Tied at the top once again

The Rangers got back to business last night after a bad game Monday. Here are some notes, news bits, and thoughts from last night's game.

• Bullpen - Dustin Nippert got his first start and it was mercifully over before it got ugly. He was only able to get through 3.2 innings giving up 3 runs on 7 hits. When he came out of the game, the game was not out of hand and the bullpen made sure the Rangers had a chance. They went the final 5.1 only giving up 4 hits and 1 earned run.

• Adjustments - I have grilled the Rangers in the month of June about their inability to adjust to a pitcher as the game went on, but last night was not the case. After two unsuccessful trips through the order, the Rangers stopped chasing the curve ball in the dirt and they found their timing against the fastball. A perfect example was David Murphy's at-bat in the 5th when he fouled off several tough pitches and laid off breaking pitches outside the zone to work a walk. That was followed by Salty's big hit after he too laid off a curve ball in the dirt and drilled a fastball to right to score two runs.

• Hamilton - The dude is looking awesome. He is 5-8 since coming back and is running the bases great. Mike Scioscia is taking notice of Hamilton's bat as he intentionally walked Hamilton to get to Jones who had a 3 run home run earlier in the game.

• Andruw Jones - Speaking of Jones, he did have another huge homerun as I just mentioned. That gives him 11 on the season, 5 in the last 3 weeks.....he had 3 all of last season.

• Hank Blalock - He looks like a different player ever since getting the chance to play every day. 3 more hits last night and some awesome base running. How much better is this team now that Chris Davis is out and Hank is in?

There seems to be a lot of confusion about Derek Holland going back to the bullpen. here is an article by T. R. Sullivan discussing the issue:

ANAHEIM -- Derek Holland is going to spend the final week of the first half in the Rangers' bullpen.

That will likely be the arrangement in the second half as well, unless the Rangers have another pressing need for a starting pitcher.

As Holland works his way through his first season in the Major Leagues, the Rangers seem torn, knowing that the rookie left-hander's future is as a starter but needing him more as a reliever right now.

"We think Derek's ultimately going to be a starter for us, and a good one at that," Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said on Tuesday. "Right now, he may be best able to help the team in the bullpen, given the position we're in, where his stuff really plays up, especially from the left side.

"Depending how things shake out over the next few weeks, he's an option for both roles. A lot of that depends on the health of some other guys and his continued development."

Holland was scheduled to start on Thursday against the Mariners. But the Rangers' rotation was thrown out of whack by Vicente Padilla's strained right shoulder. The Rangers had to insert Dustin Nippert into the rotation for Tuesday night's game against the Angels, with Padilla getting pushed back to Wednesday.

Originally, the Rangers decided to push everybody back one day. That would have meant Holland pitching on Friday. Now the Rangers have decided to keep everybody else in line and use Holland out of the bullpen.

"Right now we need him out of the bullpen," Rangers manager Ron Washington said before Tuesday's game.

And after the All-Star break?

"Right now we're just talking about going down the stretch this week to the All-Star Game with him in the bullpen," Washington said. "Let's let Nippert get through tonight and see where we go from there."

The Rangers currently have four starters locked into the rotation: Kevin Millwood, Padilla, Scott Feldman and Tommy Hunter. They are without Matt Harrison and Brandon McCarthy, who are likely to be out until August or beyond. If Nippert can hold down a spot until Harrison returns, the Rangers can keep Holland in the bullpen.

"I still have to go out and pitch," Holland said. "No matter what I do, I've still got to pitch well and help the team win. That's what's on my mind."

Holland is 1-1 with a 6.06 ERA in nine relief appearances and 1-4 with a 6.23 ERA in seven starts. The concern -- as with many young Rangers pitchers over the past few years -- is that his secondary pitches are not quite Major League ready. He can get by with a fastball coming out of the bullpen, but he still needs to improve his curve, slider and changeup.

"I'm still working on them," Holland said. "I knew from the beginning they weren't picture-perfect. I'm still trying to get them better. I have better control of my slider, my curveball is coming around, but my changeup ... I haven't been using that much."

The Rangers refer to Holland as a "work in progress," but there are no plans to send him to Triple-A Oklahoma City to work on his repertoire while starting every fifth day. He's staying with the Rangers.

