7 years agoThe Texas Rangers are pushing pitcher Matt Bush to add a changeup into his repertoire as he continues to stretch out into a starter. Bush had previously relied on a blazing 95-100 mph fastball with an 80 mph curve mixed in to keep hitters honest. Successful two pitch starters are rare, and the push to get Bush more comfortable using his changeup in games is a sign that they know this. For what it's worth, Evan Grant reports that the Rangers and manager Jeff Banister are impressed with the quality of his offering, it's just a matter of building up confidence. Out of 28 total pitches in a Sunday spring training outing, two were changes, which marks a significant increase in the usage of the pitch. This news shows that the Rangers appear to be serious about the Matt Bush in the rotation experiment. His progress is worth monitoring, as his fastball is truly a plus-plus pitch and the converted infielder could be a very intriguing player come draft time. He's currently being picked deep in the reserve rounds, 484th overall according to NFBC, so he wouldn't cost much to acquire. Texas has a dearth of talent in the rotation, and someone of Bush's talent could make noise if given the chance.--Sean Scampton
Source: Evan P. Grant - SportsDay Dallas News