Help us, Yu. Yu’r our only hope… (I’m so sorry for that…except I’m not.)

I’m sure I’ll have something to say after a few hours, but for now, I just can’t.  Sigh.  The Rangers started out strong, getting 5 runs in the 3rd and then things started to fall spectacularly to pieces…

Ryan Dempster, today’s starter, would give up 2 runs in the 4th and would leave the game with 2 runners on for Derek Holland.  Holland would then allow both of those runners to score, tying the game at 5′s.  Well, the damage should have stopped there, at least for that inning. But a routine pop up to center would be dropped by Josh Hamilton, allowing 2 more runs to score with 2 outs.

That’s really all you need to know.  The offense couldn’t muster up anymore and the pitching just got worse and worse.  Tack on 3 team errors and you have a disaster of a game.

» Continue reading “Like The Rangers, I’ve Got Nothing”

I guess the Rangers were jealous of the A’s 5-run 1st from Wednesday night that they needed one of their own on Thursday.  Unfortunately, Matt Harrison wasn’t his best, nor was the bullpen.  But whatever, the boys won.

FINAL: Rangers 9, Athletics 7

I missed you, Yu. (Image via flickr.com user mikelachance.)

In what was supposed to be a very exciting Yu Darvish start, Rangers fans were given Scott Feldman instead.  Can you say let down?  Darvish apparently had some neck stiffness and the Rangers weren’t taking any chances.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m fine with Scooter.  In fact, I think he’s pitched way better than people probably expected once thrown into that starters role earlier this year.  I don’t have a beef with Scooter.

What is upsetting was that if the Rangers won tonight, Yu Darvish would have been only the 2nd rookie in the past 100 years to have 17 wins and at least 214 Ks.  The only other rookie to achieve that feat was Dwight Gooden back in 1984.  Guess Rangers fans will have to wait longer…

Anywho…  Feldman was just eh.  Given a 2-run lead in the bottom of the first, Scooter started out the 2nd by walking 2 of the first 3 batters he saw.  A double later and the A’s were within 1.  A solo shot in the 4th by Chris Carter would tie things at 2′s.  Feldman would only last 4 innings.

» Continue reading “Scott Feldman, Not As Exciting As Yu Darvish”

Wow…I can tell you right now. I will be a wreck for at least the next month. Post season is an extremely emotional time for me and we’re not even there yet!  It’s time to break out the lucky sweatshirt…That was one hell of a game.

What I can say is that it’s definitely going to be an interesting week with the A’s and Angels in town. We’ve got a Pennant Race people! I’m not sure what Billy Beane put in the  A’s Cheerios after the All Star Break but they will not lose. They have pitched well, hit well, beat some of the best teams in the game repeatedly and it doesn’t look they are going to slow down anytime soon.

Hence the reason I was extremely worried going into this series. The Rangers were 4 games up at the beginning of the game tonight and that is not nearly enough distance for me to be comfortable. Holland took the mound for the Rangers against the young pitcher Straily.

Holland didn’t have great stuff tonight. He had trouble commanding his fastball and struggled to get ahead of batters. He worked from behind in the count for much of his outing, which is never a good thing. He lasted three innings, giving up 3 runs, 4 hits and 2 walks.

In the top of the 2nd, Holland hung one out over the plate and Donaldson made him pay when he jacked one out giving the A’s a 2-0 lead.

Mini Rant: As much as I love our announcers, it always seems like they speak at the worst times…”Derek Holland hasn’t given up a homerun to the A’s in the last 8…..CRUSH…Homerun A’s”. Tom Grieve, I love you, but I am also extremely superstitious…STOP IT.  

In the bottom of the 2nd the Rangers got a run on a bloop single by Moreland that scored Young…Whoo on the board. BUT, the A’s weren’t done… Cesepedes added another jack to the A’s board in the 3rd…Hamilton homered in the 5th…A’s scored in the 6th..Back and forth.

I was started to get really worried going into the 7th when the Rangers had 2 outs and Josh Hamilton at the plate. Why was I worried with Hamilton at the plate? I told you the end of the season is very emotional for me! The Rangers came through for me (they decided they didn’t want to give me a heart attack at the ripe old age of 29)…Hamilton walked and Beltre crushed one to center to tie up the game. (Atta boy Beltre! It’s about time someone stepped up!)

