(Image via Keith Allison.)

Things you need to know about this game:

1.  Josh Hamilton can’t play baseball with sinus issues and is really good at snot rockets.

2.  The 4th inning was the worst.  The Angels scored 6 runs.  We saw 3 Rangers pitchers and 12 Angels batters.  We also saw Tanner Scheppers throw a wild pitch and while covering home was hit by Chris Iannetta as he crossed home plate.  Then, Mike Trout nearly cleated Scheppers head when sliding into home on the wild pitch while Scheppers was down in the home plate area.  Evidently Scheppers has a bruised knee and had to leave the game.

3.  I thought that after a while, I’d get used to the weird glove crap thing that Ryan Dempster does before each pitch. I haven’t.

4.  West Coast games still suck.  Seriously, anyone who stayed up after that horrendous 4th inning deserves an award.  Or at least a free cup of coffee.

5.  Mike Napoli still loves Angels pitching.  A home run, a single, …

6.  The A’s lost earlier in the day, so the Rangers magic number goes to 13.

7. Jered Weaver is now 9-0 against the Rangers when pitching at home.

8.  Vernon Wells fell over the left field wall while trying to catch an Ian Kinsler home run. And it was hilarious.

9.  I’m blaming Hamilton for the awful 4th. Surely if he and his sinuses had sucked it up, none of that awfulness would have occurred.

10.  Eff the Angels.

11.  Despite being only 3 games back in the Wild Card game AND playing their division rival, Angels fans still couldn’t attend the game.

FINAL: Rangers 3, Angels 11

(Image via Keith Allison)

FINAL: Rangers 10, Yankees 6

The starter and the game 

This game was normal and Derek Holland was fantastic until the bottom of the sixth inning. Staked to a 4-0 lead, Holland gave up 5 runs, 4 earned, on 4 hits and a game tying home run to Andruw Jones. Washington’s mad[dening] genius lineup included Mike Olt making only his fourth start in the outfield and for the first time in the majors.

The ‘pen

Tanner Scheppers relieved Holland, pitching 2/3 of an inning, giving up 2 hits and and a run. Micheal Kirkman pitched an inning, walking one and striking out one. Mike Adams pitched the eighth, walking one and striking out two. Joe Nathan pitched the ninth only allowing a hit.

The bats

Everyone had a hit except Moreland, who drew two intentional walks. The team had 16 hits overall and 6 walks. David Murphy led the way with 3 hits and Andrus, Young, Hamilton, Beltre and Soto all had two each. Beltre and Gentry had three RBI each.

End of the bench notes

- Elvis had two hits today, making it four years in a row where he’s had two hits on the death date of Elvis Presley

- Pitcher wins don’t matter, but Tanner Scheppers got his first

On deck

RH Yu Darvish [12-8, 4.54 ERA, 99 ERA+, 1.46 WHIP] v Blue Jays LH J.A. Happ [8-10, 5.04 ERA, 81 ERA+, 1.44 WHIP]

(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

Bring them up and put them down, that’s the way the Rangers beat them down. Sexy, sexy work by the Rangers pitching staff as they lead the Rangers to victory over the Colorado Rockies 4 – 2. Matt Harrison picked up the win. It’s his 10th of the year.

The offense? Decent. Could have been better. They left way too many runners stranded. Heck, the score should have been 14 – 0. But, who cares…a victory is a victory. If I had to pick an offensive MVP, I’d give it to Leonys Martin. Nice breakout game by him. Elvis wasn’t too bad either. Kinsler and Young…blah.

Here are some of my thoughts throughout the game…

1st Inning and 2nd Inning

• Leonys Martin…you have to catch that ball if you wanna play center field for the Texas Rangers.
• Warm air and current to the outfield bleachers should make for some solid gold home run ball.
• Matt Harry Harrison with some nice balls to the plate.
• Emily Jones has worn that shirt before on the Rangers broadcast. Me still like though.
• Josh Hamilton falls out of the batters box on that single…that’s all I’m going to say about that. Okay, maybe he looked a bit drunk. Sorry Josh.
• F, I hate leaving runners on the base.
• I like the all white uni’s with blue trim and blue hats.
• Harry flirts with danger but no danger is done.
• Nice stolen base Nelson. Speed Power Combo = solid country gold.
• Nice RBI double Leonys! Rangers 1, Rockies 0.
• That a boy Elvis! Nice RBI double yourself. Rangers 2, Rockies 0.

