D

From the Rangers Clubhouse: Sickly Silence and Dejected Acceptance of Losing AL West

ANAHEIM, Calif. – It was quiet enough in the Rangers clubhouse beneath Angel Stadium to hear the celebration across the hall.

While the Los Angeles Angels were celebrating their third consecutive AL West title, the Rangers were dealing with being the vanquished contenders. It’s not a role many of them are used to because the Rangers haven’t been in playoff races this late in a season in a long time.

“This is not a good feeling,” said 3B Michael Young, who returned from four weeks of dealing with a strained hamstring to have a pair of hits in Monday’s 11-0 loss. “Right now, I don’t care about the future or how our team shapes up for next year. It’s about winning or going home. We did not get it done. And that is really an unpleasant feeling. The Angels deserve a lot of credit for overcoming a lot of adversity and doing what it took to win. From our side, we’ve got to get better. It’s as simple as that.”

(more…)

The Depot: Rangers-Angels Live Game Blog, News, Notes and Teary Farewell Thoughts

Well, that’s that. Rangers eliminated from playoff contention.

9:13: In case you missed my announcement from earlier in the day, here is the link. In case you missed our story about Josh Hamilton not playing today and perhaps not again this year, it’s here.

9:22: Michael Young admitted that even though he’s in the lineup, he is not 100 percent. You know what might be the best thing for the Rangers at this point? It might be best if Los Angeles did what seems inevitable and clinched quickly. That way, maybe some Ranger core players could just rest over the final week of the season. Not saying that’s what I’d like to see happen, but I’d hate to see Young or Josh Hamilton try to do something this week and suffer an injury that lingers into 2010. Young doubled in his first at-bat, but he is basically jogging on the bases.

9:31: After Kendry Morales homer, the Angels take a 3-0 lead with two outs in the first. In the time the Rangers have recorded their last six outs, they have allowed 10 runs.

9:53: Dustin Nippert is up in the second inning. It’s the third time he’s been up and throwing in the last 30 hours.

(more…)

The Depot: Rangers-A’s Live Game Blog, News, Notes, and Celestial Body Viewings

7:30: Home Run Pool is open. And for your pre-game reading enjoyment, we’ve got some notes, quotes and anecdotes.If I’m not here before game-time, I should be back right around first pitch. I’m having a spot of grown-up dinner. Yay!

10:35: Elvis Andrus ties Ian Kinsler for the team lead in steals with a sixth-inning swipe. It gives him 29 in 33 attemps (87.9 percent). Among the majors most frequent runners, Andrus’ steal percentage is the best in baseball. The Rangers, currently with an 81.8 percent success rate, are on pace to set the AL record for best stolen base percentage among teams with at least 150 attempts.

The Depot: Rangers-Angels Live Game Blog, News, Notes and Noontime Prayer Vigil for AL West Race

11:30: The home run pool is open. And it’s glistening under this strange yellow light up in the sky. I’m not sure what you would call it, but it’s not the usual gray we are used to.

12:30: With runners on the corners and one out, Marlon Byrd takes a contested called third strike and it looks like first inning opportunity might evaporate. Then Hank Blalock bloops a two-out, two-strike single to left field for a hit. He drove in the winning run last night and has put the Rangers on top today. And, so, for all the complaining about his disappointing performance this season, there are reasons why you keep veterans around.

12:34: Another two-out, two-strike hit for Rangers, this one from Nelson Cruz. He had been in a 3-for-30 slump.  First multi-run inning for the Rangers since the first game of last Sunday’s doubleheader. It’s the first time they’ve scored as many as three runs in an inning since the ninth inning of a 10-0 win over Cleveland on Sept. 9. Quite a stretch.

(more…)

Post-Game Show: Rangers 3, Angels 2

•  Box score

Story of the Game

The vast majority of the fourth Rangers Ballpark sellout crowd of the season stayed to see if three runs – three runs – would result in their club’s first win since last Sunday afternoon. The 3-2 victory over the Angels followed some ninth-inning fielding strategy in which manager Ron Washington admitted going against the percentages … and also admitted he’d do it differently in the future.

The one-run lead came courtesy of a sixth-inning solo home run by 1B Hank Blalock, making his first start since Sept. 6 and only his third in the last 23 games. Washington left Blalock at first, Chris Davis at third and 11-time Gold Glover infielder Omar Vizquel in the dugout in the ninth. With Torii Hunter on first and one out against closer Frank Francisco, Kendry Morales hit a grounder to Blalock. He couldn’t field it cleanly, leaving runners at first and second. A double steal advanced the runners to second and third, after which Juan Rivera was intentionally walked to load the bases. Howie Kendrick hit a wicked grounder to shortstop, which Elvis Andrus turned into the game ending 6-3 double play.

