After catching an early-morning flight from San Diego to Detroit on Tuesday, relief pitcher Mike Adams arrived at the Detroit airport around 3 p.m., and went straight to the ballpark to meet his new teammates.
Hours later, he was in the game after a furious Rangers rally in a game Texas really had no business being in given the poor start by Colby Lewis.
Then had perhaps his worst inning in three years when he gave up a home run, to a lefty, after working ahead to an 0-2 count and threw 32 pitches in the eighth inning.
After Nelson Cruz and Mike Napoli homered in the top of the eighth to tie the game at 5-5, Adams came out in the bottom of the eighth as a drizzle quickly became a heavy rain. He gave up two hits (the home run and a shot to the 420-foot centerfield wall off the bat of Miguel Cabrera for a double), walked one (which he also never does) and struck out one (something he does all the time).
If Tuesday's outing raised a red flag for you about Adams, you need to do two things.
First, relax and take a deep breath.
Second, think back to last summer when another big pitching acquisition named Cliff Lee made his Rangers debut against the putrid Baltimore Orioles, and got drubbed for three home runs and took a 6-1 loss. Things worked out decently with that guy, and they will with Adams too.
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"I'll give him the ball next time we need him like that," Rangers manager Ron Washington said after the game. "He'll be fine."
Can't wait to see him pitch again Wednesday night.
