Post-Game Show: Mariners 5, Rangers 3

D-tails
• Boxscore, Standings

Live from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport following the Rangers third loss in four days at Seattle. This team could use the All-Star break. The pressure of playing with the lead seems to have worn them down some. When they return from the four-day All-Star break, they will be 1.5 games behind AL West leader Los Angeles. The Angels finished off a weekend sweep of the Yankees Sunday.

Three Up
• 1B Hank Blalock was 11-for-26 (.423) on the road trip or, as it’s otherwise known, since he took over at first base. OPS of 1.175. Blalock had a two-run homer that momentarily got the Rangers back into the game Sunday.
• Though an argument could be made for an error or two Sunday, the Rangers were not charged with any and have just 52 going into the All-Star break. They are on pace for 97, which would be their lowest total since 2003 and their second lowest since setting a club record with 87 on the way to the AL West title in 1996.
• The first half is over, mercifully for the Rangers. They appeared to be dragging some in the final few days.

Three Down

• LHP C.J. Wilson will probably get sick the next time offers him some fresh salmon. The Northwest did not agree with him. He was charged with the loss on Friday after surrendering a three-run homer. Sunday, the two soft hits he allowed both produced runs, charged to RHP Darren O’Day that created the final margin.
• It appears RHP Dustin Nippert is not the answer for the fifth spot in the rotation. He’s failed to get through four innings in each of his two starts. So now what? Back to Derek Holland? Guillermo Moscoso? What?
• Should you spend the All-Star break worrying about the offense all over again? The scored just 11 runs and had only 21 hits during the four-game series at Seattle. The percentages: A .169 batting average and .254 OBP.

The Depot: Rangers-Mariners Live Blog, News, Notes

2:24: Did somebody ask if the pool is open? Why, yes, yes it is.

2:25: Kevin Millwood will get extra rest coming out of the All-Star break.

2:37: Wanted: Your suggeestions for the most important moments of the first half. You can simply place them in comments. Could be one; could be five. Could be anything in between.

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Rangers To Give Kevin Millwood Extra Rest Coming Out Of All-Star Break

SEATTLE – Rangers workhorse RHP Kevin Millwood, who begins Sunday tied for the major league lead in innings pitched, will get a longer-than-expected rest coming out of the All-Star break.

Rangers manager Ron Washington set his second half rotation and it has Millwood pitching in the fourth spot behind RHP Vicente Padilla, RHP Scott Feldman and RHP Tommy Hunter. Millwood will pitch a week from Monday against Boston. The fifth starter has not yet been determined.

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Last Home Run Pool Before The All-Star Break

But just because there won’t be any homer pools or depots during the All-Star Break doesn’t mean you should just forget about us. We’ll have all kinds of good stuff. And then, of course, on Thursday we’ve got the Pennant Race Pep Rally at Pappasito’s in Arlington with our latest committment – Big Tommy Hunter. I’m planning to engage him in a shrimp brochette eating contest (though I don’t think he’s aware of that and I possibly just made up this whole eating thing just for the sake of a cheap laugh).

Meanwhile here is your homer pool lineup for the day as the Rangers try to finish the first half of the season tied for the high-water record of the season (11 games above .500), finish off a winning road trip against their two main competitors in the AL West (they are 3-3) and, oh, yeah, take back first place in the division as well.

Against tough LHP Erik Bedard, the Rangers are sending out 2B Ian Kinsler, 3B Michael Young (5-for-26, but with a HR), CF Josh Hamilton (2-for-6, HR), DH Andruw Jones, 1B Hank Blalock, LF Marlon Byrd, RF Nelson Cruz (3-for-6, HR), C Taylor Teagarden, SS Elvis Andrus and pitching for the Rangers … RHP Dustin Nippert.

For Last Time, Ian Kinsler Will Not Be On The All-Star Team

Dustin Pedroia has backed out to be with his wife during a difficult time in her pregnancy. Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon has added 1B Carlos Pena to the roster. It was reported Pena will partake in the Home Run Derby, but I can’t find final Home Run Derby rosters, so I have no idea if this impacts Nelson Cruz’s participation or not.

Yesterday, Kinsler summed up the situation thusly: “It’s a win-win. If they add me, I get to go and hang out with the All-Stars. If they don’t, I get to spend time with my family.”

Road To Arlington: Rangers Minor League Report (7/12)

Neftali Feliz will pitch for the World team in today’s XM Future’s Game in St. Louis. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 pm central time and you can catch the action on ESPN 2. Then at 6:00 pm, the RoughRiders host Arkansas on Channel 21. Kasey Kiker is expected to start for Frisco.

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Kevin Millwood On Entering The Seventh: “I Felt As Strong As I Had All Night”

SEATTLE – In a tie game, squaring off against a starter with one of the 10 best ERAs in the AL, Rangers RHP Kevin Millwood carried a heavy load through six innings Saturday night.

And then without retiring another batter, Millwood allowed a single, a homer to a light-hitting backup catcher, and a double to Seattle’s new third baseman, who had joined the club less than two hours before Seattle’s 4-1 win that dumped the Rangers out of first place in the AL West.

At first glance, Millwood displayed all the signs of a pitcher who simply hit a wall on a surprisingly humid night.

Millwood’s response: Puh-leeeze.

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