Just what Yu Wanted, Rangers Win 3-0

Glass Half Empty / Afternoon Cloud: Prince was 0-fer again today. Eventually they're going to need him to start producing.

Glass Half Full / Silver Lining: Yu was great, the bullpen was good. And the offense produced just enough. Heck, Elvis even went yard!

Thoughts / Observations / Sidenotes: I tell you what, with the job Choo has done offensively I haven't found myself once this young season thinking, "man I wish we had Kins."

Oh yeah, one other thing, Yu is now the pitcher to reach 500 K's in the fewest innings pitched in MLB history. Ever. In the history of Major League Baseball. Impressive. Most impressive. 

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No good deed goes unpunished, Nick Martinez optioned to AA Frisco

Glass Half Empty / Afternoon Cloud: All Nick Martinez did was hand the Rangers a chance to win last night and this is how they repay him? And from one start it sure looks like Martinez is a WAY better MLB starting pitcher than Saunders and Scheppers.

Glass Half Full / Silver Lining: Yu is coming back today and they had to make room on the roster for him. And Nick Martinez could use some more time in the minors to fine tune his game.

Thoughts / Observations / Sidenotes: Plus, given that the injury bug has attached itself to the Rangers like the poltergeist attached itself to Carol Ann, I have a feeling we will see Nick Martinez again this season.

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Rangers @ Rays, Nick Martinez vs. David Price... Nick who??? Rangers lose 5-4 to Rays, not Nick Martinez's fault

The Nick Martinez (NM) adventure began tonight...

Glass Half Empty / Afternoon Cloud: The bullpen was handed a 4-3 lead going into the 7th and could not deliver the win.  And I know it's early in the season but Prince Fielder has not been that impressive, and was 0-fer today.

Glass Half Full / Silver Lining: Yup, Nick Martinez left the game with a lead, not too bad for his first MLB start.  Jeff Wilson, Choo and Elvis had a multi hit game.  Rios drove in 2.

Thoughts / Observations / Sidenotes: The injuries to the starting pitchers of course affects the bullpen, instead of Robbie Ross and Scheppers coming into the game into a game the Rangers are winning in the 7th and 8th you get Frasor and Cotts.  When your unknown 5th starter hands you a lead after a good, solid outing you have to make that hold up.  They didn't tonight.  Darn.

Yu makes his season debut tomorrow.

Top of 4:
Jeff Wilson got another hit, second for the game.

And the Rangers made David Price throw a lot of pitches, in this inning and in the game to this point.  And and Choo had a long at bat, came back from an 0-2 count and eventually had a sac fly to score the runner from 3B.  Awesome.

Rangers tacked on another run, 4-1 Rangers.

Bottom of 3:
I wasn't expecting NM to shut out the Rays.  NM made a mistake and Escobar hit a solo homer to LF.  That homer got out the yard in a hurry.  No other harm done.  Rangers lead 3-1.

Top of 3:
Rangers retired in order.  Price looked like he settled down after the Rangers got to him early.

Bottom of 2:
NM got out of some trouble.  Rays stranded 2 runners.  Rangers still winning 3-0.

Top of 2:
Rangers tack on another run.  3-0 Rangers.

Bottom of 1:
The Nick Martinez (NM) adventure is about to begin...

3 up.  3 down.  Not too shabby for NM's first inning of pitching in the bigs.

Top of 1:
Choo is just a great lead off hitter.  Again he got on base to start a game.

Elvis' beard looks fake.

2 out double by Rios scored Choo and Elvis.  Rangers winning 2-0.

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Check it out, TTRB is a member of the Baseball Bloggers Alliance!

The good folks at the Baseball Bloggers Alliance have allowed little ole TTRB to join their ranks.  It's got to be official, they sent me a logo and everything that I put up here on the left side of TTRB.  And click here and you'll see TTRB listed as one of the blogs for your Texas Rangers.  I think it's pretty cool.  Thanks to the Baseball Bloggers Alliance letting us join their group.

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Late to the game live blogging: Revenge of the Saunders...

[If you happen upon this during the game, refresh this page every once in a while to see new posts.]

Rangers lose 8-1. By the way, are 4 errors bad?

OK, I'm out unless there's a huge rally.

Bottom of 7:
Figueroa (Figs) gets another chance for your Rangers to lower his gianormous ERA.



Top of 7:
Is it bad to have 3 hits entering the 7th?  Just wondering?

A challenge by the Rays is going to upheld, 3rd out.  Inning over.  8-0 Rays.  Crap.

Bottom of 6:
BS error called on Beltre's throw to first.  Prince should have scooped it.  Again, BS.  Hit, error, 2 runners.  No harm.  Inning over.

OK, 3 runs an inning and hold them and then we're tied.  Yeah, I know it's not likely.  Don't mock me.

It's the middle of 6
Rangers' starter Saunders was, to be nice, underwhelming.  8-0 Rays.  Ouch.  Welcome to the backside of the Rangers' current starting rotation.

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Day off for the Rangers...

...next up @ TB. Joe Saunders takes the mound for the Rangers. Friend of mine told me not to expect much from Saunders. Hope he's wrong.

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Live blogging: Rubber Game Versus Phillies

[If you happen upon this during the game, refresh this page every once in a while to see new posts.]

Rangers win 4-3.  Two nights in a row the Rangers win in the bottom of 9.  Wow.  After the Rangers offense does very little most of the game, the Rangers win in appropriate fashion: Choo drawing a walk with the bases loaded to win the game.  I'll take it.

Yeah, I know it's early but, that was a big win.

And thanks to you guys for the great comments.

