Back in 2005, then-Texas Rangers pitcher Kenny Rogers won eight straight starts for the Rangers early in the season. Later, he attacked a cameraman.
We like Ryan Dempster a lot better than Rogers, and Dempster has a shot at matching that club record for consecutive starts won, but he'll have to turn in a gem tonight when he takes the hill against the Los Angeles Angels and their ace/AL Cy Young candidate Jered Weaver.
Dempster has been great for the Rangers since giving up eight runs twice in two of his first three starts, with that first rough outing coming in his first as a Ranger against these same Angels in Arlington. He's now 6-1 with a 4.11 ERA in his eight Rangers starts with six of those being of the quality start variety (six innings or more, three earned runs or less).
There aren't many familiar faces for the Angels since Dempster came from the National League, but there are a few, most notably Albert Pujols, who is a .351 hitter off Dempster in his career with seven home runs and 16 RBIs.
The Rangers have never had much success with Weaver in Anaheim, but if Dempster is going to keep up his streak they'll need to have just that tonight.
