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Post-Game Show: Rangers 2, Diamondbacks 1

Posted on June 24th, 2009 11:22pm by Evan Grant
Filed under Baseball, Post-Game Wrap up, Texas Rangers

Three Up and Three Down from Chase Field where the Rangers broke a five-game losing streak Wednesday night:

Three Up
• Since the Great Waiver Incident, RHP Vicente Padilla, who went seven strong innings in 101 degree heat, is 3-0 with a 2.16 ERA. He has worked with C Taylor Teagarden in all four starts. You can bet he will be working with him again the next time out.
• RHP Frank Francisco hasn’t pitched on back-to-back days since returning from the DL, but that is the only thing that appears from allowing him to return to the closer’s role. He pitched around a leadoff double in a one-run game Wednesday.
• Well, maybe the back-to-back days thing isn’t the only thing keeping Francisco from returning to the closer’s role. LHP C.J. Wilson, who has allowed an earned run in just one of his last 20 appearances, lowered his ERA to 2.79 for the season with a perfect ninth. He also picked up his seventh save.

Three Down
• The Rangers have scored 11 runs in five games on their NL West road trip.
• With runners on the corners and one out in the third, 1B Hank Blalock had an excellent chance to turn up the heat on Dan Haren by simply putting a ball in play. He struck out. An inning that started with the Rangers putting three of the first four hitters on base ended with just one run.
• 3B Michael Young, was hitless in four at bats with a pair of strikeouts and a double-play grounder. Young, who entered the day with the eighth highest batting average in interleague games among active players (.328) is 3-for-20 on this interleague trip.

10 Comments to “Post-Game Show: Rangers 2, Diamondbacks 1”

IHARTtherangers @ June 24th, 2009 at 11:31 pm

Evan – what are the chances the rangers trade padilla? I know he had no takers on waivers but now with all the main tradeable pitchers hurt or off the market (penny, peavy, halladay, bedard) don’t you think someone might get desperate and take on his contract AND give us a player? This way we can clear some payroll an go after a batter… Your thoughts?
JustSaying @ June 24th, 2009 at 11:44 pm

we don’t want to give up pitching……..we need more pitching……a reliever to start…..
Ryans Dad @ June 24th, 2009 at 11:51 pm

What the Rangers need is a bat on each corner of the infield.
haiku man @ June 25th, 2009 at 7:40 am

5 game skid is done
bats are endangered species
CJ ends the pain
rangerfan1974 @ June 25th, 2009 at 8:48 am

Perhaps competition and the fact someone on this staff can actully close better than what he had may have finaly motivated CJ to keep focused. He appears to be a better pitcher right now than ever. A righty/lefty closer combination headed into the second half could make any team better. Lets hope they both pitch so well the Wash has options!
Jed E. @ June 25th, 2009 at 8:52 am

First Harrison, now Padilla with Teagarden. Getting harder to classify this as a coincidence.
Bobby in Bryan @ June 25th, 2009 at 9:43 am

Davis, Salty, and Blalock are not giving us much now. I’m sure that the Rangers are wary of letting Davis go somewhere else where he would possible lead the league in homers (Gonzalez & Pena). And the thinking is that a catcher just starting out needs the time to get his defensive game in order before concentrating more on batting. But I’m for giving Tea more starts, especially with Padilla & Harrison. After all, the reason the Rangers have not yet traded one of their catchers is because they are not yet sure what they have in ability at the position. Remember, this is supposed to be an evaluation year at several positions!
Longhorn Matt @ June 25th, 2009 at 11:34 am

I agree that TT should get more starts. TT obviously has a positive impact on the pitcher when he catches. Even though Salty has improved defensively, TT has already established his defensive chops. Salty’s offensive numbers have not been significantly better than what TT could produce if given regular playing time. So if offense and defense are a wash, then TT’s handling of the pitchers should scream out for more playing time. TT matched up with Harrison worked well before Matt went on the DL, so why not try it again now that Matt seems to be struggling out there with Salty behind the plate. I say let TT catch Harrison and Padilla and see how that works. It couldn’t hurt.
Juboon @ June 25th, 2009 at 12:31 pm

Granted, I’ve been out of the loop for a while, but did anyone ever get a good answer about why T no longer catches Harrison? Could’ve just been me, but Harrison didn’t look like the same guy on his most recent start sans T…
becca @ June 25th, 2009 at 5:50 pm

i think whatever needs to be done needs to get done to get teagarden more starts. i think the idea of him catching both harrison and padilla is the way to go. i might write a letter to wash and let him know what i think. because i’m pretty sure he cares.

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