Nathan took care of the top of the 9th with a little help from Napoli…a strikeout/thrown out stealing double play was kind of awesome. In the bottom of the 9th Mitch led off with a single up the middle followed by a single by Kinsler and a sac bunt from Elvis. After an intentional walk to Hamilton Beltre came up to try and get the win…Boom single up the middle.

Adrian Beltre is my hero. Suck it A’s!

FINAL: Rangers 5, Athletics 4

END OF GAME NOTES:

• I still sing the ‘Pitcher Has a Big Butt’ Song when Oswalt pitches. It just makes me laugh.
• Koji looked good tonight. I wasn’t ready for that.
• Apparently everyone at the game tonight got tacos because Hamilton hit a home run. I like tacos. Someone bring me some.
• Seriously Beltre is my hero. The End.

(Image via flickr.com user TxSportsPix)

Can we play Bartolo Colon everyday?

Last night’s game was a good sight to seem from these boys.  There was decent pitching, good at bats, heads up base running, a couple of good defensive plays and seized opportunities when the other team’s defense faltered.  We haven’t seen a lot of that lately.

Tuesday’s starter, Roy Oswalt, went a totally of 6 1/3 innings, giving up only 3 hits and a run (a solo shot to Josh Reddick in the 7th).  He also struck out 6 and didn’t give up a walk.  Not too shabby.

After Oswalt, the bullpen took over.  Robbie Ross gave up a hit to the lone batter he faced.  Alexi Ogando, making his first Rangers appearance since coming off the DL, pitched 2/3 of an inning, gave up no hits and only walked 1.  Mike Adams took over in the 8th, struggling a bit.  Adams gave up a hit and walked 2 before he was able to get himself out of the bases loaded jam.   Then, Tanner Scheppers finished things off with a perfect 9th.

Offensively, most everyone participated.  Overall, the team had 9 hits, a double and 2 home runs, courtesy of Adrian Beltre and Josh Hamilton (his 28th of the year).

The Rangers put their first run on the board in the 3rd on an Elvis Andrus single.  They would tack on 4 more in the 4th on a home run by Beltre, a single by Mike Napoli (NOT A MISPRINT!), and ANOTHER Gentry bunt.  A Hamilton home run in the 8th and sac fly in the 9th, would give the Rangers 2 more.

FINAL: Rangers 6, Athletics 1

Props to Gentry who literally legged out his run in the 3rd by beating Bartolo Colon to the bag on a bunt single (yeah, I know, tough feat).  He would then go from 1st to 3rd on a bad throw to 1st.  It’s little things like that that you like to see.

It’s tough when you have to compete against Nolan Ryan. (Via @StopTheWave)

Nothing is more infuriating than wasting a great pitching outing, and that’s just what the Rangers did tonight.  Yu Darvish was pretty great tonight, going 7 innings and striking out 11, matching his career high.  Unfortunately, Darvish gave up 3 runs over those 7 innings and the offense could only muster up a single run.

What’s even more frustrating is that we had TWO runners get picked off by tonight’s starter Blackley, one of which (Torrealba in the 3rd) probably would have resulted in a run, just one of MANY missed opportunities by the Rangers (who were 1-7 with runners in scoring position) in tonight’s game.

FINAL: Rangers 1, Athletics 3

Game Notes:

• Earlier Sunday, the All Star Teams were announced.  The Rangers had 7 players named to the team (3 starters):  Mike Napoli (starter), Adrian Beltre (starter), Josh Hamilton (starter), Joe Nathan, Matt Harrison, Elvis Andrus, and Ian Kinsler.  Rangers fans still have a chance to vote Yu Darvish in on the Final Vote, which ends July 5th.
• Prior to tonight’s game, Yu Darvish was 4th in AL in strikeouts.
• Napoli is only the 2nd catcher (the other was Pudge) in Rangers history to start an All Star Game.
• Craig Gentry had the 2nd highest batting average for the month of June (.455) in Rangers history.
• In the 6th, Craig Gentry ground rule double to lead off the inning (hit off Cespedes’ foot to go over the wall…probably would have been an inside the park home run…)
• David Murphy pinch hit for Gentry in the 8th. Can someone explain to me why Wash continually takes out his hottest hitter late in the game?
• This was Darvish’s 3rd straight 10+ strike out games at home.
• Nolan Ryan won the Texas Legends/Dot Race tonight and will go on to compete against the Nationals’ George Washington and a sausage from Milwaukee at the All Star Game.

