Boys, boys, boys. Where do I start? After a day off I would think you would be nice and relaxed, right? Apparently I was way off on that.

After the road trip and a day off the Rangers were back in Arlington to take on the Detroit Tigers, Max Scherzer and his freaky ass eyes. Seriously guys, those things really freak me out. Please stop trying to stare into my soul Max. It scares me.

Scott Feldman was looking to go for another win after a stellar last couple of outings. He looked pretty good, not stellar, but good…He was keeping his pitches down, getting out of jams and was getting some back up from the offense.

It wouldn’t last long. Even though the Rangers put up 1 in the first on a Hamilton bomb to center and another in the third on an Andrus single, the Rangers just couldn’t keep it up. In the 6th inning Scotty was starting to look a little tired and gave up a massive 3 run homer to Prince Fielder.

Mini Rant: I still really do NOT like Prince Fielder and I’m really glad he didn’t come to Texas. I did a post about this before the season started…I’m under the impression that if he can’t clear the ball out of the park then he’s not worth a damn. The dude is S…L…O…W… And it kinda looks like someone did a drive by with a squirt bottle of bleach. I’m just saying.

In the 7th Austin Jackson hit a blooper to right, Nelly dove, Nelly missed and Jackson ended up with an inside the park homerun. Whoops. Then two plays later Nelly went to catch a pop fly and it completely popped out of his glove. Double whoops. Not exactly Nelly’s night. (He left the game in the top of the 8th with some sort of injury…Let’s hope he’s ok.)

After the third inning it looked the Rangers offense just gave up. They would get guys on and then strikeout three in a row. Let’s go back to the basics. Hit while we have men on base. I can give you the strikeouts but let’s not do it with the bases loaded. Ok?

Tomorrow Holland takes on Verlander. Oh boy. Bring the bats tomorrow boys. We’re gonna need some backup.

FINAL: Rangers 2, Tigers 6

<photo by TxSportsPix>

Wow…I’m not really sure where to begin. So much happened during the game. Roy Oswalt pitched again. The Rangers offense exploded. The Tigers offense almost kept up. Someone had 4 strikeouts. A rookie made his major league debut. Hitters were thrown at. Errors were made. Prince Fielder tackled someone. Cookies were talked about. Mike Maddux rubbed shoulders. Nathan had a strikeout wild pitch. And it goes on and on.

FINAL SCORE – Rangers 13, Tigers 9

PITCHING – Roy Oswalt, working with some major swamp ass in the Texas heat, looked dirty sexy on the mound against the Detroit Tigers. Okay, he looked…hittable. He threw a lot of strikes (and first pitch strikes) and gave up 6 runs. He lasted 6 innings while striking out 6.

We’ll give him a pass on this one. It was only his 2nd start of the year. Mentally, he was probably still in Surprise, Arizona working on his game. Or hunting somewhere in Mississippi.

Robbie Ross took over for RoyO, but not much happened there.

One of the big stories on the rubber was the major league debut of Martin Perez, a 21 year old up-and-comer from Venezuela. Perez didn’t necessarily have a great outing, but it was nice to see a young lefty throwing in the mid 90′s. And I do like the confidence. He (or maybe the Rangers) decided to wear Cliff Lee’s old number 33.

Although Perez didn’t last long, he did receive a nice bear hug from Prince Fielder before he departed. It was almost like Fielder wanted to cudddle with him. Perez would finish by giving up 4 runs (only 1 earned), 2 hits, 1 K, and 1 walk.

Mike Adams and Joe Nathan would finish the pitching off for the Rangers. RoyO got the win, his 2nd on the year.

HITTING – The offense was led by…the offense. In particular, David Murphy, Ian Kinsler, Leonys Martin, and others.

The Rangers started the scoring off in the 2nd after a throwing error by the Tigers gold glove third baseman, Miguel Cabrera. But it really got going when David Murphy parked a picture perfect ding dong into the right field bleachers while Michael Young and Nelson Cruz were loitering on the bases.

