The last time the Rangers were in the playoffs Rick Helling was one of their top starters. Helling is seen here on card number 17 of the 1992 Classic Draft Picks set. In 1999 he was a 28 year old veteran but still the youngest pitcher on the staff.The top five starters for Texas in 1999 were Helling (35 starts), Aaron Sele (33 starts), John Burkett (25 starts), Mike Morgan (25 starts) and Mark Clark (15 starts). Esteban Loaiza also started 15 games. In that group Sele had the most wins with 18. Helling and Morgan each had 13 and the rest were in single digits. The lowest of ERA of the top five was Sele's 4.79. The highest was Clark's 8.60. Loaiza logged in with 4.56.
In 2010 the top six starters for Texas are C.J. Wilson (33 starts), Colby Lewis (32 starts), Tommy Hunter (22 starts), Cliff Lee (15 starts), Scott Feldman (22 starts), and Rich Harden (18 starts). Wilson leads the group with 15 wins. Lewis and Hunter are also in double digits. The lowest ERA of the group belongs to Wilson at 3.35. The highest is Harden's 5.58 (Rich isn't on the playoff roster). Feldman won't be starting either in the post-season. If you remove his 5.48 ERA the highest in the group becomes Cliff Lee's 3.98.
Am I wrong in thinking that the 2010 staff stands a better chance than the 1999 one of possibly winning a series?
1 comment:
I agree. However, the Rangers don't have an impact bat like Juan Gonzalez anymore, at least so long as Hamilton's health is in question. I remember Gonzalez absolutely destroying the Yankees in a losing ALDS or ALCS effort, back in the day.
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