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Post-Game Show: Rangers 3, Rays 1

Posted on July 3rd, 2009 10:06pm by Evan Grant
Filed under Baseball, Post-Game Wrap up, Texas Rangers

Before we go into the Three Up/Three Down, please be aware that you are always invited to add your own. Got an email from some folks disagreeing with some choices and I’d never discourage you from putting up your own list here. These are just my quick and random observations. So, with that, away we go: Three Up and Three Down from Rangers Ballpark in Arlington where the Rangers won for the third consecutive time to keep applying pressure to the AL West-leading Los Angeles Angel.

Three Up
• RHP Tommy Hunter has now made three starts this season and seems to get a little better with each one. Though manager Ron Washington pulled him with one out in the sixth, Hunter had shut down the hottest team in the AL. Hunter has earned yet another start and, if he keeps this up, it might be hard to displace him when Matt Harrison returns from the DL. He also picked up his first major league win on his 23rd birthday.
• DH Hank Blalock provided the walk-off home run on Wednesday and the bulk of the Rangers offense with a two-run, fourth-inning homer on Friday. He is earning his way back into the everyday lineup.
• LHP C.J. Wilson pitched a scoreless eighth against the heart of the Tampa Bay lineup. Wilson has a 1.07 ERA over his last 24 outings and has regained the trust of management after a shaky start to the season.

Three Down
• Two more strikeouts for 1B Chris Davis on an 0-for-3 night that dropped his batting average to .201. He’s now at 113 strikeouts and the Rangers are still three games from the halfway point of the season. The club is going to have to make a decision about his progress by the All-Star break.
• 2B Ian Kinsler had three more fly ball outs and saw his batting average dip below .260 with an 0-for-4 night. Kinsler is hitting just .172 on the homestand.
• For the second time this season, a bank of lights failed at The Ballpark. Fortunately, the teams were able to play on and the relay switch atop the stadium was quickly repaired.

19 Comments to “Post-Game Show: Rangers 3, Rays 1”

fluaggie @ July 3rd, 2009 at 10:10 pm

Might Tom Hicks be trying to save money on the electricity bill? I’m just saying.

Seriously, just when it looks like this teams wheels are going to fall off they rip off a good winning streak against good competition and give us reason to believe and feel like they can compete with the best. And you have to love the fact that a 23 year old shut down a very hot hitting Rays team.

Great game!
Old Tom @ July 3rd, 2009 at 10:23 pm

Jack Daddy said a couple days ago that it’s time to send Davis to AAA and play Blaylock at 1B until Smoak is ready or Davis figures it out. I agree. The loss on defense is balanced by the gain on offense, and most importantly, we don’t leave Davis to twist slowly in the wind until he’s completely (and maybe permanently) screwed up.
Tom B @ July 3rd, 2009 at 10:24 pm

If the Rangers weather this schedule before the ASG and get there with 45-50 wins, their schedule gets to looking a whole lot better in that next month afterward. The Angels historically do an August swoon and lose several in a bunch. Sounds good to me.
Old Tom @ July 3rd, 2009 at 10:24 pm

I don’t remember CeeJay ever having as good a run as he’s on now. Just phenomenal.
90DaysOfHicksDefault @ July 3rd, 2009 at 10:30 pm

don’t worry there’s no danger to the fans from spark outs or any burning or explosions should be so small as not to bother anyone…..just consider it part of our fireworks show
gordosan @ July 3rd, 2009 at 10:30 pm

1. Does Kinsler ever take a pitch. He desperately needs to look over his shoulder and see how Young approaches an at bat.

