Elvis to the rescue! (Image via Keith Allison.)

I’m speechless. I’m really not sure what to think about what just unfolded before my eyes.

CONFESSION: I didn’t turn on the game until the 5th and by that time the Rangers and tonight’s starter Yu Darvish were already behind 7-1.  So what did I do?  Switched over to the Olympics, of course.  At least there I knew I’d see a win (tape delay FTW).

As most everyone knows, this was a very important game for this team.  Having just lost 2 straight games to the Angels, the team was only up by 3 games in the AL West.  A loss could mean bad things.

So let’s recap what happened…

» Continue reading “Texas Rangers: Seriously, WHAT WAS THAT?!”

Hits! Hits! Hits! (via Jay DeSimone)

That’s more like it!  7 runs on 14 hits.  So where were you hiding that offense these past few days?

Sunday’s game featured Matt Harrison against Dan Haren as the Rangers were trying to get out Anaheim with a win and a 4.5 game lead in the division.

Harrison cruised through 6 2/3 innings, really not getting into any trouble until the bottom of the 7th.  With 2 outs, Harrison allowed a single and a walk and was promptly replaced by Alexi Ogando.  Ogando would give up a hit to Trout and a walk to Callapso to load the bases for Albert Pujols.  And my heart stopped…

Thankfully, Ogando got Pujols to fly out to left field and all was good…  And I could start breathing again.

The Rangers scored their 7 runs over 5 innings.  In the 3rd, Napoli singled to left to leadoff the inning.  Moreland followed with a single of his own.  A sac fly by Kinsler moved Napoli to 3rd, and an Andrus double, scored Napoli.

In the 5th, Kinsler doubled to start the inning and eventually scored on a Young single, extending the Rangers’ lead to 2-0.  Then in the 6th, a Murphy double followed by a series of sacrifice hits and the Rangers are up 3-1.  A 2-run BOOMSTICK in the 7th (ending the Rangers’ 3 game drought without a homer) would increase the lead to 5-2, and they would tack on 2 more runs in the 9th.

After Saturday’s loss, the team had a closed door meeting to talk about getting back to Rangers baseball.  Not really sure what was said in that meeting, but it must have worked.  Wash said after the game,

“Play the game with fun and play the game with agression.  That’s what we did.  It was just a good all-around game.”

Let’s just hope they can keep up their winning ways!

FINAL: Rangers 7, Angels 3

(Photo courtesy of flickr.com user Kwong Yee Cheng.)

As every team has now played about a quarter of their schedule, things are starting to take shape.  Here’s a glance of what’s been happening with the Los Angeles Angels this season and their key players:

• Current record: 20-25, going 5-5 in their last 10 games
• Released Bobby Abreu
• Fired hitting coach Mickey Hatcher
• Torii Hunter is on the restricted list
• Pitcher Latroy Hawkins, catcher Chris Iannetta, OF Vernon Wells and Ryan Langerhans all on DL
• Called up top prospect Mike Trout
• Albert Pujols has started to heat up, hitting .275 over his last 10 games and knocking in 3 home runs. Still not at his normal Pujols-level, but worth noting.

Yeah, It’s been a rough 2ish months for the Angels.

A quick look at the team stats:

» Continue reading “Catching Up With The AL West: Los Angeles Angels”

So I think the Rangers liked the pink bats…

Tonight’s match-up saw Neftali Feliz (not to be confused with PEDRO Feliz) on the mound against Jered Weaver.  Feliz pitched a solid 6 innings, allowing 4 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks and striking out 5.  Weaver did not fare as well, allowing 8 runs over 3 1/3 innings.  Ouch.

But enough about pitching.  Per usual, tonight’s game featured the Rangers offense.  And A LOT of it (SPOILER: Every starter had a hit except David Murphy).

The Rangers got on the board early with a sac fly by Beltre in the 1st.  After losing their lead on a 2-run bomb by Trumbo in the 2nd, the Rangers bounced back in a big way in the 3rd.

