The Battle for #5

[Molina00]

There seem to 6 top candidates for the Rangers fifth spot in the rotation. Those candidates are, in no particular order:

1) Jamey Wright
2) Bruce Chen
3) Kameron Loe
4) Josh Rupe
5) Edinson Volquez
6) John Koronka

Here is how they have fared so far this spring:
Wright: 1 GP, 1 GS, 0-1, 2 IP - 1 H - 2 R - 1 BB - 1 K - 0.00 ERA
Chen: 1 GP, 2 IP - 1 K - 0.00 ERA
Loe: 1 GP, 1 GS, 2 IP - 1 H - 0.00 ERA
Rupe: 1 GP, 2 IP - 1 H - 1 BB - 1 K - 0.00 ERA
Volquez: 2 GP, 2.2 IP - 3 BB - 1 HBP - 0.00 ERA
Koronka: 1 GP, 1.1 IP - 6 H - 6 R - 6 ER - 1 HR - 1 HBP - 40.50 ERA

I personally would like to see either Kam Loe or Volquez get the 5th spot. Loe definately showed starter potential last season. Volquez did struggle but he had his moments.

[Molina00]

In yesterday's 9-8 win over the D-Backs, Kam Loe and John Koronka put up the following numbers:

Koronka: 3 IP - 0 H - 0 R - 0 ER - 1 BB - 1 K
Loe: 3 IP - 3 H - 1 R - 0 ER - 0 BB - 2 K

Current standings by statistics in The Battle for #5:

Loe: 2 GP, 1 GS, 5 IP - 4 H - 1 R - 0 ER - 0 BB - 2 K - 0.00 ERA
Chen: 1 GP, 2 IP - 1 K - 0.00 ERA
Rupe: 1 GP, 2 IP - 1 H - 1 BB - 1 K - 0.00 ERA
Volquez: 2 GP, 2.2 IP - 3 BB - 1 HBP - 0.00 ERA
Wright: 1 GP, 1 GS, 0-1, 2 IP - 1 H - 2 R - 1 BB - 1 K - 0.00 ERA
Koronka: 2 GP, 1 GS, 4.1 IP - 6 H - 6 R - 6 ER - 1 BB - 1 K - 12.56 ERA

[Molina00]

In today's 11-9 win over the Cubs, Bruce Chen pitched 3 scoreless innings allowing 4 hits and 2 walks.

Current statistics in the Battle for #5:

Loe: 2 GP, 1 GS, 5 IP - 4 H - 1 R - 0 ER - 0 BB - 2 K - 0.00 ERA
Koronka: 2 GP, 1 GS, 4.1 IP - 6 H - 6 R - 6 ER - 1 BB - 1 K - 12.56 ERA
Chen: 2 GP, 5 IP - 4 H - 2 BB - 1 K - 0.00 ERA
Volquez: 2 GP, 2.2 IP - 3 BB - 1 HBP - 0.00 ERA
Wright: 1 GP, 1 GS, 0-1, 2 IP - 1 H - 2 R - 1 BB - 1 K - 0.00 ERA
Rupe: 1 GP, 2 IP - 1 H - 1 BB - 1 K - 0.00 ERA

[Molina00]

After the last 2 games, the current stats in the Battle for #5 are (in order of appearances):

Loe: 3 GP, 2 GS, 8.2 IP - 7 H - 3 R - 0 ER - 2 BB - 5 K - 0.00 ERA
Koronka: 3 GP, 1 GS, 1-0, 6 IP - 13 H - 9 R - 8 ER - 2 BB - 1 K - 12.00 ERA
Chen: 3 GP, 1-0, 8.2 IP - 7 H - 2 R - 1 ER - 4 BB - 7 K - 1.04 ERA
Rupe: 3 GP, 0-2, 7 IP - 14 H - 12 R - 12 ER - 6 BB - 1 K - 15.43 ERA
Wright: 2 GP, 2 GS, 0-1, 5 IP - 1 H - 2 R - 0 ER - 1 BB - 3 K - 0.00 ERA
Volquez: 2 GP, 2.2 IP - 3 H - 0.00 ERA

[Molina00]

Battle for #5 pitchers over the last 2 games:
Jamey Wright: 1 GS, 3.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
Kameron Loe: 1 GP, 5 IP, 1 H, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 Save

Current Battle for #5 Statistics:
Loe: 4 GP, 2 GS, 13.2 IP - 8 H - 3 R - 0 ER - 4 BB - 6 K - 1 Save - 0.00 ERA
Wright: 3 GP, 3 GS, 0-1, 8.1 IP - 5 H - 4 R - 2 ER - 2 BB - 6 K - 2.16 ERA
Koronka: 3 GP, 1 GS, 1-0, 6 IP - 13 H - 9 R - 8 ER - 2 BB - 1 K - 12.00 ERA
Chen: 3 GP, 1-0, 8.2 IP - 7 H - 2 R - 1 ER - 4 BB - 7 K - 1.04 ERA
Rupe: 3 GP, 0-2, 7 IP - 14 H - 12 R - 12 ER - 6 BB - 1 K - 15.43 ERA
Volquez: 2 GP, 2.2 IP - 3 H - 0.00 ERA

[Providence A's]

wait...what is the rotation 1 - 4? I'm surprised to see that Loe isn't guaranteed a spot. I forget, but did he get hurt last year? Was Chen signed to a MLC? I don't remember hearing about him signing with the Rangers.

[Hammer]

looks like loe won the 5th spot to me... id take a guess that the top 4 is millwood, mccarthy, padilla, tejeda? perhaps not that order, but im fairly certain those are the 4.

[Providence A's]

what the hell has Tejeda done to guarantee a spot?

[Hammer]

he got absolutely hammered in arlington last year, but had a 3.10 era on the road. i dont know how that guarantees him a spot, but hey. his last 5 starts of last year were all nice evidently.

his 2005 in philadelphia was surprisingly solid too... 3.60 era in 85 innings. walked a TON of guys however.

[Molina00]

From what I heard a while back, I think the #4 spot is Tejada's. Personally I think he should have had to earn it though. Top 3 is obvious though. Millwood, Padilla, McCarthy. I think Loe did have some injury problems last year, but if anyone should be guaranteed the 4th spot it should have been him. Wright and Chen have both done very well this spring, but I do think Loe gets the spot at this point.

[Molina00]

It looks like the battle for the 5th spot is over, and the winner is...


Jamey Wright.

Apparently the Rangers like Wright's stuff and ability too much to risk letting him go, and if he wasn't added to the major league roster he could have become a free agent. IMO the spot definately should have gone to Loe, but I guess we'll see how it works out with Wright for now.

[Providence A's]

so where does this leave Loe? AAA? Shit, if I were a GM, I tried to trade for him the Texas friggin' Rangers can't find a spot for him when they're always desperate for pitching it seems.

[Molina00]

so where does this leave Loe? AAA? Shit, if I were a GM, I tried to trade for him the Texas friggin' Rangers can't find a spot for him when they're always desperate for pitching it seems.

I believe he will be a long man out of the pen. There is no way they are sending him to Triple A. I just wish they would have made the right choice and give him the starting spot.