Rangers Win 9-6 over White Sox

Glass Half Empty / Afternoon Cloud:

Relief pitching continues to be an issue as the bullpen gives up 5 ER's (Mendoza-4 ER's, Guardardo 1 ER), making it a close game down the stretch.

Silver Lining:

McCarthy looks good, albeit in a short start, in 5 IP.

The Rangers offense comes through with 9 runs.

Francisco closes the game, ER's to date: 0.00

Thoughts / Observations / Sidenote(s):

The set up job is O'Days to take if he continues to perform well.

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Rangers Lose in Opener vs. White Sox 4-3

Glass Half Empty / Afternoon Cloud:

Rangers offense puts up only 3, wasting another quality start by a Ranger pitcher.

Silver Lining:

Scooter Feldman took a shutout into the 6th.

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Rangers Lose 4-2

Glass Half Empty / Afternoon Cloud:

The mighty Texas offense put up 2 runs and left 12 on base wasting what was, for Padilla, a quality start.

Every-Day Eddie faced one batter in relief with the bases drunk in the 7th and walked the batter on 4 straight pitches.

Silver Lining:

Hammerin' Hank went yard, again.

Jones continued to perform well.

Every-Day Eddie showed some fire. He vehemently disagreed with the 4 straight ball calls and got tossed out of the game after Wash had already pulled Eddie. Still nice to see someone show some emotion when things go badly, as opposed to Rangers only showing emotion when things go well.

Kinsler is robbed of 3-run, game winning homer in the bottom of the 8th by a great defensive play at the wall by the A's. In other words, they had a chance to win it.

Thoughts / Observations / Sidenote(s):

Your Texas Rangers fail to rise above .500 for the first time since the first week of the season.

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Ranger Win 5-4!

Glass Half Empty / Afternoon Cloud:

2 errors give the A's extra outs, resulting in 2 unearned runs for the A's.

Only 5 hits for the mighty Rangers' offense.

Hamilton sat out with hurting ribs.

Silver Lining:

Rangers made those 5 hits count and put up 5 runs (helped by 2 A's errors).

Millwood had another quality start going 8 innings. ERA to date 2.13.

Frankie Francisco got another save. ERA to date 0.00.

Salty and Cruz had 2 RBI each-good to see the young guys coming through. Hammerin' Hank got another RBI.

Cruz had the game winning hit in the 8th making up for an early error.

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Rangers Win 6-4!

Glass Half Empty / Afternoon Cloud:

Starting pitcher Matt Harrison got off to another rocky start giving up 4 runs in the first 2 innings and putting on countless base runners as the Rangers got behind early, again.

Silver Lining:

Harrison settled down and pitched the next 5 innings without giving up a run.

Teagarden went 2-4 and Hammerin' Hank went 2-4, Young went yard (again) and Murphy seemed to continue coming out of his early season slump. 

Texas' offense rallies after their starter put them in the whole early.

O'Day came into the game to face only 1 batter, the O's dangerous right handed batter Jones, in the 8th and got the out. A situational pitching substitution, righty vs. righty, worked.

C.J. Wilson actually pitched the rest of the 8th, 2/3's, without giving up a run, hit, or walk.

Frankie Francisco got another save. ERA to date: 0.00.

Thoughts / Observations / Sidenote(s):

If Hammerin Hank is traded away then who takes over the DH spot? Would Jones get most of the time at DH or would it be a platoon effort? Or is Jones going to end up being trade bait at some point along with Hammerin' Hank? Then the DH could be platooned by the odd outfielder out, Murphy or Byrd. I don't know but, these are just some questions and interesting scenarios to consider.

When does Holland get his first start? When do other arms get called up?

Rangers longest winning streak is 3, the first 3 games of the season. If my calculations are correct the Rangers play 13 divisional games between now and May 17. It could get interesting if the Rangers can put together a couple of winning streaks in that time.