(Image courtesy of flickr.com user Keith Allison.)

It’s funny how a game can go from being the most boring thing ever to super exciting with 1 swing of the bat.  Thank you, Craig Gentry.

Yet again, Matt Harrison pitched a gem of a game, going 8 innings, allowing 8 hits, 2 runs (both earned), walking 1 and striking out 7.  And it seemed that yet again, the offense wasn’t going to show up for poor Harry.

In the 2nd inning, the Rangers missed out on a huge opportunity to get on the board early.  Bases loaded and 1 out.  Mike Napoli at the plate.  Strike out.  Followed quickly by Leonys Martin lining out.  *Sigh*

Fast forward to the 7th.  2 on, 1 out.  Napoli at the plate…  You guessed it!  Strike out, and Martin grounds out.  *Groan*  Guys, I’m seeing a pattern.

Thankfully, the boys took advantage of some shaky Athletics relief pitching in the 8th.  With 1 out, Elvis Andrus singled and promptly stole 2nd.  Walks to Josh Hamilton, Michael Young, and Nelson Cruz would result in the Rangers first run of the night.  A triple by Craig Gentry would make the score 4-2.

Tanner Scheppers came in to close things out in the 9th, his first major league save opportunity.  Minus that solo home run to Carter, a pretty great outing by Scheppers, who earned his first major league save.

FINAL: Rangers 4, Athletics 3

Oh, good grief...

They go and do this…

Rangers 1, Athletics 7

On deck: LH Matt Harrison [7-3 4.37 ERA] v. Giants LH Barry Zito [5-2 2.98 ERA]

(Photo via flicker.com/dorkvater)

I guess the Rangers’ ability to score runs only lasted a day?

Scott Feldman took the mound against the A’s Jarrod Parker in Monday’s game.  Summary:  Scott Feldman sucked.  Jarrod Parker did not.

Feldman lasted only 1 2/3 innings, giving up 8 earned runs on 7 hits.  Parker?  Well, he only took a no hitter into the 8th inning.  No big deal.

The rest of the Rangers pitchers actually weren’t all that bad.  Robbie Ross and Yoshi Tateyama combined for a total of 4 1/3 scoreless innings.  Mark Lowe allowed a 2-run home run in his 1 inning of relief.  And CRAIG GENTRY (yes, not a typo) came in, looked adorable, and pitched an inning.  Honestly, Gentry wasn’t all that bad.  He got 2 quick outs, but did start to unravel after that, allowing 3 hits and 2 runs.

The Rangers did manage to avoid the shut out (which they have been doing all year thus far) when Mike Napoli when yard in the top of the 9th.  Michael Young was the one who ended the no-hitter and Elvis added another hit in the 9th.  All and all a pretty dreadful game to watch as a Rangers fan.  As a baseball fan, it is always kind of fun to watch someone go for the no-hitter regardless of who it’s against.

FINAL: Rangers 1, Athletics 12

Game Notes:

• Hamilton player of the month again.  April and May.
• After Monday’s loss, Feldman is now 0-4.  It’ll be interesting to see who would get the next start as the team waits for Oswalt to get ready.  Surely Scooter won’t be getting another chance.

The Rangers take on the A’s again tonight.  It’ll be LHP Derek Holland vs LHP Travis Blackley @ 9:05pm CT.

It's too bad we couldn't see what Mitch could've done with another at bat...

Today’s game featured Matt Harrison against former Ranger Brandon McCarthy, and boy was this a crappy game on all accounts.

Harrison had an extremely rocky 1st inning, walking the leadoff man, giving up 4 hits (2 singles and 2 doubles), and allowing 3 runs to score.  Yuck.  He wasn’t much better in the 2nd, walking 2 more batters and giving up a double.  Miraculously, the Athletics somehow didn’t score that inning.

Helped out by 2 fantastic catches by Nelson Cruz in the 3rd and 4th innings, Harrison breezed through until the 6th when he was replaced by Mark Lowe.  Alexi Ogando pitched the 7th and 8th innings, giving up a solo home run to Josh Reddick in the 7th.  Joe Nathan would also make an appearance in the 9th (his 3rd appearance in 3 days).  8 pitches. 3 outs. Boom.

» Continue reading “Texas Rangers: Athletics 1, Wash’s Gut 0″