Texas Rangers All Star Break 2012

We have reached the All Star Break, the ceremonial mid season, and the Rangers still lead the Angels by four games. It doesn't seem like it. Also, they are tied with the Yankees for the most wins in the Majors, and only have one more loss than the pinstripes. The pitching should only get better from here out. Derek Holland made his first start back from the DL and was solid. Colby Lewis and Alexei Ogando are due to come off soon. The hitting is starting to pick up, although it is coming from the bottom of the order. Last night the Twins felt it was better to intentionally walk David Murphy rather than face him. Napoli is not getting many hits, but he is drawing a lot of walks. The last two nights the Rangers came from behind to beat the Twins 4-3. I don't know about momentum but it is certainly a better feeling than if they came up short in either one.

Texas Rangers June 21 2012

Thank God for interleague play! If you're the Texas Rangers, it's good for what ails you. Win two out of three against San Francisco, sweep the Astros, sweep the Padres. Holland and Feliz are progressing in their rehab and Roy Oswalt starts Friday against Colorado. The amazing thing is that the Rangers appear to have cooled off in the last month and the Angels always seem to be winning, yet Texas still has a five game lead on the Halos.

Texas Rangers May 31 2012

The Rangers were hammered by the Mariners last night ending a four game winning streak but there is still good news. The bats seem to have come out of hibernation. Both Nelson Cruz and Mike Napoli appear to be back on track. Neftali Feliz went on the DL but the team signed Roy Oswalt formerly of Houston and Philadelphia. We have now reached a point where top players (including pitchers) want to play here. They love the chemistry. The irony is that the Phillies put Roy Halladay on the DL yesterday. I bet there is some cursing going on in the city of Brotherly Love today.

Rangers April 18

The Rangers just finished a quick two-game series in Boston with a sweep, 18-3, 6-3. We definitely need someone new to kick extra points. Seriously, Josh Hamilton is hitting everything and Mike Napoli is getting hot. Derek Holland and Colby Lewis are looking good. A little worried about Joe Nathan, but maybe it's just rust.
The weekend series against the Tigers is shaping up to be big. The top two records in the American League. Both teams are among the leaders in hitting and pitching. Of course, we won't hear that much about it in the national press because Boston and New York are playing. What a shame.

The Prince of Motown

Prince Fielder signed a $214 million, nine year deal with the Detroit Tigers. Good luck keeping that pitching staff together! This is good for the Rangers, although not as good as if Washington signed him. It means, in all probability, that the Rangers can go ahead and resign Josh Hamilton. Fielder has more long term upside, he's younger and more durable. But Hamilton is box office, a fan fave, like Michael Young. He symbolizes an attitude that plays well. And, if he is re-signed, it means he will not go to the Angels which was a possibility.

Yu-Phoria

Last month the Rangers made news when they posted $51 million to the Nippon Ham Fighters for the rights to negotiate with pitching phenom Yu Darvish. Wednesday was the deadline and they announced the signing of a six year $60 million deal. This was so important that they broke in to all the local news programming.
Who is Yu Darvish? He's 25 years old, about 6 feet 4, weighs about 240. Over the last five years pitching in Japan his ERA has been under 2, his strikeouts over 200. His throwing style is the conventional American 3/4 style, with comparisons to Tom Seaver and Nolan Ryan. And now he gets to work with Ryan and the Maddox brothers (Mike and Greg)( yes Cy Young, Atlanta Braves Greg Maddox).
What does he mean to the Rangers? First and foremost, box office: this kid is a draw. He means that the Rangers will do what it takes to stay at the top. It more than compensates for the loss of C. J. Wilson. It means for another exciting season in Arlington.

American League MVP 2011

The Texas Rangers are the Rodney Dangerfields of the American League: No Respect at all!
Yesterday, Justin Verlander was named MVP for 2011. As the argument against a pitcher as MVP goes: you're giving the award to someone who only played every five days. A player from the Red Sox finished second. The injustice was done to Michael Young. All he did was finish second in the batting race, was the most consistent player for the American League champions and redefined utility infielder by starting at least ten at all four infield positions plus some games as DH.

Texas Rangers Hot Stove

Good news for the Rangers, bad news for the Cubs. Yesterday the Cubs announced their new manager would be Dale Sveum. This means Mike Maddux will remain the pitching coach for the Rangers. When one realizes what he has done with that pitching staff, we can all breathe a sigh of relief that he is not leaving for the (other) Windy City.

World Series 2011 Game 1

So, on a cold, rainy night in the middle of October, the World Series began in St. Louis. It was a close, well-played game, but, unfortunately the Rangers lost. C. J. Wilson had his best postseason outing but it wasn't enough. The only question I have for Wash is why he brought Ogando in basically to face one batter. Isn't that Gonzalez's role? Game 2 is tonight.

