Nolan Ryan admits every time a team sees a pitcher, the advantage goes to the batters, but the Rangers didn’t consider keeping Lee off the mound until the Yankees left town this weekend.
Answering questions during a chat on the Dallas Morning News website, the Rangers president said he was OK with Lee returning from a stiff back to start Sunday against the Yankees.
A guest asked, “I wouldn’t pitch Cliff Lee against the Yankees this weekend. I’d save him for the playoffs and not permit the Yankees to get practice hitting off of Lee. Does that make any sense?”
Ryan replied, “Every time a pitcher faces a team, the hitters on that team develop a comfort level of knowing what to face from a pitcher. The only time I don’t like to see it is when a pitcher faces the same team in back-to-back starts. Then, I really think it favors the hitters.”
The teams, each leading their division, could meet at some point in this year’s postseason.
Ryan did say he was disappointed Lee did not tell the team of his discomfort sooner. The left-handed free-agent-to-be has struggled since being traded to Texas from Seattle (2-5, 4.69 ERA in 11 starts).
“We were disappointed he didn’t make us aware of his back stiffness,'” Ryan said. “We’re optimistic, though, that he will be back to his old self by his next start.”