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Rangers Lose 5-8

Glass Half Empty / Afternoon Cloud:

McCarthy gave up 3 runs in the 5th, ruining what had been an excellent start to that point, leaving the game with a 5-4 lead instead of a 5-1 lead.

Jennings may not be the mid inning relief pitcher answer either, as he gave up 4 ER in 2 and 2/3 innings.

Rangers' offense had just 1 walk and 7 K's, not a good ratio.

Silver Lining:

Some batters that have been in early season slumps have come out of it a little, including Salty and Crash Davis.

Hammerin' Hank goes yard again. Again trade bait (for a pitcher)?

Thoughts / Observations / Sidenote(s):

Even with this bad outing by Jennings he still has an ERA under 5 and looks better than C.J. Wilson.

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Rangers Win 6-5!

Glass Half Empty / Afternoon Cloud:

C.J. Wilson tried to lose the game in the bottom of the 9th.

Rangers committed 2 errors.

Silver Lining:

Rangers jumped out to an early lead with offense up and down the lineup.

Hamilton had 2 hits, slump over?

Scooter Feldman gave them 5 IP with 1 ER.

Holland looked good in 3 IP with 1 ER.

Francisco saves the game. ERA for the season 0.00.

Thoughts / Observations / Sidenote(s):

How much more from C.J. Wilson do they need to see?

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Rangers Win 5-4! Young Hits 2 Run Game Winning Homer in 9th

Glass Half Empty / Afternoon Cloud:

Rangers' offense had just 3 hits after 6 innings, and 2 of those were from Salty.

Silver Lining:

Rangers' offense exploded beginning in the 7th.

Salty had 3 hits, slump over?

Hammerin' Hank went yard again. And again, is he setting himself up to be trade bait (for a pitcher I hope)?

Young showed he's the leader of this team, again, hitting the game winning homer in the top of 9.

Francisco got another save, ERA to date: 0.00. Again, by all indications he is a real-deal closer.

Thoughts / Observations / Sidenote(s):

Much like Rangers' slow starts in recent seasons, they seem to get off to slow starts in games and find themselves having to try to dig out of it late. This time they did. Usually they don't. 

Keep in mind the Rangers have played exactly 0 divisional games so far. I'm waiting to see where they're at after they've played at least one series against each of their divisional foes. Then, we'll have an idea of where they're at.

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Rangers Lose 2-7

Glass Half Empty / Afternoon Cloud:

Millwood looks non-Cy Young like.

Two errors.

The mighty Texas offense puts up 2 runs, both solo shots.

LOB: 7

Silver Lining:

Hamilton homers, coming out of slump?

Crash Davis homers, slump over?

Hammerin' Hank gets 2 hits, trade bait for a pitcher?

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Rangers Lose, 7-8 in 11th

Glass Half Empty / Afternoon Cloud:

Harrison gave up 5 earned in 4 innings pitched.

Feldman gave up 2 ER in 1 and 2/3's innings pitched.

C.J. Wilson was hot then cold. He got the last two outs of the 10th, then in the 11th he walks the lead off man that would eventually score the game losing run.

Rangers bullpen is so shaky and its bench so short that O'Day, picked up on waivers earlier today after the Mets released him, comes in wearing Gabbard's jersey to give up the game losing hit.

Silver Lining:

Rangers get more timely hitting, this time in the top of the 9th where they score 3 to tie the game 7-7 and force extra innings, helping overcome poor starting (Harrison) and long relief (Feldman) pitching.

Salty gets a hit and 2 RBI, maybe the beginning of the end of his early season slump.

In relief (after Harrison and Feldman) young pitcher Holland goes 2 and 1/3 innings for no runs, 3 hits, no walks and 2 strike outs. Good big league debut.

Michael Young hit the tying homer in the bottom of 9, showing he's still the leader of this ball club.

Thoughts / Observations / Sidenote(s):

The shaky staff hurts the Rangers, again, and they still almost win it. Holland hopefully will help.

Given how well Holland did, are there any more arms from the farm teams that can be called up to lend a hand in the bullpen?

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