Back-to-back losses show the importance of a workhorse-type pitcher like Cliff Lee (left) for the Rangers to succeed. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)It seems this was the perfect time for the Texas Rangers to pull the trigger on acquiring former Cy Young Award winning pitcher Cliff Lee. The overworked Rangers bullpen has pitched a total of 273 1-3 innings - fifth most in baseball - and are showing signs of fatigue recently in the form of two big blown leads in the past two games. On the flip side, Lee's former team - the Seattle Mariners - have a rested bullpen that has pitched only 217 2-3 innings, next to last in the Majors. This has a lot to do with Lee's ability to consistently pitch deep into ballgames.
For the season, Lee's logged 103 2-3 innings and has five complete games - second in the Majors behind only Roy Halladay (7) - along with . The Rangers, as a team, have a total of four complete games this season and rank 24th out of 30 teams in Major League Baseball in terms starter's innings pitched (500.00).
Combine his success so far this season with a proven track-record of at least 200 innings pitched in four of his last five seasons, and this Rangers' team seems to have made a good investment. Especially with the last two games ending in heartache for Texas, 8 or 9 innings for Lee on the mound tonight could be just what the doctor ordered.
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