Bottom of 9:
Hopefully Papelbon is not that good.  Or the Rangers offense wakes up.  Or both.

Lead off 2 strike single by Beltre.  So you're saying we have a chance.  6th hit of the night for the Rangers.

Double by Moreland.  Beltre just cannot run like he used to and couldn't score on the double.  Runners on 2B and 3B, 1 out.  Adduci can be a hero.

Nubber down the 3B line scores Beltre.  Adduci beats the throw to 1B.  Runners at the corners, 1 out.

By the way, Papelbon has "small mouth."

Martin base hit up the middle, scores Aducci.  Tied game.  Wow.

Now Donnie Murphy can be a hero.  Lots of chin music by Papelbon.

Papelbon walked Murphy.

Choo is up.  Bases loaded.  Now Choo can be a hero.  Choo draws the walk.  Winning run walked in.  Rangers win.  Wow.

Top of 9:
Rosin is still in. (I fixed the innings, somehow got it messed up in the 6th inning.)

Rosin pitches a 3 up 3 down inning.

Rangers have 3 more outs.

Bottom of 8:
Nothing.  No runs.  3-1 Phillies.  Still.

Top of 8:
Rookie Seth Rosin in to pitch.  Please let him pitch as well as he did on opening day.  OK Rosin got them out of that.  6 more outs for the Rangers on offense.

Bottom of 7:
Rangers offense been bad all night.  And of course no runs.  Again, how many games are you going to win putting up zero runs?

Moreland with a 1 out triple?!?!  Yup.

2 out single by Leonys Martin, scores Moreland.  Rangers trail 3-1.  Phillies leaving in Kendrick.  Choice popped out to shallow right.  4 hits all night.  1 run.  That's not going to cut it.

Top of 7:
Tolleson gets the first out in the top of the inning and now it's time time to see (gulp) if Pedro Figueroa can start to fix his ERA from his first appearance (21.60 ERA, is that bad?).  Is it bad to walk the first batter you face on 4 pitches?  I'm pretty sure it's not good. 5 straight balls and counting.  It's a miracle, pitch number 6 is a strike.  And pitch number 7 is a screamer to Prince for a double play to end the inning.  It's an adventure.

Bottom of 6:
All Choo does is get on base when he leads off an inning.  I will take it, even if he reached on an error.  @Joe Mama: Choo Choo! (OK, I regret writing that but won't delete it.)  Rangers waste Choo leading off and again getting on base.  REALLY, REALLY, REALLY would like some offense out the Rangers.

Top of 6:
Yup Robbie Ross is done.  Tolleson is in.

Man, Beltre is just amazing at 3B.  He makes amazingly difficult defensive plays at 3B seemingly every game.  And probably makes it look too easy for us to appreciate how great he is as a defensive player.

OK, no harm done.  Really, really, really need some offense.  Preferably 4 runs or more.

Bottom of 5:
Rangers again put up no runs.  Only 3 hits by the Rangers' offense all night long to this point.  Crap.  They're making Kendrick look like a Cy Young contender.

Top of 5:
Robbie Ross has pitched OK to good, but at this point it doesn't look like he'll get through this inning.  Lead off hit.  Here we go.

And Mr. Robbie Ross gets out of the 5th without allowing any more harm.  How much you want a bet he's done for the game?

And another question, how many games are you going to win scoring zero runs?

Bottom of 4:
Rangers threaten but get no one across the plate.

Top of 4:
Phillies keep on getting on base.  But no harm done this time.  Really wish they had not wasted that chance in the bottom of the 1st.

Bottom of 3:
Watching the ESPN broadcast, little change up from listening to and watching the local guys.  But ESPN has to roll out Seahawks QB Russell Wilson.  Enough already, we get it.  He was drafted by the Rangers for some cheap PR.  93 games in the minors a while ago, .229 BA.

Oh by the way ESPN, the Rangers again did nothing on offense.

Top of 3:
Ryan Howard goes yard, 2 run homer. 3-0 Phillies.  Damn.

Bottom of 2:
Rangers do nothing on offense.

Top of 2:
Nice double play ball to get out of trouble with no damage done.

Bottom of 1:

How good is Choo? Fought off some 2 strike pitches and got a base hit.

And then Elvis moves him over and with the throwing error, runners on 2B and 3B with no outs, brilliant.

Why wasn't Choo running on contact? Curse of Kinsler? Curse of Kolan?

Runners on 2B and 3B with no outs. What a waste if  they don't score at least one run. Waste complete. No runs scored. Damn. 

Top of 1:
Phillies score a run on an error.  Curse of Kolan (Kinsler + Nolan)?

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Live blogging: Boom Goes the Dynamite...

...walk off hit by your best Ranger Beltre wins the ballgame.

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Live blogging: at Game, 2-2, Middle of 8...

...we're wearing sunglasses, have a half a pack of smokes, they cut off the beer, let's roll.

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14-10 Loss, Was That the Cowboys Losing to the Eagles??? *

Glass Half Empty / Afternoon Cloud: * Is that that 2,947th time you've heard someone say something like that?

Pitching. Was. Terrible. Scheppers and Ogando, 2 pitchers upon which this club is going to rely in some role the entire season, were awful.

Glass Half Full / Silver Lining: Offense was not the problem.  At all.  And as a good friend mentioned, today is a testament to the great decision making of John Daniels in NOT overpaying for Cliff Lee a while back.

Thoughts / Observations / Sidenotes: Dear baseball gods, please, please, please don't let the pitching be as bad as it was today for the rest of the season. While we're at it, please don't let it be anywhere near as bad as it was today.  And please let the offense be as good.

1 down 161 more to go.

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