Blame it on Derek Holland’s dog.
It was Wrigley, remember, who just HAD to beat the Rangers’ pitcher up the stairs back in January. The Boxer clipped Holland from behind, sending him off-balance and eventually tumbling down a couple stairs to torn ligaments in his left knee. Holland underwent surgery, won’t be ready for the season opener and here we are … counting on the likes of Tommy Hanson and Joe Saunders and Colby Lewis.
For the latter, the comeback from an injury isn’t go so swimmingly.
Lewis, who last pitched in a Major League Baseball game back in 2012, was raked around the lot in a weekend start against the A’s out in Arizona. In his third Spring Training start – trying to impress manager Ron Washington that he’s recovered enough from hip surgery to at least be a stop-gap starter in the rotation until the returns of Holland and Matt Harrison – Lewis was roughed up for two homers and six runs while getting only four outs.
The horrible outing doesn’t mean Lewis’ comeback is permanently derailed, but it does signal he isn’t close to being ready to be a part of the rotation. The Rangers’ season opens two weeks from today against the Phillies in Arlington. With the prospects of handing the ball to Lewis or Hanson or Saunders every 4th and 5th day, perhaps Texas should trot out Wrigley to the mound.
It is, after all, the dang dog’s fault.
A native Texan who was born in Duncanville and graduated from UT-Arlington, Richie Whitt has been a mainstay in the Metroplex media since 1986. He’s held prominent roles on all media platforms including newspaper (Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Dallas Observer), radio (105.3 The Fan) and TV (co-host on TXA 21 and numerous guest appearances, including NBC 5). He currently writes a sports/guy stuff blog at DFWSportatorium.com and lives in McKinney with his wife, Sybil, and two very spoiled dogs.
