Rangers notes: Detwiler, Martinez look A-plus in B game

Two of the Texas Rangers hopefuls to claim a starter’s role this season squared off in a B game Friday morning.

Left-hander Ross Detwiler and right-hander Nick Martinez both pitched well against minor league lineups.

Detwiler, who appears to have a lock on one of two open spots in the rotation, threw four scoreless innings and only allowed a bunt single in the fourth and a walk. He struck out four of the 12 batters he faced on 43 pitches.

“I was just trying to focus on getting ahead in the count and I think I did a pretty good job of that the first couple innings,” said Detwiler, who credited catcher Tomas Telis for having a knack for calling the right pitches.

“I was sinking the ball pretty well. Somehow he knew everything that I wanted to throw and he was thinking right along with me, so I was really impressed with how he caught today.”

Telis, a bright prospect in his first major league camp, gave Martinez his only blemish, hitting a solo homer to right in the second. Martinez held hitters to one run on three hits in 4 2/3 innings.

He struck out four and walked one in 69 pitches. Getting mentally engaged was his biggest hurdle, said Martinez, who was supposed to pitch Thursday in a game that was rained out.

“I noticed I felt sharper in the fourth and fifth innings,” he said. “I made some mistakes in the second and third innings.”

Martinez, who made 24 starts as a rookie a year ago when the Rangers’ rotation was beset with injuries, said he’s not going to concern himself with where he ends up on the staff.

“I feel good and whatever happens, happens,” he said. “I’m not trying to worry myself on who is going to take a spot. It only hurts me to worry about stuff like that. I try to eliminate that.”

Detwiler expects to make three more starts this spring, increasing his pitch count to near 120 before the season starts. He forced five ground balls Friday.

“I got a couple strikes with my changeup, so that’s a new thing for me,” he said.

Fujikawa working

Relief pitcher Kyuji Fujikawa’s stamina will get its toughest test of the spring Saturday.

He pitches a day after allowing a run on three hits (although one was lost in the sun in left field) in two innings during Friday’s B game. He faced 10 batters and threw 36 pitches (26 strikes) with a strikeout and a walk.

Fujikawa only pitched consecutive innings a couple of times during his long career in Japan, but he’s confident his arm is up to the task. He underwent Tommy John surgery almost two years ago.

“I’m doing some exercises on my shoulder and elbows, but everything is going well so far,” he said. “As I throw more pitches I think the strength of my shoulder and elbow will come along as well.”

Fujikawa was especially encouraged by a battle against young slugger Jorge Alfaro, who fouled off several pitches before Fujikawa got him swinging at a nasty breaking ball in the dirt.

Futures Game set

The Rangers and Cubs will play a Futures Game at 9 p.m. March 30 at Sloan Park in Mesa, Ariz.

The game will feature the top prospects and young players from each organization. No official lineups have been released.

No longer perfect

Right-hander Anthony Bass, who hadn’t allowed a run this spring, allowed eight (six earned) in two-thirds of an inning in the opener of the Big League Weekend series in San Antonio.

Bass allowed homers to Yasiel Puig, Matt Carson and a shot by Joc Pederson that cleared the 275-foot wall in right.

Bass wasn’t the lone Ranger with a 0.00 ERA entering the night to get tagged by a Dodger. Righty Roman Mendez allowed a homer to Enrique Hernandez in the third.

– Anthony Andro

This story was originally published March 20, 2015 at 4:38 PM with the headline "Rangers notes: Detwiler, Martinez look A-plus in B game."