2. Davis’ swing is too long to get around on a fastball at this point.

3. Daniels needs to get D.J. inked to a long term deal. He is pitching lights out and will be our full time closer at some point. He was just nasty tonite.
Old Tom @ July 3rd, 2009 at 10:34 pm

All four pitchers tonight where just terrific. What a turnaround for the pitching staff from past years. I wonder how to apportion the credit. Obvious Maddux and the defense deserve generous shares. Nolan’s conditioning program. Millwood and Padilla being in contract years. Scooter’s new arm angle, which came from minor league coaches.
JustSaying @ July 3rd, 2009 at 10:38 pm

down 1) lights at the park….is there maintenance we need and don’t have the money to pay for?
down 2) just being sad and bummed out about hicks finances…….can’t help to believe this ownership change needs to happen this offseason and hoping we can last that long
down 3) knowing we’re not getting any substanial bullpen help

up 1) hank can bat in the lineup until he stops hitting but under no circumstance does he come back next year…..under no circumstance……
up 2)tommy hunter makes you think he can be a long term steady member of the rotation…..i think his approach would fit in nicely………..
up 3) evan for improving the daily grind of a baseball season and make it more interesting and building community…….
Dr Pepper presents Batface McGee @ July 3rd, 2009 at 10:38 pm

Hunter is a MUCH better “pitcher” than Holland right now. If you are looking for a person to take out of the rotation when Harrison gets back, it has to be Holland.
Jolly @ July 3rd, 2009 at 10:43 pm

i also have to give an up to jd for picking up o’day(for sure) and grilli (maybe)…..

and an up to jd for the way he built the roster this year by keeping jones and omar and eddie goes against the youth movement but it seems to have worked (fairly) well

but considering the financial state of the franchise doesn’t mean you can’t find jewels in the scrap heap pile…….he’s earning his money in a bad/good situation
Jolly @ July 3rd, 2009 at 10:55 pm

for now i would much rather have holland coming out of the bullpen…..
john in clearwater @ July 3rd, 2009 at 11:48 pm

Kevin Kennedy, one of the Rays announcers, basically analyzed Chris Davis’ swing during the telecast, saying by keeping his right arm straight, he created a long looping swing that would have trouble catching up with fastballs. Just thought I would pass that one along.
morgan @ July 4th, 2009 at 12:00 am

okay everyone tomorrow night when Davis is batting i want you to watch this one thing:

watch how high his head (most importantly eyes-level) starts and then when he strides he drops his eye-level a good 6 inches. It’s already hard enough to hit when you’re eyes are steady. Try doing it when you’re moving your head. When I’m working with middle-schoolers on their swings it is one of the most common problems they have because they feel like they have to throw their body at the ball so they lunge their head down towards the ball (like davis is). The right way to do it is exemplified by Mr. Mike Young. He is probably 20 pounds lighter than davis but can hit the ball just the same keeping his body under control having a smooth stroke.

Now for the real question: How does he fix this?

Simple, start his eye-level wherever it is normally ending up.
Greg @ July 4th, 2009 at 12:17 am

Down: The wave going on in the bottom of the 5th with 2 outs and Byrd on second. I’ve got a short video clip of people in my section watching for the wave instead of paying attention to the game at such a critical time. http://stopthewave.blogspot.com/2009/07/73-rangers-wave-report.html
haiku man @ July 4th, 2009 at 12:36 am

Hunter paves the way
Blalock’s jack is critical
CJ stuffs Zobrist
tett @ July 4th, 2009 at 1:53 am

Evan- Marlon Byrd impressed once again, with an RBI double and a great catch in CF. He seems like a heart and soul guy for this team, but those guys are often not in the long term plans… david delucci and mark derosa come to mind. Do you have any thoughts on Marlon’s future with this club, and what impact does he have on prospects like Borbon and Golson getting into the crowded Rangers outfield?
tett @ July 4th, 2009 at 1:59 am

p.s. feel free to pass my question along to Newberg as well…
jd21 @ July 4th, 2009 at 6:59 am

Trade Blalock while he’s hot.
adiosmofo @ July 4th, 2009 at 9:24 am

Up: winning a game that features Blalock, Jones, Salty, and Davis in the same starting lineup.

Not to mention Byrd hitting third (and I know he’s hot) and a dinged-up Nellie.