Spring Training Game 8: Rangers (1-5-1) vs. Mariners (6-1)

Randy Wells (0-0, 4.50 ERA)

vs.

James Paxton (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

Spring Training Game 8: Rangers (1-5-1) at Mariners (6-1), 2:05 pm CT

Texas will get the chance to see a familiar foe on Friday, as they travel to take on an American League West rival, the Seattle Mariners.  Seattle has been red hot so far this spring, going 6-1 in their first seven games.  The Rangers will be looking to win their consecutive game after losing five in a row.  

Seattle has been led offensively by a pair of guys who are looking to prove their worth in the Great Northwest.  Justin Smoak, a former Texas Ranger himself, is on fire so far in 2013, hitting .583 with two homers and five RBI.  Jesus Montero, who came over from the Yankees in a trade last season, is hitting .455 for Seattle in 11 at-bats.  But the most pleasant surprise for Seattle has been veteran free agent signing Raul Ibanez, who is returning to Seattle after a stay in the Bronx.  Ibanez is 4-8 so far this spring with a homer and three RBI.

The Mariners will send James Paxton to the mound to start things on Friday, his first start of the spring.  Paxton did pitch a scoreless inning against San Diego back on February 24 however.  Paxton has spent his only two professional seasons in the minor leagues, starting 38 games and winning 15 games. His combined ERA in two seasons is a very nice 2.73.

Texas will send out Randy Wells for his second spring start on Friday, after he allowed a run on three hits in two innings against Kansas City on February 23.  Wells is looking to earn a spot in the Rangers rotation when they head to Arlington to start the regular season, so a strong performance against a team the Rangers will face many times in 2013 would give him a strong shot of earning the fifth spot in the rotation.

Other Spring Training Action Today:

Grapefruit League:

Minnesota (4-2) at Miami (3-2) - 12:05 pm CT

Philadelphia (2-3) at N.Y. Yankees (1-6) - 12:05 pm CT

Pittsburgh (SS) at Baltimore (5-1) - 12:05 pm CT
St. Louis (4-2) at Houston (4-2) - 12:05 pm CT

Tampa Bay (5-2) at Toronto (3-4) - 12:05 pm CT

Detroit (3-3) at N.Y. Mets (1-3) - 12:10 pm CT

Washington (1-3) at Atlanta (3-4) - 5:05 pm CT
Pittsburgh (SS) at Boston (3-4) - 6:05 pm CT

Notes: Jon Lester will make his second start for Boston on Friday after earning a win last Sunday against the Cardinals in a perfect two inning performance.  Detroit will also start Justin Verlander for the second time this spring, when he takes the hill against the Mets.  Verlander gave up one run on three hits in a two inning performance against the Phillies on February 24.  Roy Halladay will be looking to make his second straight quality performance on Friday, as he battles the Yankees.  Halladay pitched two innings against the Tigers last Sunday allowing just one hit, albeit a solo home run.  A pair of divisional match-ups and one former divisional match-up are on the schedule for Friday as well, with Tampa Bay taking on Toronto, and Washington battling the Braves.  The Cardinals and Astros will also meet for the first time this spring and for the first time, they are not division rivals with Houston now playing in the American League West.

Cactus League:

Arizona (3-3) at Chicago Cubs (4-2) - 2:05 pm CT

Chicago White Sox (3-1) at Cleveland (5-3) - 2:05 pm CT

Cincinnati (2-6) at Kansas City (6-0) - 2:05 pm CT

L.A. Dodgers (SS) at L.A. Angels (0-5) - 2:05 pm CT

San Diego (3-5) at L.A. Dodgers (SS) - 2:05 pm CT

San Francisco (1-2) at Oakland (2-4) - 2:05 pm CT

Milwaukee (2-5) at Colorado (4-2) - 2:10 pm CT

Notes: The Battle of the Bay Area resumes on Friday, with the Giants and Athletics meeting. Madison Bumgarner will start for San Francisco, while Jarrod Parker gets the nod for Oakland.  Parker will be making his first spring appearance after a 13-8 season in 2012 with the Athletics.  In 29 starts, Parker struck out 140 hitters and posted a 3.47 ERA.  Bumgarner will be making his second spring start of the week, after he pitched two scoreless innings against the White Sox on Monday.  The talented left-handed starter was 16-11 last season for the Giants with a 3.37 ERA and 191 strikeouts for the second consecutive season.  The Dodgers and Angels will meet on Friday as well in another rivalry game.  This one will be exciting as the Dodgers will be starting the Korean import Hyun-Jin Ryu, who pitched a scoreless inning against the White Sox last Sunday.  Ryu is a 25 year old left-hander who the Dodgers hope can fill in nicely behind Kershaw and Greinke in that rotation.  The Angels will counter with their ace, Jered Weaver.  Weaver, who won 20 games in 2012 and posted a 2.81 ERA with 142 strikeouts, will be making his spring debut.  Chris Sale will be making his first start for the White Sox on Friday, facing an Indians team coming off of a 10-0 loss to Texas.  Sale was a surprise for Chicago in his first season as a starter, winning 17 games and striking out 192 batters while posting a 3.05 ERA.  There will be a battle of young arms in the Diamondbacks-Cubs tilt, as Arizona will send out Trevor Cahill to make his first spring start against Jeff Samardzija of Chicago.  And finally, can anyone stop the Kansas City Royals?  Cincinnati will get their chance on Friday, hoping to end the Royals six game winning streak.