Moving on to the 4th, Murph flexed his big Texas muscle and knocked another home run into the outfield bleachers to extend the Rangers lead. Ian Kinsler got a little jealous that Murph was getting all the attention, so he decided to hit a big fly. Kinsler’s big fly landed in Green’s Hill where Trent lives.

Both of the Murphy and Kinsler home runs came while the Rangers broadcast was interviewing Nolan Ryan…or as my wife once referred to him as, Ryan Nolan.

In the 5th, Murph Dog was still flaming in the Texas heat and had another RBI while Leonys Martin got himself involved with a 2-run triple. Michael Young, Elvis Andrus, and Adrian Beltre would also contribute to the offense machine.

David Murphy finished 4 for 5 with 2 HR, 5 RBI, and had a clean shaved face. The rest of the guys did well too, except one, who had 4 K’s. Look it up yourself.

T’s Game Notes and Observations

• The Rangers sported the ever sexy red tops, red hats, white undies, and white bottoms.
• Emily Jones was decked out in a Rangers outfit…red top, blue bottoms, and…
• All of the umpires wore black tops, gray bottoms, whitey-tighties, and knee high socks.
• It was 99 degrees at the time of RoyO’s first pitch…damn near winter temps.
• What is the freaking deal with Josh Hamilton and the bat toss? This is beyond ridiculous. It’s ridonkulous.
• Nice run down by Adrian Beltre in the 5th. That’s text book.
• President Bush apparently got in a bicycle accident and is nursing his knee for tomorrow’s round of golf. Lovely life.
• “The backdoor got him”…I’m not sure what to think about that quote from the Rangers game.
• Dear Ranger fans - stop freaking sending the Rangers broadcast team cookies, cupcakes, salsa, cookbooks, fruit, cookies, and everything else. Stop it…now. I beg you.
• This is the Rangers 6 series win in a row.
• I wish I could be a part of the post game hug between Mike Maddux and Ron Washington.

(Image courtesy of flickr.com user Jay DeSimone.)

After learning that yet another pitcher…this time Colby Lewis…would be making a trip to the disabled list, the Rangers (and their fans) definitely needed some good news.  I think a 7-5 win over Detroit is heading in the right direction.

Yu Darvish started out a bit shaky (not at all shocking) in the 1st, walking the first batter and then hitting another just in time for Prince Fielder to smack a double to center field, scoring both runners.  Thankfully, the Rangers would get one of those runs back when Ian Kinsler knocked in his 8th home run of the year to lead off the bottom of the 1st.

» Continue reading “Texas Rangers: Darvish Gets Win No. 10″

Oh boys…When I’ve had the day from hell at work, I really just want to come home, sit down and watch you win. Or at least watch you not suck completely.

When you give up 5 runs in the top of the first inning, it makes it really hard to watch. Painful actually.

When Grimm allowed the first three Detroit batters base hits I knew we were in trouble…Oh and  when the Rangers couldn’t hit Porcello. I knew we were in major trouble. It wasn’t that we weren’t getting hits. We just couldn’t get hits at the right times. I mean they had 10 base hits…that was what was so hard to watch.

The Rangers did get on the board when Hambone hit his 23rd ding dong of the season in the bottom of the 7th, but it just wasn’t enough for the Rangers tonight.

It was definitely an off night for the boys. Let’s try not to do that again tomorrow night. Thankskbye!

FINAL: Rangers 2, Tigers 8

END OF GAME NOTES:

• Leonys Martin has a freaking cannon for an arm. I like it….but I do miss Gentry and the high socks.
• Adrian Beltre was on fire tonight. How much do you think I have to pay him to keep that up until October?
• Justin Grimm got rocked tonight…and it’s ok, he’s still cute. I’ll forgive him…until he does it again. (Insert evil laugh here)
• What is up with Prince’s dreads? It looks like someone dropped some bleach on his head.
• Holland will make a rehab start in Round Rock on Weds. He’s looking forward to getting back in the rotation. We’re looking forward to it too, Dutch.

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”

Well, Prince Fielder went to the Detroit Tigers (yeah, I definitely did not see that one coming). The 27 year old signed a 9 year, $214 MILLION contract with the Tigers after it was reported Victor Martinez could possibly miss the entire season.

