Rangers hoping for improved starts

August, 9, 2012
8/09/12
12:00
PM CT


The last 10 games have been anything but memorable for the Texas Rangers' starting pitchers. Since the Los Angeles Angels came to town just prior to the trade deadline and through this last road trip, the starters have struggled.

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Texas has had to deal with injuries to its rotation -- Colby Lewis and Neftali Feliz are out for the season -- and some, like Yu Darvish and Derek Holland, are trying to find their form again after some inconsistent outings and issues with command.

So how have things looked for the club's starting rotation the last 10 games? Here are some numbers:

* 3-3, 7.35 ERA with 54 strikeouts and 27 walks. Opponents are batting .310 in 60 innings of work.

* The Rangers have had just three quality starts, the best being Ryan Dempter's 6 2/3 innings against Boston a few days ago. He gave up three runs, but all were unearned.

* The starters have had an 6.15 runs of support on average per starts, which has allowed them to have a .500 record despite the high ERA.

* Even with the rough numbers, the team is 6-4 in that span and has a 5 1/2-game lead over the Oakland A's and a seven-game advantage over the Angels in the AL West.

If you look individually, Matt Harrison has one of the quality starts in the past 10 games (and he struggled on Wednesday in Boston and needed an IV after the game as he wasn't feeling well). Scott Feldman also had a quality start in that span and was the player of the month in July for the Rangers.

But Holland and Darvish continue to try to get back in the swing of things. Darvish is 2-4 with a 6.75 ERA in his last seven starts with 58 strikeouts and 25 walks. He's allowed 43 hits in 45 1/3 innings in that stretch. Since returning from the disabled list, Holland is 2-2 with a 5.31 ERA in 40 2/3 innings. He's given up 37 hits in those innings. Holland has allowed six earned runs in three of those starts.

The starters will try to get back on track starting this weekend, but it won't be easy with the Detroit Tigers and some big bats coming to town.
Richard Durrett joined ESPNDallas.com in September 2009. He writes about colleges, the Dallas Stars and the Texas Rangers. Richard spent nine years at The Dallas Morning News covering the Rangers, Stars, colleges, motorsports and high schools.

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TEAM LEADERS

WINS LEADER
Yu Darvish
WINS ERA SO IP
7 2.84 91 66
OTHER LEADERS
BAI. Kinsler .302
HRN. Cruz 11
RBIN. Cruz 33
RE. Andrus 29
OPSM. Moreland .905
ERAY. Darvish 2.84
SOY. Darvish 91

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