Millwood's Performance Signals A New Era

There are myriad images from the Rangers’ 9-1 opening day victory over the Indians that could be taken as a metaphor, a speculative bit of wishful thinking, a sign that the team has turned the corner, finally. Of course, this line of thinking may be an irresponsible exercise in reductionism, but then, isn’t that what Opening Day is all about?
 
The image could be the debut of Elvis Andrus, the 20 year-old shortstop who doubled in his first at-bat as a Ranger, and seemingly embodies the youth movement occurring in Arlington as we speak.
 
It could be Hank Blalock or Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who both shrugged off winter-trade rumors and 2008 struggles on Monday to the tune of 2-4 with three RBIs and a home run, each.
 
Again, the options abound; but the image that is most hopeful for Rangers fans, most convincing, is that of Kevin Millwood; not battling, or fighting, or any other euphemism for struggling, through the seventh, but cruising with relative certainty with a 100 plus pitch count.
 
The highly publicized, kind of old-school conditioning plan, we were told, would signal a new era for the Texas pitching staff. Starters would go deeper into games, relievers would have some of the burden lifted from their shoulders, and ostensibly, with this lineup, the wins would begin to roll in.
 
It was inevitable. And on Monday, it was reality.
 
Millwood was not just good, he was better than he had to be; probably better than he will have to be in most of his starts in 2009. Because on Monday, Millwood was dominant, tearing through the Indians lineup through seven innings. His last pitch was a 91 MPH fastball on the outside corner, swung at and missed by Kelly Shoppach to end the inning and giving Millwood his fifth strikeout of the day.
 
Exceeding a great performance, Millwood made a statement on Monday, and the message was clear: These are not the same old Texas Rangers.
 
Of course, it would be unreasonable to think that Texas will get this kind of start across the board. Millwood is the ace of the staff for a reason, after all, and even he (probably) won’t be able to follow up the outing with such dominance. (I hate realism in April, too.)
 
But if the off-season conditioning and the tutelage of Mike Maddux have improved Texas’ pitching staff to the level of “decent” from “league worst,” the Rangers might just be a big money sleeper this season.
 
Because with a lineup of the Rangers’ caliber (see: hanging a 7 spot on the reigning Cy Young winner), “decent” pitching might be all you need.