Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Dustin Nippert Looks Good for Rangers

By Colin Ransby

Dustin Nippert his case for keeping the number 5 spot in the Texas Rangers' starting pitching rotation in the Rangers' five-2 victory against Toronto in the 1st game of Tuesday's double header. Next to pitch, Brandon McCarthy, coming back for his first appearance because departing the pitching rotation in June for the inactive list.

Nippert had far better finesse than in his prior outing last week at Yankee Stadium. In the Bronx, he allowed eleven base runners (4 hits, 7 bases on balls) and only forced 11 outs. On Tuesday afternoon, he inched out of trouble to secure his fifth victory of the season and 3rd as a starter. Nippert was responsible for five hits, walked only one. He lowered his earned run average as a starter to 4.43 and overall to 3.91. It was his third fruitful game in his most recent 5 appearances.

Nippert claimed there genuinely wasn't much discrepancy concerning how he pitched last week and on Tuesday: "Simply able to throw good pitches. In New York, I suppose I pitched one curve successfully. The bigger predicament I put myself in, I tried relentlessly to get out of it. I was truly going the wrong way. I kept walking men, trying to create that ideal pitch.

"Earlier, I was able to pitch it in front in the count, late in the count. Keep the players away from my fastball."

Insisted boss Ron Washington: "I don't think he was throwing too hard. He was spreading things around with his change-up and his moving pitches. Elevated his fastball."

Washington and Nippert mutually acknowledged Nippert was not playing to protect his place in the rotation. And Nippert claimed he'll happily start or come out of the bullpen. As the Rangers are in wild card contention, each roster member's role augments in magnitude.

"I absolutely would like to assist this team," he insisted. "It's great for us that we maintain further arms now. Whomever's effective you might choose to start.

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