Remember about a month ago when the Texas Rangers' brass was tossing around the idea of making Neftali Feliz a starter in 2011?
Remember who the leading in-house candidate to replace Feliz at closer was?
Yeah ... good thing that whole plan didn't come to reality.
Neftali Feliz hasn't given up a run yet and has four saves in four opportunities. He's given up two hits, one walk and has five strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings. Pretty salty.
Mark Lowe on the other hand? Hmm... 2 2/3 innings, seven hits and four runs — all earned. That's good for a 13.50 ERA.
He hit a Lowe point this year on Wednesday when he came in to pitch the sixth inning and promptly gave up two runs to the Tigers to blow the Rangers' 2-0 lead.
Three innings later, when Feliz should have been pitching to earn his fifth save, Darren Oliver was dealing in a tie ball game and Brandon Inge sent a ball over the left field wall for the Tigers' second walk-off win in as many days.
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Lowe's leash has to be short at this point. Unfortunately, the bullpen is far from deep right now and can't give up on him yet, but Rangers fans will be holding their collective breath next time he steps out of the bullpen.
Ron Washington said he has to see better from Lowe, who was acquired along with Cliff Lee in the big trade with Seattle last summer.
"The thing is I'd like to see him hit his spots better," Washington told MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan. "He's out there battling, hopefully the next few times he'll get better."
