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Rangers Josh Hamilton ‘Confident’ Back Injury Will Not Force Him to Miss any Upcoming Games

ARLINGTON – For the second straight day, a key member of the Rangers lineup left the field early due to injury. OF Josh Hamilton, however, said he does not expect to miss any more upcoming games over back stiffness that has bothered him since a weekend of playing on artificial turf in Minnesota.

Hamilton left Wednesday’s game after doubling in the fourth inning. He slid headfirst into second on the double and then took a minute to kneel before getting up slowly. He remained in the game and scored the Rangers second run of a 6-4 win over Toronto. He did not return for the fifth inning and was replaced by Marlon Byrd in center field.

Afterward Hamilton said he didn’t do anything specific during the weekend on Minnesota’s artificial turf, but that the back started to stiffen up by the end of the weekend. The three games in Minnesota made six games on turf for the Rangers in a 10-day span. Hamilton said he will get treatment on the back Thursday before the Rangers leave for Baltimore to begin a six-game road trip. He said he is “confident” that he won’t need to miss any additional time. He’s already spent two stints on the DL this season for a sore oblique muscle and later for sports hernia surgery.

“We all need to go out there when we are less than 100 percent,” Hamilton said after the game. “You work through it.”

Post-Game Show: Rangers 6, Blue Jays 4

D-tails
• Boxscore, AL West Standings, AL Wild Card Standings

Story of the Game
The Rangers finished up a very brief homestand by gaining ground in both AL playoff races for a second straight day. After RHP Tommy Hunter rebounded from a rough first inning, the Rangers provided him with six runs over the next five innings. SS Elvis Andrus’ two-run homer in the fifth, which followed a leadoff walk by DH Julio Borbon gave the Rangers their first lead. RF Nelson Cruz then led off the sixth with his 30th home run of the season and the Rangers scratched out another run formed by a pair of walks to LF David Murphy and C Ivan Rodriguez.

The bullpen duo of LHP C.J. Wilson and RHP Frank Francisco allowed one baserunner over two efficient innings to close out the game. Both were pitching for the second consecutive day. Wilson had pitched two-thirds of an inning in Game 2 of Tuesday’s doubleheader win, while Francisco, who got the final two outs Wednesday for his 22nd save, pitched in both ends of the doubleheader.

“Every game has to be won,” Wilson said. “We didn’t get over-worked in the early part of the season, so there is a lot left in our arms.”

The Rangers picked up 2.5 games in the AL West over the final two days of the series and now trail Los Angeles, by 3.5 games. The Rangers picked up 1.5 games on Boston Tuesday and Wednesday and trail in the wild card race by 2.5 games.

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The Depot: Rangers-Blue Jays Live Game Blog, News, Notes and Blood Platelet Injections

5:50: Yes, you can still get in the home run pool.

7:17: Tommy Hunter allows a one-out walk and then a double to Adam Lind – who else? – to score a run. Hunter has allowed runs in six of his last eight starts.

7:23: Ron Washington said he was uncertain who would start on Monday, at Cleveland, the next time the fifth starter’s spot comes up. Both RHP Dustin Nippert (6 IP, 2 R) and RHP Brandon McCarthy (6.1 IP, 1 R) qualified for quality starts in Tuesday’s doubleheader. Both alos have relief experience, though McCarthy has been exclusively a starter since coming to Texas.

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Rangers Considering Trade Options at Third Base

ARLINGTON - With Michael Young out for at least two weeks, manager Ron Washington said he plans to alternate INFs Omar Vizquel and Esteban German at third base.

But there is another option to fill the hole created by Young’s hamstring injury: A trade.

Though any player acquired would not be eligible for the playoffs, if the Rangers qualify, the club can still make a deal to help it get to the playoffs. The Rangers are weighing the pros and cons of making a September trade. The biggest decision is whether getting a player who may only play regularly for two or three weeks is worth the price in whatever prospect or prospects the Rangers would have to surrender. The Rangers expect Young to be back before the playoffs begin. Young said he’s hoping to return for a three-game series with the Los Angeles Angeles that begins on Sept. 18.

In the meantime, there are three potentially attractive options out there for the Rangers to ponder. None would cost the Rangers more than $1.5 million in salary for the rest of the year and none have long-term contracts that would require commitments for 2010. A look at those options listed in alphabetical order.

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Back to Just One Home Run Pool Today

Hope you got enough rest after the double dip. As you probably guessed, a different look tonight to face Toronto RHP Scott Richmond:

DH Julio Borbon, SS Elvis Andrus, 2B Ian Kinsler, CF Josh Hamilton, RF Nelson Cruz, LF David Murphy, C Ivan Rodriguez, 1B Hank Blalock, 3B Chris Davis and pitching for the Rangers. … RHP Tommy Hunter.

Rangers 3B Michael Young Hopes to Return from Injury Against Angels on September 18

ARLINGTON - Texas Rangers 3B Michael Young was told Wednesday afternoon that the hamstring strain he suffered on Tuesday night was slightly more than a Level 1 strain. He was then shown a needle the length of a ballpoint pen and given a rather painful injection.

All of this he welcomed as good news, bordering on great, because it means he still has a chance to impact the playoff race.

“On the way home last night, I was certain my season was over,” Young said. “When [team orthopedist Dr. Keith Meister] looked at me and kind of smiled after reading the MRI, I treated it as very good news. I could get upset about missing some time or I could visualize the impact I could have on the last two weeks of the season. As down as I was about it last night, what I was told today was very uplifting. It’s only going to give me more energy about being aggressive with my rehab.”

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Michael Young Diagnosis: Likely Out 2-3 Weeks

An MRI exam Wednesday confirmed a significant strain of 3B Michael Young’s left  hamstring. GM Jon Daniels, in an email, said that Young will likely be out “a couple of weeks,” though exactly how long is uncertain.

