What’s Wrong With Alexi Ogando?

Mar 6, 2014; Peoria, AZ, USA; Texas Rangers starting pitcher Alexi Ogando (41) pitches against the San Diego Padres during the first inning at Peoria Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Alexi Ogando has the third spot in the rotation shored up, right? Not so fast. Alexi Ogando has been roughed up several times now during spring training, including by a split squad Angels lineup that included Colin Cowgill (2-3 with a 3 run home run) and J.B. Shuck but did not include Albert Pujols or Josh Hamilton. That split squad lineup took Ogando for 6 runs in 3.1 innings. Alexi Ogando is now 1-2 with a 8.64 ERA in three starts.

“Sometimes that happens in baseball,” Ogando said on texasrangers.com. “Most importantly, I feel really good. What happened in that inning, I threw a lot of mistake pitches. But I feel fine.”

Well if he feels good then why is he throwing so many mistake pitches? Am I overreacting too much to a spring training game, or two, or three? I just don’t want my number three starter to go into the season with an eight plus ERA when the Texas Rangers have options like Michael Kirkman (0.00 ERA in 5.0 innings), Tanner Scheppers (1.93 ERA in 4.2 innings), Tommy Hanson (3.24 ERA in 8.1 innings) and Nick Tepesch (5.40 ERA in 5.0 innings). Alexi Ogando has now thrown 8.1 forgettable innings. He has given up 9 runs on 14 hits and walked 5 in just 8.1 innings. He is almost giving up two hits and one run per inning so far while walking someone every other inning.

Alexi Ogando has a big start coming up next in my opinion. If he continues at the pace of a run per inning and two hits per inning, I think the Texas Rangers have to start to consider taking him out of the rotation and putting someone like Kirkman or Scheppers or Hanson in there. Am I off base? Am I taking too much from a couple of spring training starts? Let me know here, on Facebook, or Twitter. And be sure to sign up for our emails. Thanks.