Washington said he considered pulling Blalock in the ninth, moving Davis to first (here he has played excellent defense) and inserting Vizquel at third. “But I trust Hank,” he said. “I like Chris over there at third although Vizquel is better. It was a trust thing.” And would he handle it differently down the road, given what happened in the ninth? “Yes, I would,” he said.

Blalock started because Washington wanted a veteran lineup to try to jump start an offense that had scored only one run in the previous five games, all losses. And he wanted as many left-handed bats as possible against Angels RHP Jered Weaver, who came into the game holding right-handed hitters to a .205 batting average.

Blalock hit his 24th home run, his first since Aug. 8, in the sixth off Weaver to break a 2-2 tie. As for the ninth-inning error, he said: “It’s a 3-6-3 double play that’s supposed to end the game.”

But Andrus turned the game-winner, pulling the Rangers within 6.5 games of the Angels going into Sunday’s series finale at noon. And Andrus was on the receiving end of a spectacular force out to end the seventh inning on a submarine throw from 2B Ian Kinsler on a sharp grounder by Kendrick that got past RHP Darren O’Day. Where would O’Day rate Kinsler’s toss on the O’Day underhand scale? “I think I had my eyes closed,” he said. “I was so surprised that he even got to it. You can’t say enough about those two up the middle.”

(more…)

Saturday Rangers-Angels In-Game Blog

ARLINGTON - Expecting a packed house this evening. Michael Young and Josh Hamilton remain sidelined. Young didn’t take batting practice and said he’s unsure when he’ll return Hamilton is expected to resume baseball-related activities on Monday. Both will be on the trip to Oakland. And Kevin Millwood is scheduled to start Monday night’s opener of the four-game series against the A’s.

Saturday HR Pool (and Just Plain Run Pool?)

ARLINGTON - Here’s the lineup that will face Angels RHP Jered Weaver (15-6, 3.85) in the 6:05 start:

1. Julio Borbon DH; 2. Elvis Andrus SS; 3. David Murphy LF; 4. Marlon Byrd CF; 5. Hank Blalock 1B; 6. Ian Kinsler 2B; 7. Nelson Cruz RF; 8. Chris Davis 3B; 9. Ivan Rodriguez C.

Given the state of the Rangers’ attack, feel free to also hazard a guess at who scores their first run of the game and the inning just for recreational purposes.

Race Day: One Last Look at A.L. Playoff Races?

About the AL West Race

Los Angeles: Before Friday night’s game, Angels manager Mike Scioscia sounded like he wasn’t sure DH Vladimir Guerrero could start after sitting out Thursday night’s game at Boston, the result of being hit in the left rib cage on Wednesday night. Guerrero ended an eight-game Ballpark homerless streak during a 2-for-4. In 96 career games in Arlington, he’s hitting .397. LHP Scott Kazmir finally got his first win as an Angel in four starts. His six shutout innings lowered his LAA ERA to 1.42.

On Saturday night, RHP Jered Weaver (15-6, 3.85) will try to improve his career record against the Rangers to 5-2. In five starts against them this season, he has a 4.88 ERA. He has won eight of his last 11 decisions and 12 of 16. He’ll be opposed by RHP Scott Feldman (16-5, 3.65). He pitched six-plus innings on Monday in the Rangers’ 9-0 loss to Oakland. In three previous starts this season against the Angels, Feldman is 2-0 with a 3.50 ERA.

(more…)

The Depot: Rangers-Angels Live Game Blog, News, Notes and Self-Improvement Stories

6:33: The home run pool is open until sundown or first pitch – whichever comes first. The Rangers are going to play without Michael Young again; his hamstring is still sore.

7:12: Manager Ron Washington says now that RHP Kevin Millwood will start either Monday or Tuesday at Oakland. Earlier this week, Washington indicated Millwood would start the series opener on Monday. Washington maintained Friday, however, that Millwood will start sometime during the Angels series. That said, if the Rangers lose two of three this weekend, what’s to keep them from deciding they are out of the race and that they want to start looking at young pitchers? It would almost certainly insure agent Scott Boras would file a grievance over the club withholding starts and denying Millwood a chance to make $12 million in 2010. But, if the club doesn’t want Millwod back or doesn’t want him back at $12 million, the options are to take him out of the rotation and take the chance it could win a grievance. Or, it could potentially try to negotiate a buyout of the contract. Suppose, the Rangers offered Millwood $6 of $7 million and then he signed a $4-5 million deal on the free agent market that might even include some incentives. He’d have a chance to make more than $12 million in 2010 and the Rangers would save money, too.

(more…)

One Cowboys Fan Regrets Regular-Season Opening of JerryWorld Will Overshadow Rangers-Angels

ARLINGTON – Here are the Rangers finally facing the Angels in the long awaited September series at Rangers Ballpark, and it’s a shame that they figure to be overwhelmed by the Cowboys’ regular-season opener in their new digs on Sunday night. So says a guy who attends a handful of Cowboys home games a year, depending on whom he can mooch tickets off.

