Hitting rarely, if ever, has been considered a Texas Rangers weakness. Texas led the major leagues last season with 246 home runs and was third in the American League with a .275 batting average. When healthy, its lineup boasts sluggers Alex Rodriguez, Rafael Palmeiro and Juan Gonzalez.
Pitching has been another story. The Rangers compiled the highest earned-run average in the big leagues the past two seasons: 5.71 in 2001 and 5.52 in 2000.
In deciding it was time for a change, management hired former Cubs pitching coach Oscar Acosta in November, after he had helped the Cubs’ staff reduce its collective ERA by more than a run from 2000 to 2001.
“Oscar knows pitching mechanics as well as anyone,” Texas manager Jerry Narron said. “He has given our pitchers an aggressive, positive attitude. All of them know that he’s knowledgeable, but they also know he’s sincere when he’s working with them.”
Just as Acosta, 45, turned things around in his two years with the Cubs, his presence has paid off with the Rangers. The Cubs’ 4.03 staff ERA was fourth best in the National League last season, and the 1.22 improvement–from 5.25 in 2000–was the biggest in baseball.
Even after the White Sox spanked them 15-4 on Tuesday night, the Rangers’ staff ERA was 4.46 through 39 games, sixth best in the American League; they were fourth before the loss to the Sox. The Rangers hadn’t had a team ERA that low since 1993, when it was 4.28.
“It’s a great challenge,” Acosta said. “I’ve enjoyed every moment because these guys are willing to raise the bar and to go to all measures to get it done.”
Kenny Rogers (4-1, 2.60 ERA) heads the rotation, which includes Ismael Valdez (3-4, 3.30), Doug Davis (3-4, 4.53), Dave Burba (3-0, 5.12) and Chan Ho Park (1-1, 6.30), who came off the disabled list and picked up the victory Sunday in a 5-1 triumph over Detroit.
“I have 12 solid guys, plus there’s a couple on the DL in [relievers] Jay Powell and Jeff Zimmerman,” Acosta said. “To start at the top, there’s Rogers, who I’ve had in the past. He’s a tremendous professional. He has exceptional stuff.”
Burba, signed as a free agent from Cleveland, credits Acosta with helping him rebound from a tough 2001–he was 10-10 with a 6.21 ERA, was dropped from the rotation and pitched only one inning in the postseason.
“He has helped me tremendously,” Burba said. “I knew it was mechanical, but we couldn’t find what the problem was.
“Once I got hooked up with Oscar, we got everything straightened out.”
The biggest surprise has been Hideki Irabu’s transition from scuffling starter to lights-out closer. Irabu (1-2, 2.96) owns 10 of the Rangers’ 12 saves.
“This guy made a commitment to be a closer,” Acosta said. “He has closer stuff and has the mentality to be that.”
Rudy Seanez, Steve Woodard, Francisco Cordero, John Rocker, Chris Michalak (of Joliet Catholic) and former Cub Todd Van Poppel round out the Rangers’ relief corps.
“I had Todd the last couple of years [with the Cubs],” Acosta said. “I know what he’s capable of doing. Then you add John Rocker to that.”
Van Poppel, who appeared in 110 games with the Cubs in 2000-2001, signed with Texas as a free agent. He’s 1-0 with a 5.06 ERA and one save in his return to the Dallas area, where he grew up.
“Oscar helped me a lot last year,” Van Poppel said. “I know him and he knows me. I had some success with him before, so it’s a nice comfort level to be working with him again.”
Acosta’s hard-driving nature didn’t endear him to the Cubs organization, but he has found a receptive audience in Texas.
“Oscar definitely lights a fire underneath everybody,” Burba said. “He preaches a positive attitude . . . to keep the negatives out of the mind. He’s not afraid to tell you how it is. He doesn’t sugarcoat anything.”
Acosta isn’t surprised by the pitching staff’s early success.
“We’ve kind of just been chipping away at it,” he said. “You don’t ever rest on your laurels. You keep coming to the park every day and get better every day.
“That’s what I stress. We have a job to do and let’s get it done.”
