Texas Rangers’ Alexi Ogando gets words of praise from team-mate C. J. Wilson – MLB Update
Back when Christopher John Wilson was a relief pitcher, no one knew he would pick up the starter’s role at the age of 28. Following good spells as a set-up man, Alexi Ogando was brought in to take over from Wilson in 2010.
Much to the irony of that fact, the 2010 set-up man is now the fifth and the last starter in the rotation. For both pitchers in the mix, this is an amazing feat.
While most of the debate in the spring training period had been over Neftali Feliz going to the rotation, manager Ron Washington made the announcement in Arizona to include Alexi Ogando, instead. Though reasons varied, the former set-up man is doing well
for himself. Coming in for an injured Tommy Hunter, the new starter is proving to be a maverick amongst his team-mates.
Playing 41.2 innings in 2010, the set-up player brought forward an earned run average of 1.30. Looking at his current league form as a starter, Ogando has played two games and his earned run average is zero. Featuring in 13 innings so far, the player has
allowed just four hits. This is one of the reasons why Wilson was supportive of the 27-year-old when he was at the Major League Baseball Fan Cave on Thursday.
"You have a guy who had success in the bullpen, and they just transferred that momentum right away into putting him as a starter," Wilson said. "He's an older guy. He's not like 22 or 23. He's 27. He's got a lot more life maturity and understands what he
wants. So it's something he is able to take with both hands and just kind of go for it.
"He's been throwing very well. A lot of people weren't sure how his breaking stuff was going to play, but it's proved to be pretty good."
While Wilson came on as a starter at the age of 29, the difference between the two players is uncanny. The two pitchers will be pushing the Rangers forward and with nine wins out of 12, there are a lot of other games to play in the coming months.
Tags: