Wednesday, April 29, 2015

The Texas Rangers have the worst batting average in MLB going into tonight's game

Glass Half Empty / Afternoon Cloud: At least that's what I heard on the radio today. And judging by the ole eyeball test and the fact that only 2 position players are batting over .300 and one of them (Mitch Moreland) is now injured that seems about right.

Glass Half Full / Silver Lining: I got nothing.

Thoughts / Observations / Sidenotes: Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the Rangers have yet to win consecutive games this year. And it's almost May. Is that bad?

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Monday, April 27, 2015

Reality really is stranger than fiction: Josh Hamilton is a Ranger. Again.

Glass Half Empty / Afternoon Cloud: The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, California, USA, planet Earth, Milky Way galaxy are paying Josh Hamilton a lot of money to play for the Texas Rangers, their division rival. Brilliant move by JD.

Glass Half Full / Silver Lining: The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, California, USA, planet Earth, Milky Way galaxy are paying Josh Hamilton a lot of money to play for the Texas Rangers, their division rival. Even with the Halos paying most of his salary, is JD still wasting the small amount of money the Rangers are paying for him?

Thoughts / Observations / Sidenotes: Please, please, please let us see even a small glimpse of the Jedi Josh who helped lead the Rangers to back to back World Series appearances. A long shot? Sure. But remember, a lot of time reality is strangers than fiction.

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Friday, April 24, 2015

Rumors abound: Deal in works to bring Josh Hamilton back to Texas

Glass Half Empty / Afternoon Cloud: He's not the same Josh who was MVP. And he's coming off an injury.

Glass Half Full / Silver Lining: The offense can't get any worse by adding him can it?

Thoughts / Observations / Sidenotes: Do the Halos have some type of incriminating evidence they're using to blackmail John Daniels into making this deal? Is Pete Incaviglia available? What about Juan Gonzalez? I'm just asking since it appears the Rangers are trying to acquire former Rangers power hitters that can't hit or hit for power anymore.

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Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Rangers beat the Halos 8-2 behind another good start by Nick Martinez.

The celebration of last night's victory was short-lived because of course when I just checked the score of today's day game the Rangers were losing 7-0 in the 5th.


Ray Davis, the reclusive leader of the group that owns the Rangers, gave an interview. The first one he's ever given. And according to him it might be his last. 

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Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Rangers on first streak of the year and of course it's a losing streak.

Now the Rangers are on a 2 game losing streak having lost to the Halos last night. Up till last night they'd been in a rhythm, lose a game then win a game. Now they are 3-5. 


We are 8 games into the young season. The Rangers' offense is averaging 3.75 runs per game so far (the offense having been shutout twice already). The other problem is the pitching and error-prone defense are giving up 4.875 runs per game so far. More than a run per game more than the offense is putting up. That's not good. In fact that's really, really bad. 

I know it's early in the season and I will try to remember to check on this when we are 20 games into the season, which should be a better sample size. But if this run differential keeps up then I would guess the Rangers will be more than 2 games below .500 after 12 more games. 

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Sunday, April 12, 2015

Rangers lose to 'Stros in extra innings 6-4, lose series

Glass Half Empty / Afternoon Cloud: Once again the Rangers can't get through a game without an error. And the Rangers cannot win 2 in a row.

Glass Half Full / Silver Lining: The Rangers also haven't lost 2 in a row this young season. They just won last night after all. I guess that's something.

Thoughts / Observations / Sidenotes: Next up the Halos come into town lugging their boatload of Josh Hamilton luggage.

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Friday, April 10, 2015

You gotta freakin' be kidding me, Holland, Choo & Rua left today's home opener due to injuries. And of course the Rangers lost 5-1 to the 'Stros

Glass Half Empty / Afternoon Cloud: Injuries. Again. If the Rangers didn't have bad luck...blah, blah, blah. And the Rangers committed 2 errors in the loss.

Glass Half Full / Silver Lining: Prince Fielder had 3 hits. Beltre had a hit and scored the only run. I guess that not much but it's something.

Thoughts / Observations / Sidenotes: Seriously, is there a team doctor/trainer not so secretly sabotaging this thing driven by some weird horror-movie-type motive (like he was cut from his high school baseball team and this is his way of exacting revenge)?

And/or it's more of the Curse of Kolan (Kinsler & Nolan - both were were shown the door by the club before last season). Who do I blame for bringing on the Curse? One John Daniels, the general manager and now president of baseball operations.

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Thursday, April 9, 2015

Boom goes the dynamite! Ranger win 10-1!

Glass Half Empty / Afternoon Cloud: Elvis had an error-free game for the 1st time this year. And no hits.

Glass Half Full / Silver Lining: Many did well at the plate today. Choo, Odor, Moreland and Beltre went yard (on a homer on 1 knee). And Nick went 7IP with 5 K's.

Thoughts / Observations / Sidenotes: Next up the home opener tomorrow versus the 'Stors with Doogie Holland on the mound.

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Rangers get shelled & shutout, lose 10-0.

Glass Half Empty / Afternoon Cloud: Question: How many games are you going to win when (1) your starter gives up 9 hits in 4.1 IP and 5 ER's (2) but since your defense commits 4 errors the opponent put up 9 runs total AND (3) your offense manages only 3 hits in the game.

