Rogers lets his pitching do all the talking

ARLINGTON, Texas – Kenny Rogers isn’t talking much these days, still upset about reports just before spring training that he threatened to retire without a contract extension.

The 40-year-old Texas Rangers left-hander instead is letting his pitching tell everything he wants people to know: There is plenty left in his arm, and he can still pitch effectively.

A streak of 31 consecutive scoreless innings ended in Rogers’ last start, eight innings short of his Rangers record and about halfway to the major league mark of 59 held by his pitching coach, Orel Hershiser.

Rogers still has won six straight decisions and his 1.69 ERA is the best in the American League.

“Kenny just knows how to pitch. He knows what pitching is about and he keeps batters on their heels,” said Astros manager Phil Garner, whose team scored three runs against Rogers but couldn’t beat him Friday night. “He throws strikes, he changes speeds … He mixes up his deliveries well.”

Rogers (6-2) isn’t throwing pitches by batters anymore, like he did when he had 39 consecutive scoreless innings for the Rangers in 1995 or when he pitched a perfect game in 1994.

In his 17th major league season, Rogers is relying more on groundballs than strikeouts, smarts over speed. He will throw a lot of fastballs one game, then depend more on offspeed pitches in another, so opponents usually don’t know what to expect.

“He’s a testament to the work he’s put in. He doesn’t pitch in patterns,” shortstop Michael Young said. “He’s a prime example of a guy who’s going to let the guys behind him do some work. He’s not going to go out there and try to strike everybody out.”

Hershiser, who set the major league record for consecutive scoreless innings with Los Angeles in 1988, said Rogers is at a “cross-section of experience and talent” where those two attributes are at their peak, a period most pitchers go through at a much younger age.

“I think he wants to continue to pitch and I think he’s proven his point that he can still pitch,” Hershiser said.

Rogers’ start is reminiscent of last season, when he was the first pitcher in the majors to win 12 games, was an All-Star and finished 18-9 – a career high for wins. His 35 starts tied for the most in the A.L., and he won his third Gold Glove in five seasons.

Just before going to spring training in February, Rogers met with owner Tom Hicks and asked about an extension to his two-year contract that expires after this season. He was in camp on time without a new deal, denied the reports that he threatened to retire and has since said little to reporters.

Repeated requests this season to speak with Rogers, including one since his last start, have been denied by Rangers officials at the pitcher’s request.

While he remains at ease with his teammates in the clubhouse, Rogers turns away reporters who approach his locker. During and after his recent scoreless streak, he spoke to only one of the writers who regularly cover the team.

Rogers became the first pitcher to have a third stint with the Rangers when he returned in January 2004, getting a $6 million, two-year deal. Half of his $3.5 million this year is deferred until July 2007 at a 1 percent interest rate.

So far, Rogers is showing that he’s as good as last season and may be able to pitch a few more years after this.

“Last year he started pitching this way. He’d learned to pitch one way, then made the change. That’s impressive,” catcher Rod Barajas said. “He doesn’t back down and he doesn’t use age as an excuse. … He’s not as concerned with his velocity.”

Over 621/3 innings in nine starts, Rogers has allowed just 57 hits, only one of them a home run, and 14 runs (12 earned).