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During the game on Tuesday night, I may have been after C.J. Wilson a little bit about the bad game he was pitching, starting around the 2nd inning. I may have been demanding that Ron Washington pull C.J. as early as possible and I may have been disgusted with his effort. That was Tuesday. I started thinking about the way C.J. actually pitched in that game, giving up only 2 runs even though he was struggling with his command. He got out of almost all of the jams that he got into. He actually wound up pitching pretty well. So I started to think about the
concerted effort that I have been hearing from Rangers fans that he is not worth the money that he will be demanding in the offseason. I thought I would take a minuet to look at him and compare him to other no. 1 starters around the league and maybe change a mind or two about a pitcher that has meant a lot to the Texas Rangers for quite a few seasons now. C.J. has been very important to this organization since his arrival in 2005. C.J. began his Rangers career as a reliever as well as getting some spot starts (6 to be exact). He was 1-7 with a 6.94 ERA. Since that season, he has relieved, closed, setup and started for this team, and his ERA has gone down almost every single season. His career ERA as a Texas Ranger is 3.60, he has saved 52 games and won 43. In his two seasons as a starter, he has posted 31 wins and had a staters ERA of 3.15. Is that really a pitcher that is not worth the money or someone that Rangers fans want to so easily get rid of? I say he is not. In the last two seasons, Jon Lester (Boston Red Sox no. 1 starter) has 34 wins with a 3.36 ERA, C. C. Sabathia (Yankees no. 1 starter) is has 40 wins with a 3.09 ERA, Justin Verlander (who had an amazing season in 2011, by the way) has 42 wins with a 2.89 ERA, and Jared Weaver has 31 wins with a 2.71 ERA. C.J. compares pretty well with some of the best no. 1 starters in the American League. In fact, I would say that he belongs as a no. 1 starter. And, even though it was a rough outing for him in the 2011 post season, he still was able to keep his team in most of the games he pitched and he toughed through 6 challanging innings on Tuesday.
So, lets not be so judgmental on a pitcher that has already said he likes being a Ranger, and a guy who probably, from some of the accounts that I have read, wants to be a Texas Ranger next season. I say:
1) I am sorry C.J. that I jumped to conclusions on Tuesday night and did not give you the credit you were due for keeping the Rangers in the game against the Cardinals and
2) I would like to see you in a Texas Rangers uniform in 2012 and beyond.
You may all think I am crazy, and maybe I am, but the Rangers are a better team with C.J. at the head. My opinion. Agree? Disagree? let me know here on on Twitter or Facebook. Thanks!