Would it have been nice to have the heavy hitting lefty in our already ridiculous lineup? Absolutely. Am I super upset he went somewhere else? Not really.

I know, I know…please don’t light the torches yet, I have a reasoning to my madness. I promise.

First of all, Prince Fielder is a great hitter. We all know this, but that’s not my point. He is by no means a great or even decent fielder in my opinion. Based on the Defensive Runs Saved, Fielder has cost his team 48 runs since 2006. Ten more given up by any other first baseman in that span. He’s basically a guy with no glove and no speed which means? Say it with me everyone…. no defensive value.

» Continue reading “Texas Rangers: Who Needs A Prince In Texas Armor?”

(Photo courtesy of flickr.com user Keith Allison)

Danny Knobler (CBS Sports) asked a Rangers official a month ago, after the club was awarded the Darvish negotiating rights, how Texas might resolve its rotation surplus if Darvish were to sign.  The response: “We have options.”

One option would be to move Harrison and Ogando to the pen and maybe sign Oswalt, although they probably won’t go that route.

Another option the Rangers could pursue is putting a package together that involves Matt Harrison plus others to Baltimore for CF Adam Jones, who isn’t a free agent until the 2014 season.

Now I’m not for running Harrison out of town, but upgrading CF is an attractive option, especially if they could pry Jones away from the Orioles.

Jon Heyman (CBS Sports) reports that the reason that the Rangers’ meeting with Fielder at the Four Seasons a week ago was leaked is that Pirates closer Joel Hanrahan was getting married at the hotel the same weekend, and various players and agents in attendance told others they’d seen Fielder, Boras, Ryan, and Daniels.  Heyman adds the interesting note that Hanrahan is “yet another star player the Rangers have tried for this winter.”

Hanrahan would be an interesting piece to add to the pen, but would come at a premium price. If I’m sending any prospects away, it’s to upgrade at CF or 1B.

There’s only a month until Spring Training and you know this team is working all angles. This is going to be another big week as Prince Fielder could sign somewhere.  The Rangers say they are on the periphery of those talks, but as you know with Daniels and Co. you can’t count them out. Also Mike Gonzalez, the LH relief pitcher, is unsigned and the Rangers are likely out on that front as well – but again you never know.

This team and it’s front office have been interesting the last two years, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon.

If you could gaze into the magic 8 ball (where we’ve signed Yu Darvish) and see that we’ve sign Cole Hamels or Matt Cain after the 2012 season, would you still rather have Prince Fielder?  You can only have one of three…

Discuss.

So what’s next for the Rangers?

We all know the Rangers won the negotiating rights for…Yu guessed it…Yu Darvish (Sorry, I had to get my Yu pun in for the day). And if signed (fingers crossed), the Rangers rotation will be complete heading into spring training. I cross my fingers again.

But what happens now? Do the Rangers add bullpen depth by trading for a reliever? There are still rumors floating around about the Rangers and Andrew Bailey. Take it for what it is worth though; the Rangers appear to be in about every trade rumor thrown out. But the thought of having Bailey, Mike Adams, Scott Feldman, etc… throwing in front of Joe Nathan sounds pretty darn good to me. And if Nathan goes down, in-house options will exist – like Bailey.

A big question the Rangers must ask themselves if they really are interested in Bailey is…Is the price tag more expensive now, or will it be more expensive when the Rangers are in the middle of a pennant race and the bullpen needs bolstered?

» Continue reading “Texas Rangers: Life After Darvish”

As we’re nearing the end of 2011 and the beginning of 2012, we at Big Game Claws thought it would be fitting to countdown our 10 favorite Rangers moments of 2011.

NOTE:  These may not be in any particular order.

Number 10…

Remember when the Rangers signed Adrian Beltre, then Michael Young was told he would play 1B/DH and then promptly threw a hissy fit, demanding to be traded?  Yeah, that was fun.  (Seriously, can we sign Fielder simply so we can relive this?)

No, that’s not the moment.  The moment is when Michael Young almost made this little boy quit on baseball.  Almost.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6-ks_UP988

Michael, you our team and don’t you forget it.