Rangers beat Dodgers 5 to 4 (With a Dodger Perspective)

Yesterday afternoon featured a team the Rangers do not see very often in the Los Angeles Dodgers. There are a few different highlights from that game that I’ll touch on, thanks to Kenny Shulsen over at Lasorda’s Lair who was at the game for some insight.

Michael Young made a start at first base today and looked pretty comfortable, here’s what Kenny had to say.

-He was fine there was only one ball hit to him and it was fairly routine, he never had to scoop any throws from other infielders so he wasn’t tested much he looked quite comfortable out there and had a classic Michael Young single to right. On the first pickoff attempt Young fielded easily a perfect throw by Feliz.

Neftali Feliz also made the start today going four innings allowing three hits and one run. Here’s a highlight from the game from Kenny

-Feliz facing top Dodger prospect Jerry Sands threw a 98 MPH heater right by him and then was able to get him to pop out. Feliz also struck out Xavier Paul with a filthy 77 MPH changeup. Feliz was much more efficient in the 3rd only 11 pitches hit 99 MPH once and 98 MPH once to strike out Jamey Carroll to end the inning.

Kenny didn’t have much to say about Adrian Beltre’s return other than he looked fine out there,  this is similar to other reports I read that said he felt no pain in his calf. Beltre was 1 for 3 on the game so not a ton of offensive production but productive.

Here are a few more random notes I got from Mr. Shulsen.

–David Murphy was 2 for 4 and looks really good, he made a nice play getting to second on a ball hit to first base.

–Taylor Teagarden gunned down Xavier Paul who got a huge jump attempting to steal on a 78 MPH off-speed pitch with an impressive throw.

The game also featured Josh Hamilton’s first homer of spring and Kenny wasn’t impressed with Borbon

-I don’t understand the Rangers logic about moving Josh from CF to LF as demonstrated Sunday when he almost ran into the left field foul wall, where as in center he only has one wall to run in to.

Thanks again Kenny for your time! You can check out the rest of his Dodger spring training musings over at Lasorda’s Lair.

Kenny tells me he has some good video and pictures and as soon as he can get them to us we will post them here!

– Jonathan