strikes. Six of his baserunners came in the first three innings.
He allowed one baserunner -- erased with a double play -- for the other three innings. Like Holland, he started to peak in the middle innings as the Rangers managed some runs. By the fifth and sixth, he was dominant.
On the other hand, C.J. Wilson is just flat-out good. Great, even. He might have pitched better as a Ranger, but I doubt it.
Wilson attacked the strike zone mercilessly with a number of pitches yesterday. He wouldn't let up. When he does this, he will not lose. Period. End of story. When his focus wanes is when things can get hairy.
That was no present yesterday, in the least. He struck out 10, walked one and went seven strong.
Wilson's chink in the armor last season was walks. He allowed 93 bases on balls in 204 innings. In 33 innings this year, he has nine walks.
K/BB
1.83 - 2010
3.44 - 2011
As for the bullpen, I didn't think it was nearly as bad as you might think nor do I think it's in super bad shape without Feliz.
Don't get me wrong, Feliz is important. However, I don't think the Rangers are up shit creek without him for a couple of weeks.
Darren Oliver and Arthur Rhodes are savvy enough to fill in.
I thought Cody Eppley was great. Then again, he's been great at every stop in his professional career, so to suggest he wouldn't be great in the Majors is premature.
I even thought Brett Tomko was good. It was his first big-league look in a long time and Ron Washington, not unwisely, tried to milk another inning out of him.
And it almost bit them in the ass. But for that first inning, Tomko was really good. He hit 90 with the fastball and tended to hit his spots. I would not feel scared in getting him in another game.