World Series 2011

The Texas Rangers clinched a berth in this year's World Series with a convincing 15-5 win over the Tigers. Their opponent will be the St. Louis Cardinals. I would have felt more comfortable playing Milwaukee, whose pitching staff was weak. The Cardinals look too much like another version of the Rangers. Add the fact that they are the wild card entry, like the Giants last year, and it spells trouble. But who am I to complain. Over forty years of never tasting the Series and now, two years in a row!

ALCS 2011 Game 4

Can we get a refrain for Nelson Cruz. Fantastic throw from rightfield to get Cabrera tagging up from third and then a three-run insurance blast (which I called, just ask my wife) in the 11th to put away Game 5. And while we're at it, how about Mike Napoli: standing his ground to apply the tag to Cabrera, and driving in Josh Hamilton with a single after the Tigers intentionally walked Beltre to get to him.

To Live and Die with the Rangers

Bases loaded, none out, bottom of the ninth and what happens? Murphy pops out and Moreland hits into a double play. Should have pinch hit with Torrealba.
A postscript: Nelson Cruz. Enough said.

ALCS 2011 Game 1

So we found the solution to the drought in Texas: Bring in Justin Verlander to pitch.
The Rangers won last night in a game broken up by two rain delays. The winning run was a Nelson Cruz homer. If he's back in the groove, that's good for Texas. The bullpen was, once again, awesome. Ogando, Martinez, Oliver, Adams, and Feliz were all outstanding. The only concern is another rough outing for C. J. Wilson. Is the pressure of being a number one starter getting to him? Too many pitches, too many walks has been the story of his starts in the postseason this year.

ALCS 2011

So, it's the Rangers and the Tigers in this year's ALCS. As usual, I am worried. The Tigers and the Brewers seem to be the sexy picks now. We've just gone through a week of the genius of Joe Madden, now it will be a week of the genius of Jim Leyland. Once again, Ron Washington gets ignored.
The Yankees lost to the Tigers in Game 5. Alex Rodriguez striking out was particularly sweet. The Phillies lost 1-0 to the Cardinals (also in Game 5). Cliff Lee, how's that Philadelphia thing working out for you? The Brewers beat the Diamondbacks in extra innings in Game 5. Pretty exciting.

Rangers Defeat Tampa Bay 3-1

Here we go again. The Rangers are in the American League Championship Series...again. This could be habit-forming. Adrian Beltre's three home runs yesterday were certainly the most replayed highlight, but I think the most memorable from yesterday came from Johnny Damon of the Rays. He was in the dugout as the Rangers were celebrating. He caught the attention of someone in that mob, pointed at him and saluted him. That is a class act.
All the experts say this team is better than last year's. There is certainly more depth and experience. Yes, there is no Cliff Lee, but the pitching staff is still better. Yet, if they don't survive the ALCS, it won't be considered a success. We take it one win at a time.

Rangers Clinch Home Field in the First Round

And the new magic number is 22? Eleven wins by the Rangers, eleven losses by their opponents. Whatever. We have a new candidate for the Herschel Walker award. The LA Angels, who traded Mike Napoli to Toronto for Vernon Wells (who was horrible this year). The Rangers traded Frankie Francisco to Toronto for Napoli, who ended up the hottest hitter in baseball since the All Star break, and to top it off, hit four home runs in the last two games against the Angels.

The Magic Number is Zero

The Texas Rangers have won the American League West!!!!!!!!!!!

It's Magic Number Time

For the Texas Rangers, the number is 5.

Rangers-Yankees 2011 part 1

The Rangers opened a three game series in the Bronx tonight before a crowd of over 40,000 people. That's all the Yankees could get? 40,000 on a Friday night? Anyway, the Rangers won 5-3 with eight strong innings from Matt Harrison, and a ninth inning save by Neftali Feliz. The Yankees hitting into six double plays certainly helped Harrison's effort. The most memorable play came in the ninth inning. With one out, nobody on, Alex Rodriguez (our hero) hit a towering shot to left center and immediately went into the home run trot. Another homer with nobody on and the game almost out of reach for A-Fraud, right? Wrong! It bounced off the wall, and he had to hustle just to get a double. No respect for the game.

Rangers 9-1

They did it again today. The Rangers shut out Detroit behind the pitching of Alexi Ogando. Twenty five scoreless innings in a row for the pitching staff. I know it is April but the Rangers are winning with both pitching and hitting. By the way, Babe Laufenberg compared Ogando's ERA to Blutarsky's GPA (0.00), a priceless remark only understood by fans of Animal House.