» Continue reading “Texas Rangers: Of Pink Bats And Boomsticks”

I’m pretty much against booing a player on the opposing team.  Across the board.  Really the only reason I can find for doing it is if that player injured a player on your team (see also: Johnny Cueto’s cleats and Cardinals fans).   It just isn’t classy.

So obviously hearing that many, many Rangers fans are planning to boo CJ Wilson when he takes the mound tonight (or tomorrow) when the Angels visit Arlington for the first time this season just makes me cringe.  Why?  I’m getting various reasons: He’s a douchebag, he sucked in the Playoffs, he didn’t want to come back to the Rangers, etc…

Really?  That’s the best you got?  Honestly, if Rangers fans are to boo any person on the Angels, wouldn’t it make more sense for it to be Albert Pujols?

Let’s address these reasons…

1.  He’s a douchebag.

OK.  I’ll give you this one.  He does come across as one.  And he’s probably an ass in his every day life.  We’re booing people for that now?  We don’t boo Miguel Cabrera for drinking and driving (which is WAAAAAAY worse than thinking highly of one’s self).  Crap if we’re booing someone for thinking too highly of himself, why aren’t we booing Michael Young?

» Continue reading “Texas Rangers: Why I Won’t Boo CJ Wilson”

Mark Hamburger got the start against the Halos and RHP Trevor Bell Sunday afternoon.  Early in the 1st, Hamburger was introduced to Major League hitting when Albert Pujols took him yard.  With the exception of the solo home run, it wasn’t a bad outing for Hamburger, who gave up only 1 hit over 2 innings.

Ross, Cotts, Green and Tateyama also spent some time on the mound.  Collectively, they pitched 5 scoreless innings, gave up only 3 hits, stuck out 4, and walked 3.

With the score 0-2, the Rangers mounted a comeback in the top of the 8th.  With 2 outs and Connor Jackson on 1st (who had walked earlier in the inning), Dusty Brown, who had come in for Mike Napoli, hit a long home run to left to tie the game 2-2.

The tie wouldn’t last long.  Michael Kirkman took the mound in the 8th and promptly gave up a 2 run homer to Cantu.

The Rangers would mount another comeback in the top of the 9th against veteran Jason Isringhausen (guys, how is he still pitching?!).  With 1 out, Izzy walked Brad Hawpe and hit Alberto Gonzalez with a pitch.  Greg Miclat hit a double to right, scoring both runners.  Connor Jackson then singled off new pitcher  Jeremy Berg, scoring Miclat.  5-4 Rangers.

Unfortunately for the Rangers, Kirkman couldn’t get his stuff together.  He allowed a single to start the inning.  Then with only 1 out, he allowed 3 consecutive singles, scoring 2 runs.

FINAL: Rangers 5, Angels 6

• Leonys Martin was sent down to the Minors Sunday.  The CF battle has come down to Hamilton, Borbon, and Gentry.
• Hamburger got the start instead of Darvish since Wash didn’t want to expose Darvish to their division rivals.
• This Cardinals fan was not OK with having to watch Pujols homer in an Angels jersey.  Bleh.

Next up: Rangers take on the Reds Monday at 6:05pm.

(Photo courtesy of flickr.com user Mike LaChance.)

Ahhhh, left field. I love left field. Maybe it’s because I played left field so many years ago and feel comfortable there. Maybe it’s because most of the guys who have played left for the Rangers had cute butts. I don’t know what it is, but there’s definitely something special about sitting out there behind the left field scoreboard.

Left field is a different beast when it comes to outfield terms. The ball doesn’t look the same when it jumps off the bat as it does in center or right…and it always seems like the sun is in your eyes no matter what time of day it is.

That being said, let’s take a look at the AL West left fielders. Rangers: Josh (Ham-bone) Hamilton, Angels: Vernon Wells, Mariners: Trayvon Robinson, and Athletics: Seth Smith.

