Post-Game Show: A’s 6, Rangers 1

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

Story of the Game
Not even the return of Michael Young – albeit temporary – could snap the Rangers out of a malaise that is threatening to scuttle the importance of a showdown with Los Angeles even before the Angels arrive in Arlington Friday.

The Rangers lost for the third straight game and save for a solo homer by RF David Murphy, they might have suffered their third consecutive shutout. As it is, the team has scored just one run in its last 28 innings. The Rangers, who have lost three straight, had gone 22 scoreless innings before Murphy’s fourth-inning homer. The team record for consecutive scoreless innings is 28, set in 1972.

It’s not like the Rangers didn’t have chances. They were 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position. The Rangers are 2-for-28 with RISP in five games on this homestand. They are 0-for-19 in the last three games.

Young’s return lasted only one at-bat. He felt some tightness in his left hamstring during his first at-bat. He landed heavily on his front foot on a check-swing on the second pitch he saw and removed himself after the at-bat. He’s not likely to play on Wednesday, but hopes to return for the series against the Angels. The question is whether that series will still remain important. The Rangers have missed out on consecutive chances to cut into the Angels’ six-game lead in the West. In the meantime, they’ve fallen 5.5 games back in the wild card race, the largest margin they’ve faced all year. And with no games remaining against Boston over the final 18 dates of the season, it would seem the wild card is now lost.

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The Depot: Rangers-A’s Live Game Blog, News, Notes and 90-Day Weight Loss Plan

6:30: The home run pool is up and running. Also, we’ve got words from and video of Michael Young talking about his early return from a hamstring injury.

7:16: The Rangers are pushing RHP Kevin Millwood back to Monday, meaning the veteran won’t pitch against the Los Angeles Angels this weekend.

The Rangers will instead go with RHPs Tommy Hunter and Scott Feldman and rookie LHP Derek Holland. Even though Holland has struggled recently, too, the Rangers like the lefty matchup vs. the Angels. Holland pitched a three-hit shutout at Los Angeles in August, but is 0-4 with a 13.50 ERA in his last four outings. Pushing Millwood back gives the Rangers a chance to let him get in two extra bullpen throwing sessions in addition to the two he has already had.  Millwood said he’s “definitely” getting something out of the extra work, but also was disappointed about not pitching in what figures to be the biggest home series of the season.

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Viral Video: Michael Young on Return

Great timing that video impresario Ted Price was on the scene today. We were able to put together our first breaking news version of viral video. We spent some time with Michael Young discussing his surprise return to the Rangers lineup for Tuesday’s game against Oakland.

Home Run Pool Happy Hour

Here is your Rangers home run pool entry form for today’s game against Oakland RHP Edgar Gonzalez:

LF Julio Borbon, DH Michael Young, RF David Murphy, CF Marlon Byrd, 2B Ian Kinsler, 1B Chris Davis, C Ivan Rodriguez, 3B Esteban German, SS Elvis Andrus and pitching for the Rangers … RHP Brandon McCarthy.

No Longer Hamstrung: Michael Young Returns to Rangers Lineup as DH, Batting Second

ARLINGTON - Shutout in consecutive games, the Rangers sure could use a shot of energy.

Well, Tuesday night, they’ll be Young again.

Just two weeks after suffering a significant left hamstring strain, Young is returning to the Rangers lineup. He will bat second and play DH today against Oakland. He intends to be back at third base on Friday when Los Angeles arrives in Arlington for a key three-game series.

“There is a sense of energy and a sense of excitement,” CF Marlon Byrd said. “His presence does that. You can only go so long with out your big bats in the lineup and when we saw his name in the lineup today, there was a spark of energy that everybody felt.”

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Rangers to Open 2010 at Home

• The 2010 Rangers schedule in list form.

Still not sure if the Rangers will be playing into October, but we are certain of who they will play in 2010. MLB announced its 2010 schedule this afternoon and among the Rangers highlights:

• The team will open at home for the second consecutive season. Toronto opens at the Rangers April 5, 7-8. The Seattle Mariners follow.

• The Chicago Cubs, who last played in Texas in 2007, will return to Rangers Ballpark for a three-game interleague series May 21-23. The Rangers will also host the Houston Astros and Pittsburgh Pirates. On the road, they will make their first trip to Milwaukee since the Brewers switched to the NL in 1998. Also on the road schedule: Trips to Florida and Houston.

• The New York Yankees make two trips to Texas, both in the late summer heat (August 10-11 and Sept. 10-12). Boston travels to Texas only once (Aug. 13-15).

• The Rangers will also close the season at home with seven games against Seattle and Los Angeles.

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

About the Wild Card Race

Boston: This series is being billed in New England and southern California as a Division Series preview. RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka (1-5, 8.23) will make his ninth start of the year and his first since mid-June, a seven-run outing against Atlanta that landed him on the disabled list with a bum shoulder. In his only game this season against the Angels, he lasted five innings and gave up six runs on seven hits.

The Red Sox’s 50-21 mark at Fenway is the best home record in baseball. C-1B Victor Martinez had three multi-hit games in July, his last month with the Cleveland. With the Red Sox, he had 11 in August (one with five hits) and already four through half of September. 2B Dustin Pedroia, on the current homestand against Baltimore and Tampa Bay, is 8-for-19 with six RBIs in five games. DH David Ortiz is 7-for-13 in his last five games. RHP Jonathan Papelbon has given up runs in only two of his last 17 appearances since late July.

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Football 301: Decoding Jason Garrett – Week 1

DISCLAIMER: This is not for everyone. It may not be for you. This is a statistical study of the Cowboys offense with lots of numbers that may make your head tired if you are not up to it. Read it only if it is something that is of interest to you. If not, see you tomorrow.

Sunday in Tampa, the Cowboys offense put up a rare display. 462 yards is amazing. 52 plays is rare. 462 yards in 52 plays so off the charts silly that we might be wasting our time to read any meaning into it.

How crazy is 52 plays for 462 yards? 8.9 yards per play. You may never see that again, so save the tape.

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Texas Rangers’ Forecast: Increasing Cloudiness Following Second Consecutive Scoring Drought

ARLINGTON – Maybe the tomblike silence of the Rangers’ clubhouse late Monday night wasn’t caused by their loss to Oakland so much as how they lost.

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