Rangers Saturday's scouting report

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Scouting the Rangers
Game 1: LHP John Rheinecker (2-0, 1.77 ERA): The bearded southpaw has pitched at least eight innings in his last two starts. He's allowed only two runs in 161/3 innings and has 10 strikeouts and one walk since getting called up before his start May 29. This is his first start against Boston.

Game 2: RHP John Wasdin (0-0, 0.00 ERA): This is Wasdin's first start of the season for the Rangers. He spent the first two months in Triple-A Oklahoma, where he was 2-3 with a 2.50 ERA in eight starts. He pitched at least six innings in six of his starts.

Hates to face: Manny Ramirez (8-for-21, 2 HRs)

Hates to face II: Mike Lowell (5-for-10)

Update: Rheinecker and Wasdin have shown they can go deep into games. They may need to today to give the bullpen a break. Texas used five relievers for 5 1/3 innings in Thursday's 16-12 loss to the Royals. Doubleheaders are already tough on bullpens.

Scouting the Red Sox
Game 1: LHP Jon Lester (0-0, 0.00 ERA): The rookie is expected to make his major league debut. He was 3-4 with a 2.70 ERA at Triple-A Pawtucket this season. Lester's 3-0 with a 0.90 ERA in his last six starts.

Game 2: RHP Josh Beckett (7-3, 5.27 ERA): Beckett is coming off his worst start of the season, lasting 11/3 innings against the Yankees on Monday. He gave up seven earned runs on seven hits. Beckett held the Rangers to one run in seven innings in Ameriquest Field the first week of the season.

Loves to face: Brad Wilkerson (9-for-35, 18 Ks)

Hates to face: Mark DeRosa (6-for-18, 2 2Bs)

Update: Rain is in the forecast for this morning, but Red Sox officials are hopeful it will get out of the way before the first game. Boston has had four games postponed because of rain, including two against Texas.

 

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BOSTON ? Antonio Alfonseca's tenure with the Rangers appears to be over.

Texas designated the 34-year-old for assignment Friday. Former Arizona Diamondbacks reliever Bryan Corey, a right-hander, takes Alfonseca's place on the roster. Texas has 10 days to release, trade or put Alfonseca through waivers.

The Rangers signed Alfonseca in the off-season hoping he could be a seventh-inning setup man and a viable stopgap until Frank Francisco (Tommy John surgery) got healthy. Francisco is at least a few weeks away from returning.

Alfonseca didn't quite make it as long as the Rangers hoped. He went on the disabled list in early May with elbow soreness and returned this week in Kansas City. He allowed two runs on three hits (including a home run) in one-third of an inning in Thursday's 16-12 loss. His velocity was around 90 mph instead of the 93 mph it was earlier in the season. And he couldn't pitch more than one inning per outing. That helped make Alfonseca expendable.

For Corey, the promotion was unexpected. The Cubs released him early in spring training and he needed a job. So he threw his glove and spikes in his car and drove around Arizona hoping to throw a bullpen session to gauge interest. Only one club ? the Rangers ? took him up on the offer and signed him to a minor league deal.

He had seven saves in Frisco and had a 0.60 ERA with eight saves and 16 strikeouts in 12 appearances in Oklahoma.

"I just want to come here and help whatever way I can," Corey said. "It's been awhile and I'm glad to be back."

Corey has four major league appearances, the last coming in 2002 (one scoreless inning with the Dodgers). He made his debut with Arizona and manager Buck Showalter in 1998.

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Briefly: Starter Kevin Millwood said his back felt good after his Tuesday start. He said it still gets stiff at times and he's getting treatment and monitoring the back every day. "I needed a few days earlier this week because of it, but I'm fine," Millwood said. ...Showalter said he expects to play INF Jerry Hairston and C Gerald Laird in the first game today.