“I think the Cowboys playing Sunday is going to take away everything,” said Angels centerfielder Torii Hunter of Prosper. “It’s going to drain the Texas Rangers’ drive.”

(more…)

Race Day: Looking at A.L. Playoff Races

About the AL West Race

Los Angeles: Angels manager Mike Scoiscia went with red-hot right-handed hitting 2B Howie Kendrick the last two games against right-handed Red Sox starters. In Thursday night’s series finale at Fenway, Kendrick homered off RHP Josh Beckett. In the ninth off LHP Billy Wagner, Kendrick singled in the winning run. He went 5-for-8 with three RBIs in the two games. In his last 13 games, mostly against lefties, Kendrick is 21-for-43 (.488).

Having taken a one-run lead in the top of the ninth, Scioscia stayed with set-up RHP Kevin Jepsen to open the ninth against right-handed hitting Jason Bay (struck him out), then turned to closer LHP Brian Fuentes to get his 42nd save in 49 chances.

The Angels are 3-9 this season against the Rangers, having lost all four previous series. On Wednesday, Rangers manager Ron Washington said the Angels will bring a different attitude, a killer instinct, this weekend. Not sure if that was part of the Angels’ aire in Boston. Before Thursday’s game, the umpiring crew acknowledged filing a complaint with MLB regarding the LAA staff’s behavior following Wednesday’s night emotional ninth-inning defeat.

The Angels will open the weekend series with LHP Scott Kazmir (8-8, 5.32). In three starts with the Angels, he has a 1.86 ERA in 19 innings, allowing 13 hits and six walks along with 14 strikeouts. Kazmir split two decisions against the Rangers this season while with Tampa Bay. In his only Ballpark appearance so far this season, he was pulled after 99 pitches through five innings though giving up only one run in a game the Rays trailed 2-1 and lost 3-1. Kazmir will be followed by RHPs Jered Weaver and John Lackey. DH Vladimir Guerrero – he of the .392 career Ballpark batting average and .707 Arlington slugging percentage – sat out Thursday night’s win with a bruised left rib cage after being hit by a pitch on Wednesday night.

The Rangers’ starter, rookie RHP Tommy Hunter (8-3, 3.23), comes off his first career complete game. That was the 7-2 opener of Sunday’s doubleheader against Seattle. The Rangers’ most recent victory. Way back when they were scoring runs. He has lost only one of his last eight starts. Hunter has never faced the Angels. After him, the Rangers will start RHP Scott Feldman and LHP Derek Holland (who shut out the Angels in August).

(more…)

Help Wanted: Theories Needed on Rangers Demise

Admission: I’m completely stumped.

This week was shaping up as such a huge week for the Rangers. When they came home from sweeping Cleveland, the Rangers seemed to be in prime position to make a real run at two different playoff spots. They had manageable deficits in both the AL West race and the wild card. And to start the homestand off, they’d have six games against the non-contenders in the division and a day off while the division-leading Angels faced a three-game series at wild card leader Boston.

The way everything was shaping up, they’d know by this evening exactly which playoff spot was theirs for the taking and then they could go out and try to seize upon it with a sea of red-clad fans in a three-game series against the Angels over the weekend. The Rangers – believe it or not – threatened to make the official regular season opener of Cowboys Stadium a second-tier event.

And then this week happened. Three rain delays. Four losses in five games. Three shutouts. One run in the 37 innings. Who saw this coming?

Not me.

(more…)

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

About the AL West Race

Los Angeles: After the Angels’ frenetic 9-8 loss at Fenway on Wednesday night, manager Mike Scioscia asked assembled media if the count was “3 and 4″ to Nick Green when Green walked to score the tying run before Alex Gonzalez’s winning bloop to left. Watch the at-bat and decide. LHP Brian Fuentes afterward said players across the league talk about umpires being intimidated at Fenway. Fuentes has allowed runs in three of his last five appearances, his ERA rising from 3.91 to 4.41.

The Angels finally broke out of their September hitting slump and couldn’t beat the weakest link in Boston’s rotation, RHP Paul Byrd. They’ve lost three straight, four of five, and send RHP Ervin Santana (7-8, 5.52 ERA) into Thursday night’s series finale before boarding a plane for D/FW. Last time out, Santana pitched seven innings and allowed two earned runs (solo home runs) and seven hits in a no-decision against the White Sox.

(more…)

Post-Game Show: A’s 4, Rangers 0

•  Box score 

Story of the Game

Another threat of rain on Wednesday night, and a scoring drought of biblical proportions continued below at Rangers Ballpark with a one-hit shutout. Only David Murphy’s solo home run on Tuesday night prevented the current skid from being the worst scoreless streak in club history – one run in 37 innings that began before the three consecutive losses to the Sweepin’ A’s.

