Texas Rangers’ May Shower Of Runs And Mariners’ Late Lightning Vs. Angels Leaves Locals Up By 5.5

D-tails: Rangers 14, A’s 1
• Boxscore, Standings, Depot game blog

ARLINGTON - The home runs were far, farther, farthest. The manager was bear-hugged in the dugout – after an out. A starter who looked like he might not last the first inning equaled his career mark for wins in a season before the second month ends.

May will end Sunday, when the Rangers look to sweep Oakland following a 14-1 win over the A’s on Saturday night before the third official sellout of 2009 at Rangers Ballpark. Ron Washington called the game “refreshing.”

The Rangers have gone 20-8 in May despite run producing taking a rare back seat to pitching and fielding. Their 1978 club is the only previous one to win 20 times in a month, going 21-10 that September. Combined with Seattle rallying with three in the ninth and one in the 10th to stun the Angels, the Rangers lead the AL West by 5.5 games – their largest lead since ending the 1999 season eight up.

“We have four months to improve as a club,” said 3B Michael Young, one of three Rangers with three hits. “We’re looking forward to it.”

(more…)

Spot Starter To Handle Depot In-Game Blog

ARLINGTON - Before the action begins, a brief look at what happens to Taylor Teagarden now that dance partner Matt Harrison is shelved for the better part of two weeks.

Manager Ron Washington said he hasn’t decided how to spot Teagarden into the lineup, but that Teagarden should get a start on next week’s trip to New York and Boston. As the temperatures continue to rise, Washington he’ll keep a close eye on Jarrod Saltalamacchia to make sure his No. 1 catcher doesn’t get sapped: “He thinks he’s Superman.”

(more…)

Saturday Home Run Crystal Ball Pool

ARLINGTON - I believe Evan has elected to use today as his off day for May, and Chris Davis isn’t in tonight’s starting lineup. Don’t see any connection, but either could show up later on.

The Rangers’ lineup against young Oakland lefty Brett Anderson:

1. Kinsler 2b; 2. Young 3b; 3. Hamilton dh; 4. Jones lf; 5. Cruz rf; 6. Blalock 1b; 7. Byrd cf; 8. Saltalamacchia c; 9. Andrus ss.

Ron Washington this is just a day off for Davis, who tipped his helmet to acknowledge cheers late in Friday’s nightcap after managing a fly to deep left-center after six consecutive strikeouts. Washington said Davis arrived at 1 p.m. for extra work, including more emphasis on mechanics with Rudy Jaramillo. Washington said he hasn’t lost confidence in Davis: “He still has 12 [home runs], close to 30 ribbies.”

Also, Washington said Derek Holland will be available in the bullpen tonight and tomorrow. That would still allow him to be eligible to start next Saturday in Boston.

Public Service Announcement From Rangers Ballpark

ARLINGTON - As of this hour, the Rangers have only the following tickets available for Round 3 tonight against the Athletics – 1,500 unobstructed seats, 700 obstructed and 1,800 standing room. Hence, we’re looking at the eighth consecutive gathering of 30,000+.

The Best Man: A Look At Rangers Manager Ron Washington Vs. Other Class Of 2007 Debutants

Following the 2006 season, both the Rangers and Oakland started looking for new managers. The A’s chose to bypass Ron Washington and hire Bob Geren from their own staff while also interviewing Rangers coach Don Wakamatsu. So who got the better end of the deal. The chart shows overall winning percentages for all the first-time managers hired before the 2007 seasons. For whatever impact a manager has, as of right now, it certainly seems like the Rangers made the best move. Yes, Washington can be inconsistent with his strategic moves, but I’d still venture to say that unless it’s a seven-game series being played by two fairly evenly matched teams, a manager who gets his team to play hard is going to be worth more than one who plays the percentages.
(more…)

Saturday Morning Fun: Justin Smoak Returns To Viral Video

We talk adjusting to Double-A and about his love of pie.

Great work by the invaluable Ted Price of Rangers Podcast in Arlington. Should be noted: This is one of the downsides of saving up video. We shot about a week ago after Chris Davis started to emerge from a slump and before this most recent one started.

Random Rangers Ruminations

After spending most of the year being regarded by the leering press and many others as the weak link on this club — and deservedly so — it’s hard to overstate how big yesterday was for the Rangers bullpen generally, and C.J. Wilson specifically. Seven and two-thirds scoreless frames. The Rangers bullpen’s 4.76 ERA ranks 10th in the American League, but the’ve pitched the fewest innings — by far — of any AL bullpen: 129, including Frankie Frank’s 17.2 scoreless.

It’s interesting to me how many stories, columns, blog posts and online comments in the Rangers cyber universe have been committed to speculating on Chris Davis’s struggles and what should be done about it while I have a hard time finding anything about Josh Hamilton’s even more troubling struggles and what should be done about that. Hamilton’s defense is vastly improved this year, but the regression of his bat (.235 average & .750 OPS) is catastrophic.

(more…)

Texas Heat Times Two: Nolan Ryan Checks Out Brownwood Senior Right-Hander Shelby Miller

Brownwood RHP Shelby Miller takes two playoff shutouts into Saturday's Region II-3A semifinal against West.

BROWNWOOD, Texas - Shelby Miller got used to all the radar guns staring back at him from behind home plate late last year as a hard-throwing junior right-hander. When he first took the mound for the Brownwood Lions this spring, more than 40 major league scouts were aimed at him out on the mound like paparazzi. And that was for a scrimmage.

But when Miller and the Lions faced Seminole High last week in the area round of the Class 3A playoffs in Abilene, one visitor caused a particular stir without any extracurricular equipment. Though he tried to go incognito in a baseball cap, khaki shirt, blue jeans and boots.

“As incognito as Nolan Ryan can,” said Mitch Miller, Shelby’s father.

“I guess he was scouting me,” Shelby said. “I didn’t know he was there until my coach told me right before the game.”

That’ll happen when you’re a 6-4, 206 with a fastball that hits the high 90s. And it might happen again in Mineral Wells on Saturday afternoon, when Miller is scheduled to pitch against West High in the one-game Region II semifinal.

(more…)

Road To Arlington: Rangers Minor League Report (5/30)

@ Oklahoma City 6, Albuquerque 5 (10 Innings)

RF Greg Golson (.289 / .350 / .389) plated SS Joaquin Arias (.218 / .250 / .255) with a walkoff RBI single to cap a 3-for-4 outing that include the speedster’s third triple of the year and a base on balls.

RHP Clayton Hamilton was summoned from Frisco to make the spot start in place of Tommy Hunter and gave the RedHawks 4.1 frames, allowing four runs, three earned, on seven hits. LHP Pirate Murray (1.72 ERA) held the Topes to a run on two hits and no walks over the next three innings.
(more…)