» Continue reading “Rangers Recap: 17 Games Over 500″

Geez, Oswalt can't seem to get her fast enough... (via flickr.com/Matthew Straubmuller)

Welp.  It’s official.  According to numerous sources, Derek Holland has been put on the DL with shoulder fatigue (or because of his weakened condition from the flu depending on who you talk to).  AAA pitcher Tanner Scheppers has been called up to take his spot on the roster.  No official word from the Rangers on who will be starting Sunday’s game…looks like it might be Ogando.

Oh and despite his horrendous outings (including that craptastic affair on Monday night), Scott Feldman is still slated to start on Saturday against the Giants.

So, I have to ask:

 Loading ...

Feel free to select up to 2 answers!

The Rangers added another win to their spring total, but who really cares, it’s spring training. What matters most is, positions get settled – I’m looking at you centerfield – and guys keep working on what they need to work on.

In his first start since being removed with shoulder soreness on March 20, Neftali Feliz pitched 5 solid innings against the Cleveland Indians on Saturday, leading the Rangers to a 7 to 5 win. Feliz would end up with the W while giving up 3 runs, 5 hits, 3 walks, and 4 strike outs. He would also give up 2 home runs on 85 pitches, 51 for strikes.

In the 2nd inning with a 2-1 lead, Feliz observed the roster of the Indians and decided they needed some exercise. So he proceeded to walk 3 of the first 5 batters he faced. He would end up walking in a run.

» Continue reading “Texas Rangers Rapid Reaction: VICTORY!”

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

This was the second game in a day/ night split squad day for the team. 

Thusday evening, potential long man/ sixth starter Scott Feldman faced off against the Reds and their big offseason trade acquisition 24-year-old right-handed starter Mat Latos.  (Re: Latos – The price tag was quite daunting as they give up top prospects - infielder Yonder Alonso and catcher Yasmani Grandal, along with starting pitcher Edinson Volquez.)

Feldman gave up back to back to back doubles in the first and SIX of them overall in 4  1/3 innings of work (he was scheduled to go five). He also struck out three, walked one and gave up two runs.

» Continue reading “While You Were Sleeping… Rangers 2, Reds 6″

Starting pitcher Greg Reynolds gave up a 3-run HR to James Loney in the 2nd inning and a sacrifice fly to Andre Either in the 3rd. He allowed the leadoff hitter to reach in all four innings he pitched, struckout two, walked one and gave up seven hits. He was removed after giving up a leadoff single to in the 4th.

» Continue reading “Rapid Reaction: Rangers 2, Dodgers 5″

Today’s starters featured reigning 2011 Cy Young award winner and Highpark Park’s own left-hander Clayton Kershaw against highly touted Rangers left-handed pitching prospect Martin Perez.

Kershaw was brilliant his first time out this Spring, facing game action. In 3 innings, he gave up 3 hits and walked only one.

For the Rangers, Perez’s stuff was impressive and nice overall despite contact against big league competition. His fastball averaged 92-94 mph, his changeup 81-84 mph, and curveball was clocked at 78 mph. He struggled with control, walking three [including the leadoff man both innings].  A a failed double play in the first, allowed a run.  Perez was helped with one in the 2nd inning, allowing him to only give up one run after loading the bases. Perez threw 37 pitches, 20 for strikes.

The obvious storyline is terrible pitching and no offense. The Rangers had only 7 hits and nobody had more than one. Here’s what transpired today:

» Continue reading “Texas Rangers: Dodgers 9, Rangers 0″

Oh, hey bats, nice of you to show up!

Monday’s game was a bit more reminiscence of the Rangers we all know and love from 2010 and 2011.  Well, early on that is.

The Rangers’ offense started out hot in the 1st with back-to-back singles by Kinsler and Andrus.  A ground ball to 3rd by Adrian Beltre (with a little help from the rusty Royals’ D), the Rangers were on the board 2-0.  A Cruz base hit followed by a Murphy base hit and we have a score of 3-0 going into the bottom of the 1st.

The offense wasn’t done yet.  The Rangers plated 2 more runs in the 2nd, 1 on an Andrus triple and another on a Beltre single, and another run in 4th on a Beltre double.

» Continue reading “Texas Rangers: Welcome To Spring Training, Offense!”