"We know he can pitch effectively out of the bullpen," Washington said. "His upside is as a starter. He has an idea, but we just have to make sure he maintains that progress. It's definitely his secondary stuff that he has to work on. Most young pitchers, that's what they have to develop. They can't go through Major League hitters with just a fastball."

Holland was called up in April after making just one start for Oklahoma City. He spent most of 2008 in Class A before making four starts at Double-A Frisco at the end of the season. He has 221 2/3 innings of Minor League experience, but just 30 above Class A.

He has much to learn, and it appears he'll do much of it while working out of the bullpen.

"We knew we were challenging him by making the move in April," Daniels said. "He's had some games where the changeup is a real weapon, times when the slider and curveball are there -- and other games where they're not and teams are able to sit on one pitch. It's a process, and he's learning on the job."

And then this on Kinsler's fatigue....

By JEFF WILSON

jwilson@star-telegram.com

ANAHEIM, Calif. — It’s too late now to give Ian Kinsler a game off, even though he could use a day on the bench to rest his body and his mind.

The Texas Rangers are in the midst of a critical seven-game road trip against the teams directly ahead of them and behind them in the American League West standings.

They need Kinsler in the lineup.

The All-Star break is less than a week away, beginning as soon as the last out is made Sunday at Seattle.

Kinsler will get the rest he needs then, even if he maintains his lead in the Sprint Final Vote and makes the AL All-Star team.

So, there he was atop the lineup Tuesday at Angel Stadium, riding a 1-for-25 skid but making his 81st start as the Rangers played their 82nd game.

The baseball season is a grind, and a fatigued Kinsler is experiencing it right now.

"There’s no reason to take a day off right now," the second baseman said. "It’s something you’ve got to grind through as a player. That’s it."

He entered the second of three games against the Los Angeles Angels with his average sitting at .253, but had snapped a career-worst 0-for-24 slide in his final at-bat Monday with a two-run homer.

The slump had extended to 1-for-29 at press time Tuesday night with the Rangers leading the Angels 6-4 in the seventh.

A slow bat is the primary cause for his struggles, he said. Sometimes a player can get away with a few hits when his bat lags, but Kinsler isn’t having that kind of luck.

The hope is that his 20th homer off Jered Weaver might be where a turnaround begins.

"It’s just a relief to get a hit. It’s been awhile," Kinsler said. "Hopefully, I can get going. I’d like to be feeling good at the plate before the break."

Said manager Ron Washington: "Every time he goes up there, I think this is the at-bat that’s going to get him going. It’s going to be an experience for him to grind through this, and it’s going to make him better."

Kinsler remains the Rangers’ best option atop the lineup, even though he doesn’t fit the profile of a typical leadoff hitter. He’s more like Cleveland outfielder Grady Sizemore than he is Angels third baseman Chone Figgins.

Kinsler is tied for the team lead in homers and steals, and leads in RBI and walks.

"What is the prototypical leadoff hitter? Are you not allowed to hit the ball out of the ballpark if you’re a leadoff hitter?" Kinsler said. "As long as I’m there, I’m going to do my best to jump-start the offense."

Some in the organization believe the Rangers might be better served in future seasons to have Kinsler lower in the order while outfielder Julio Borbon or even shortstop Elvis Andrus takes over the top spot.

Borbon, who was optioned to Triple A Oklahoma City on Tuesday, is better suited for the spot. He has speed and power, but is more likely to hit the ball gap-to-gap as well as drop bunts for base hits. He also has made it a focus this season to work pitchers more and doesn’t get too rattled when he’s behind in the count.

"If there’s a spot for him to be on the field every day, I’d consider that," Washington said. "That would give Ian a chance to maybe hit down in the lineup, but if you look at the lineup now, come on."

But the lineup now and for the rest of the season will feature Kinsler at the top. The baseball season is a grind, and the All-Star is working to get to Sunday and then through the rest of the season.

"I know it’s a long season and I have to be in it the long haul," Kinsler said. "I just have to look back at the end of the season and say, 'That was a tough season, I grinded through it, and I’m proud of what I did.’ "

Rangers again tied for first. They will look to take the series and win and the division lead tonight.