Lewis has been in control early for Rangers

By foxsports
Published

ARLINGTON, Texas –  The 2-0 record and spiffy 2.03 ERA are spiffy enough stats for Texas right-hander Colby Lewis.

But it's his pinpoint control in first four starts that stands out most.

Lewis, who starts against Tampa Bay Saturday night, hasn't allowed a walk in his last 24 2/3 innings. He's walked just one batter this season to go along with 24 strikeouts. His lone walk this year came in the first inning of the season opener when he walked Adam Dunn after the count went full.

"The last couple of years I've tried to improve each year," Lewis said. "It just kind of worked out to where I had a different mindset, I'm just trying to make them earn it, not put myself in a lot of trouble. It's just worked out for me."

Lewis heads into Saturday's start tied for the seventh longest streak in club history without allowing a walk. His current run is the longest since Kevin Millwood went 26 2/3 innings without a free pass in 2008.

Lewis said here's no secret to his success and that fastball command has been the key. Walks have never been a big problem for Lewis. He issues just 56 in 200 1/3 innings last season. But his numbers now are now more similar to his pitching line in 2008 and 2009 when he was pitching in Japan.

In 354 1/3 innings for Hiroshima, he walked just 46 batters but batters in Japan are more aggressive than in the majors.

Maybe the key to the avoiding the walks for Lewis is as simple as experience.

"I just think it's three years of competing, three years of learning who he is," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "Three years of learning the league has made him be exactly what he is. Any baseball player that wants to be good or wants to be better makes the adjustments he has to make. I think he's going through the transition that good pitchers go through."

Minor signing

The Rangers signed right-hander Ross Wolf to a minor-league deal and assigned him to Double A Frisco.

Wolf was released by the Baltimore organization earlier this week. Wolf, 29, had a 6.75 ERA in Double A before getting released. Wolf pitched in 25 games in the majors with Florida and Oakland, going 0-1 with a 7.92 ERA.