There might not have been a better story for the Texas Rangers in spring training than Scott Feldman's.
The 17-game winner from 2009 who fell out of favor in 2010 and was a successful reclamation project in 2011 expressed his desire in the off-season to be a starter again in 2012.
With the signing of Yu Darvish and the shifting of Neftali Feliz from the bullpen to the rotation, the Rangers entered the spring loaded with pitching depth. That doesn't even mention the weapon that is Alexi Ogando, who will be back in the bullpen this season after starting last year and making the AL all-star team.
Feldman went 1-2 with a 3.13 ERA and 22 strikeouts to go with just three walks.
"I wanted to start, but I was thinking to do as well as I could and see what happened," Feldman told ESPN Dallas. "All I could do was worry about the stuff I could control."
Feldman was huge down the stretch in 2011 when he made two great spot starts to spell Alexi Ogando and Matt Harrison and then was a key member of the Rangers' bullpen in the postseason before the whole unit came unglued in the World Series.
This season, Feldman said he's ready to come out of the bullpen and also make a few spot starts here and there.
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"You don't know how you're going to feel each day and get to know your body," Feldman said. "With this [relieving], you're winging it and trying to figure out how to keep fresh and save your bullets. I'm looking forward to spot starts and being ready for anything."
