News
Matthews respects division-rival Rangers
Angels outfielder knows too well his former team is formidable
By Robert Falkoff / Special to MLB.com
09/07/09 1:59 PM ET
KANSAS CITY -- Gary Matthews Jr., who sprang into prominence with the Texas Rangers from 2004-06, isn't expecting his former team to run out of gas in the American League West race. Therefore, Matthews is hopeful the Angels will keep pushing the pedal to the metal with four weeks left in the regular season."Their hitting in Texas has been good, as it normally is," Matthews said. "But the difference is that their pitching has improved a great deal from recent years. Everybody has talked about the effect that Nolan Ryan has had over there on their young pitchers. I expect this to be a tough race."
The Angels' division lead was down to 3 1/2 games before they won on Saturday and Sunday. Coupled with two Baltimore wins over Texas, that pushed the margin back to 5 1/2 entering the Labor Day schedule. Since the Angels still have seven games left with the Rangers, there could still be plenty of twists and turns in the September stretch run.
"Here we are, with a team nipping at our heels," Matthews said. "We just have to respond to the challenge and play our kind of baseball."
When the Rangers last made a serious playoff push in 2004, Matthews was a key factor in the surge. Texas finished three games back that year in third place as the Angels edged the A's by one game in what was an intriguing three-team race through September.
Matthews ranks this year's Texas team favorably with that '04 club which featured five All-Stars, including pitchers Kenny Rogers and Francisco Cordero.
"That '04 Rangers team was really deep," Matthews said. "Probably deeper than this year's Texas team, but Texas has better overall pitching now. Our club has been battling the fatigue and the everyday grind of the season lately. But as long as we stay steady with our preparation, we'll be ready for these last few weeks.
"We aren't dependent on one guy hitting the ball out of the park. Our speed and our defense are constants for us and then we chip in with other things that we need. I'm confident that approach will get us to the finish line in good shape."
Robert Falkoff is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