» Continue reading “Texas Rangers: AL West – Left Fielders”

It’s about time.  An infield position in the American League West that the Rangers do not dominate.  Any guesses?  Second?  Heck no.  Shortstop?  Nope.  Third Base?  Come on…really?  First Base?  Ding!  Ding!  Ding!

The players:  Mitch Moreland (Rangers), Albert Pujols (Angels), Justin Smoak (Mariners), and Anyone’s guess (A’s).

» Continue reading “Texas Rangers: AL West – First Basemen”

Nolan, can we have him? Pretty, pretty please?

A lot happened yesterday (and by a lot, I mean 2), and a lot of it directly affects the Rangers.  First (and unless you live on whatever planet Ashton Kutcher lives on, you already know this), Albert Pujols signed with the Angels for a crazy amount of money until the end of time – OK, 10 years. 

A lot of Rangers fans were freaking out most of yesterday.  Honestly, Pujols doesn’t worry me that much.  The Angels’ offense was pretty week to begin with.  Yeah, he’s the best hitter in baseball, but if no one is in the lineup to protect him, you can simply pitch around him.  And speaking from someone who has watched Pujols A LOT, he’ll get frustrated and will start swinging at bad pitches.  Just don’t throw him anything he can hit.

ATTENTION RON WASHINGTON: DON’T PITCH TO ALBERT PUJOLS.

No, what upset this girl the most yesterday was that the Angels added CJ Wilson to their pitching rotation.  That scares me.   Weaver, Haren, Santana, Wilson.  Yikes.  I never actually thought CJ would come back to the Rangers.  It would have taken a lot more money and years than the Angels gave him, so I get why he didn’t come here (and according to CJ, the Rangers weren’t even close in terms of money and years).  But did it have to be the Angels?  Crap.  Hopefully, Mike Napoli can destroy him like he does the rest of the Angels pitchers. 

I realize the Rangers’ front office seems to be focused on acquiring more pitching (don’t we have enough already?), but I would REALLY love it if they would try for Prince Fielder.  I hear Texas is on his short list.  Can you imagine watching him hit at RBiA?  I think we’d run out of fireworks.  Besides, I think he was the only Brewer that I actually liked.  We can worry about what to do with Mitch Moreland later. 

I also don’t want Yu Darvish (although it appears that the Rangers are trying hard to get the bidding rights).  Sorry, last season left a bad taste in my mouth in regards to Japanese pitchers.  I’m sure since I said it, he’ll turn out to be the best pitcher ever, but whatevs.

PS…I can’t wait to play the Angels in 2017.  They are going to be so old!

Looks like the Dutch-'stache' has magical powers.

Ahhhh….much better. The World Series is tied at 2-2.

I got told tonight the Cardinals have a better lineup than the Rangers. I wanted to kill the guy, but my better judgement came into play. Let’s win it on the field. And win it on the field we shall do.

The Rangers came out blasting in the bottom of the 1st. Elvis singled to left, and with a Hamilton double, BOOM the Rangers are on the board 1-0. Derek Holland (hello? ACE?) came out hurling, and took control from the beginning. Even though his Dutch-’stache’ is god awful, it seems to be working for him and is making my husband uber jealous (he just wishes he could grow a mini one).

Oh Dutch-’Stache’ how I love thee. Holland pitches some B-E-A-utiful innings. In the bottom of the 6th, Cruz and Murphy walked, and then low and behold, Napoli comes to the rescue! The Dirt-Bag Napstick!!!  Napoli crushed one to the left field bleachers, putting the Rangers up for good 4-0.

I wish I could say more about the actual game, but I’m so proud of how well Holland pitched, there’s nothing left I can say. He’s looking like a legitmate ace in tough times.

What I can say….Texas pitching staff: take notes. Take what Holland did tonight and try and better it.  He set the pace, now let’s finish it.

FINAL: Rangers 4,  Cardinals 0