Ace of spades I've heard it being a guy that you depend on every fifth day giving your team an overwhelmingly good chance at winning. Someone who wants the ball. Someone that will -- more often than not -- break a bad stretch with an outstanding performance despite his team.
Or, it's been defined as someone withe gaudy numbers.
The misconception is that an "ace" is simply the best starter in the rotation.
Roy Halliday is and was an ace. He has both qualities. For the Rangers, Kenny Rogers was once considered an "ace," but he fit the first definition more than he put up awe-inspiring numbers. He was also the best starter the Rangers had.
With all of this said, is C.J. Wilson an ace?
He spinned another beauty yesterday in a 2-1 win over the Chicago White Sox pitching into the seventh inning allowing one run, walking none and striking out five.
His numbers are good: 3.25 ERA, 65 strikeouts, his walk numbers are waaaay down and his strikeouts are at a good pace. He's on pace for 240 innings. He's allowed just six home runs this season. That's certainly low. Except when you compare it to the mind-boggling 10 home runs he allowed all of last season ... in 204 innings.
Most importantly, he wins. And he helps the Rangers win. Since becoming a starter, the Rangers are something like 31-13 in Wilson's starts. This year, the Rangers are 7-4 in his starts. Six of his 11 starts have been deemed "quality."
In my book, that's an ace.
Notes:
1. For the first time this season, Wilson did not walk anyone. Free passes were a huge issue last season for him. He has three one-walk games and three two-walk games.
2. The Rangers offense mustered three hits.
3. Of the past eight runs scored by the Rangers, three have come by the sacrifice fly.
4. Yorvit Torrealba went the last decade without an extra-base hit. Suddenly he has doubles in two straight.
5. Since his return to the bigs, Mark Lowe's pitched 7.1 innings. He's allowed four hits and three walks. And Ron Washington seems to trust him whole heartedly.
6. Lowe and Darren Oliver pitched out of jams. Oliver threw nine pitches. Beautiful.
7. I think Neftali Feliz is generally OK. He's stumbling coming off the DL. He's not confident in his secondary pitches and attempting to blow batters away with his heat. It's more mental than anything.
8. I find it odd that a team with Adam Dunn and Paul Konerko anchoring the middle of your line-up can't hit.
