Meeting expectations.
Kevin Millwood, six innings of one-run ball. That's close to how they drew it up on December 29, 2005.
Joaquin Benoit with a seventh-inning hold, permitting a run but throwing 10 of 13 pitches for strikes and fanning two. That's close to how they drew it up a few weeks ago.
Aki with a scoreless eighth, Gagné with a scoreless ninth. That's exactly how they drew it up on December 19, 2006.
Good stuff.
And then there's last night's pair of offensive stars.
From an interview I did with "Batter's Box Interactive Magazine" in early March:
Batter's Box: Finish this sentence: "According to Jamey Newberg, the biggest surprise about the 2007 Texas Rangers will be . . ."
Newberg: Michael Young's RBI total. Ian Kinsler's All-Star Game appearance. C.J. Wilson.
Then, from the March 23 Newberg Report:
Before you summarily dismiss the following question, ask yourself if you were one of the overwhelming majority of fans who, in 2005, thought Texas made a mistake keeping non-roster invite Mark DeRosa over Ian Kinsler and Esteban German out of spring training:
Could [Matt] Kata be the new DeRosa?
It's a little early to take Kinsler's march or Kata's possibilities to the bank. But I'm feeling very good about my chances.
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