Answer: Not many and not this one.

Glass Half Full / Silver Lining: Not much here. Martin and Fielder got hits along with DeShileds in his Rangers debut.

Thoughts / Observations / Sidenotes: The new starters Gallardo and Detwiler in their debuts have not exactly dazzled. Hopefully it's just been a case of first start jitters. If not and this is what we can expect from them every 5th day then it's going to be a LONG season.

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Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Mr. Baseball Colby Lewis* gets Rangers' 1st win of season, Rangers win 3-1. The Rangers will not go winless this season after all.

Glass Half Empty / Afternoon Cloud: Beltre and Odor are still without a hit in the young season. That's really, really nitpicking though...

Glass Half Full / Silver Lining: ...because Lewis pitched 6 strong (4K's, and 1 ER). And the bullpen made it standup for the 3-1 win.

Thoughts / Observations / Sidenotes: *I call him Mr. Baseball because kinda like Tom Selleck's character in Mr. Baseball Colby Lewis played pro ball in Japan after playing MLB and was pretty good across the Pacific. Good enough that after 2 years in Japan he was offered and he accepted a 2 year contract by the Rangers in 2010. And the rest they say is history.

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Tuesday, April 7, 2015

One (1) hit for Rangers in opener. Ouch.

Glass Half Empty / Afternoon Cloud: At this pace they're on track to get 162 hits for the season. The A's Gray took a no hitter into the 8th when Rua got the Rangers only hit on opening day.

Glass Half Full / Silver Lining: It's only one game and it's a long season.

Thoughts / Observations / Sidenotes: But if the offense keeps this up it could be a really, really long season. This just seemed like a continuation of last season's offensive woes. And man, what a way for Jeff Banister to start the season. First he gets so sick he misses the last preseason game at the Ballpark in Arlington and travels separately from the team to the opener. Then his team lays an egg in the opener.

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Wednesday, April 1, 2015

New guy Chris' thoughts, musings and predictions regarding your Texas Rangers' upcoming season

My good friend and lifelong Rangers fan Chris will be contributing here and there on the blog. Here's Chris' first contribution. And it was featured at Cards Conclave:
1) What are your thoughts on the team’s offseason?  Did they do what they needed to do?

As of yet, I don't think the Rangers have really done anything this offseason that will have a big effect on the season, for better or worse.  I know there is a lot of buzz around Gallardo, but he has yet to prove he can be the ace he was projected to be when he broke into the league in 2007.  In fact, his career ERA and WHIP are 3.69 and 1.30, and those are great representations of every year he's been in the majors.  Unfortunately, when those numbers are translated to the AL, we're probably looking at a 4+ ERA, which they probably could have found without trading prospects for.  The Rangers also added a former 1st rounder who has been unable to keep a rotation spot, a few bullpen pieces, and Kyle Blanks, an enormous first baseman with a ton of power and an inability to stay healthy. All that being said, the success of the Rangers this season hinges on health (darn), and the players they paid big money to last year showing they're worth anything close to the contracts they were given.  Given the large contracts on the roster and the rash of injuries, there isn't a lot the Rangers can do yet.  I do like the idea of pitching Juan Carlos Oviedo and Leo Nunez in the same game.  

2) What are the expectations for Prince Fielder this year?

I have high hopes for Prince Fielder, but much lower expectations.  It wouldn't be surprising to see him get off to a slow start given the year off.  I'd say .260 with about 22-25 HR's is what I'm expecting, assuming he plays the whole year.  If he can get to about .275 with 30 HR's, it will be a successful season for him.  

3) Jurickson Profar’s name seems to always come up in trade rumors. Is he going anywhere?

A resounding no.  Obviously, this has become a much easier question to answer.  With the state of his shoulder, they can't get enough in return to make it worth trading him.  Might as well hold on and hope he fulfills the immense potential.

4) What player do you expect to make the greatest strides this year?

I'd love to say Rua or Rodriguez, but I think it has to be Odor.  He flew through the minors and held his own last year with the big club.  He could add twenty points the the batting average, hit about 15-17 HR's, and steal about the same amount of bases.  His stolen base percentage should improve greatly from last year, when he was caught about twice as many times as he was successful.  

5) What’s your projection of the team’s record and where will they finish in the division?

Of the teams in their division, the Rangers are probably the hardest to predict.  I could see them with anywhere between 65 and 85 wins, but I'm going to say 74-88 and just behind the Astros for dead last in the West.  I'd love to be more optimistic, but too many things have to go right, and some of them are already going wrong.  

6) What do you like best about being a Rangers fan?

I live in Chicago right now, so this is fairly simple; Nolan Ryan pummeling Robin Ventura, who was 20 years younger than him.  I love that that wins me almost any argument here.  As Rangers fans, we don't have a rich history full of World Series victories and Hall of Fame players, but I remember where I was when Ryan manhandled Ventura .  I remember the front page of the paper the next morning.  I miss Nolan.  I'm afraid we may be approaching a mild rebuild, so that's what I fall back on right now.  This season, I'll be able to add a food stand at The Ballpark entirely devoted to fried food to this list.  Given the current food climate, fans may actually have a heart attack the next time the Rangers get one strike away.  Twice.

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