Young is receiving an injection of blood platelets to accelerate the healing process.  Here is an on-line discussion about the rather new therapy (Mark Teixeira had it for his hip injury in 2007).

Texas Rangers Say: Nice to See You Again, Josh Hamilton

ARLINGTON – Since Ernie “Let’s Play Two!” Banks retired, finding players who are fond of doubleheaders is a monumental task.

Rangers OF Josh Hamilton might be the exception.

A long day at Rangers Ballpark Tuesday might just have helped him unlock the mysteries of a home run swing that has deserted him for much of this injury-plagued season. After a hitless first at-game, Hamilton homered in consecutive at-bats in the second.

They were his first homers since August 7. He had only two homers since May 25, a span of 57 games.

“I was just happy I remembered how to jog around the bases,” Hamilton said after the second of a pair of 5-2 wins over Toronto. “But really, it was a sense of relief to hit one again. I was kidding around with a lot of teammates afterward.  [Nelson Cruz] asked me if I wanted him to go get the ball for me. Guys had been kidding me about having batting practice pop, but not having any more game pop. As much of a relief as this was for me, I think it was a relief for them, too.”

No kidding.

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Linkin’ Park: Lurking Around The Web For You

Even on a day when there was plenty of good news — the Rangers swept a double-header from the Blue Jays, the Angels lost in Seattle, Brandon McCarthy made a very successful return from the DL — the bad news might overshadow it in the end. Michael Young is set to have an MRI on the hamstring he tweaked in game two last night. Hamstring injuries usually aren’t quick to heal, and the Rangers can ill-afford to lose their leader in OPS for much or all of the final month of the season.

But a little help from some struggling bats could assuage the loss of Young. Josh Hamilton launched two rocket homers in the nightcap that were reminiscent of his 2008 campaign, while Chris Davis raised his season average 12 points and drove in four runs yesterday. Davis’ 5-8 performance, which was prophesized by Jamey Newberg, improved his slash line to an impressive .355/.375/.548 since returning from triple-A. He’s striking out once every 3.88 at bats, still a relatively high number, but a huge improvement from the 2.26 ratio he owned before he was demoted.

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As We Were Saying (Back in Early June), Texas Rangers’ Brandon McCarthy Looking Good

ARLINGTON - When Brandon McCarthy last took a big-league mound, the Rangers held a 4.5-game lead in the A.L. West. Almost 13 weeks and yet another D.L. stint later, he didn’t appear to miss a beat and helped the Rangers pull within 4.5 games of the Angels (and within 3.5 in the wild-card race).

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Race Day: A Look at the A.L. Playoff Races

About the Wild Card Race

Boston: CF Jacoby Ellsbury’s sliding catch plus spin and throw home to leave the bases loaded in the eighth was the key play in the Red Sox’s win. Before LHP Jon Lester left after 95 pitches because of an aggravated groin problem, he broke Bruce Hurst’s club record for strikeouts in a season for a lefty.

RHP Josh Beckett will start Wednesday night. In his last three starts, he has an ERA of 9.82 and has allowed 10 home runs. Ellsbury is 9-for-26 career hitting against Rays starter, RHP Matt Garza. Appears C Jason Varitek will start, moving Victor Martinez (.381 career vs. Tampa Bay) to 1B and Kevin Youkilis to 3B, Mike Lowell sits.

Tampa Bay: Tuesday night’s 17,692 was the smallest at Tropicana Field for a Red Sox game in two years. The Rays committed three errors and allowed three unearned runs. With RHP Andy Sonnanstine lasting only two batters into the fifth inning, Joe Madden used eight pitchers. 1B Carlos Pena his his A.L.-leading 39th home run.

RHP Matt Garza, Wednesday night’s starter, is winless in his last six outings. Career record against Boston is 5-1 with a 2.93 ERA in 10 appearance. LF Carl Crawford is 10-for-30 career against Beckett.

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Pitching Profile – August Edition

Just like we did at the end of May, and at the end of June (sorry about the end of July) – Here is the latest extensive look at the Rangers starting rotation. The point of this exercise is to dig a bit deeper than the basic stats for each starting pitcher to see what they are good at – or what they are not good at.

In the 129 games that were played before the calendar turned to September, 9 pitchers have started games for the Rangers. Kevin Millwood (26), Scott Feldman (24), Derek Holland (16), Tommy Hunter (12), Matt Harrison (11), Brandon McCarthy (11), Dustin Nippert (7), Kris Benson (2), and Doug Mathis (2). This study will focus on the six pitchers who have made at least 10 starts. The other 3 run into sample size issues that might render verdicts a bit meaningless.

Proceed at your own risk – for stat nerds only:

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Road To Arlington: Rangers Farm Report (9/2)

Triple-A: @Oklahoma City 3, New Orleans 0

RHP Elizardo Ramirez (9-10; 4.47) gave Oklahoma City six shutout innings, allowing just five hits and striking out three while earning his ninth win of the season. LHP Mike Hinckley (1-1; 3.02) bridged the gap between Ramirez and RHP Jailen Peguero with a scoreless 7th, and Peguero (0-1; 3.60) fired off two bizarre innings in which he walked five, fanned three, and didn’t allow a run.

SS Joaquin Arias (.269/.296/.341) and CF Greg Golson (.263/.306/.347) both went 2-5 with an RBI as the 1 and 2 hitters in the order, while 1B Royce Huffman (.296/.379/.416) doubled and walked twice from the 3 spot. The only other RedHawk run was driven in by C Max Ramirez (.258/.325/.333), who singled once in four trips to the plate.

Former Ranger John Koronka got the loss for New Orleans.

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