The Angels come in for the “red out” weekend. Their lead in the A.L. West remains at six games going into their series finale at Fenway on Thursday night. Maybe Michael Young will return. But not Josh Hamilton, who on Wednesday shut down baseball-related activities (like hitting off a tee) from his workouts because of tightness in his right glute. What looked for months like a heavyweight confrontation now has the appearance of desperation for the home team. Marlon Byrd, whose second-inning single was the team’s only hit, has already tried his best Rockne speech: “I told the guys Oakland 2002, Colorado ‘07. It’s been done before. The Phillies when they caught the Mets. We have plenty of fight left in us.”

Manager Ron Washington often mentions playing the game the right way. There appeared to be cracks in that approach on Wednesday night, maybe players trying too hard. After Byrd’s leadoff single in the second and a walk to Ian Kinsler, Nelson Cruz tried to bunt his way on. Byrd was thrown out at third, and Chris Davis and Taylor Teagarden followed with strikeouts. Said Washington: “I certainly didn’t give a bunt. Nobody out. Runners on first and second. Nelson Cruz up there. Thirty-two bombs.” In the Oakland eighth, LF David Murphy had Rajai Davis trapped between second and third. Murphy threw behind him, and Davis reached third.

Byrd said neither Cruz’s bunt nor Murphy’s throw were indications of players pressing: “That has nothing to do with anything. At all.”

The Rangers reached base only three times – the Byrd single and two walks to Kinsler (hitless in his last 15 at-bats). The three baserunners equaled a season low from the May 19 one-hitter thrown by Detroit’s Dontrelle Willis and four relievers. The Rangers were also one-hit on June 28 by San Diego’s Chad Gaudin and Heath Bell.

“You figure somebody in the lineup’s getting it done even if we went cold,” Washington said. “Not the whole lineup.”

Said Kinsler: “We just need to relax and be ready for the next game. Just bad timing. There’s really nothing I can say.”

(more…)

The Depot: Rangers-A’s Live In-Game Blog, Etc.

ARLINGTON - The tarp is on the field, and an afternoon drizzle is glistening off it because the lights are already on beneath the overcast. So what’s new? Until first pitch, which should go off on time, Josh Hamilton is backing off  baseball-related drills for the next couple of days and won’t return anytime soon, Jarrod Saltalamacchia will have surgery on Monday, manager Ron Washington told the team after Tuesday night’s loss that they’re the same group that got into playoff contention and batting coach Rudy Jaramillo had a sitdown with all of the hitters on Wednesday afternoon.

(more…)

Wednesday Rangers-A’s Home Run Pool

Here’s the lineup that will face Oakland RHP Trevor Cahill (8-12, 4.74 ERA):

DH Julio Borbon; SS Elvis Andrus; LF  David Murphy, CF Marlon Byrd; 2B Ian Kinsler; RF Nelson Cruz; 1B Chris Davis; C Taylor Teagarden; 3B Omar Vizquel

According to the Athletics’ page on MLB.com, Cahill will be on an 80-pitch limit in this, his season finale. The 21-year-old rookie has allowed 26 home runs this season, a club record for rookies.

Heaven Help Us: Rangers Overlooked a Sign from Above by Playing Weekend Series against Seattle

A seemingly eternally-cursed franchise received a bit of heaven-sent help last week.

The Rangers, true to their star-crossed history, ignored it. And you know what they say: It’s not nice to fool with Mother Nature.

When this season is officially put away for the winter, the ultimate reason it will be the 10th consecutive season without a playoff appearance is going to sting a lot. Like hard raindrops in a stiff, cold wind. It will sting not because of anything the Rangers did on the field. It very likely will be because of what they did to the field. In an effort to preserve the integrity of the home schedule – and to keep the gate money – the Rangers implored the hard-working grounds crew to somehow got the field playable enough for three games with Seattle on a weekend when nearly 9.5 inches of rain fell on Arlington. That they did is a testament to the grounds crew. That the Rangers played, though, is a testament to the business of baseball and nothing else.

The Rangers lost two of those three games and have been sleep-walking ever since. If they aren’t careful, they are about to step right off a cliff and out of what remains of the AL playoff races. Now, some four days after the flood, it’s at least worth considering whether the Rangers simply should have simply accepted the watery gift they received as a blessing and played the three games in Seattle at the end of the season when their roster was back at full strength.

(more…)

Rangers Turn to All-Purpose Pitcher Dustin Nippert

ARLINGTON – Wednesday dawned as the darkest day of the Rangers’ season to date, at least mathematically. Never further from a post-season invitation, and only 18 more chances to alter that.

With so much at stake in Wednesday night’s series finale against Oakland, circumstances again dictate the Rangers hand the ball to maybe their least likely contributor this season. Dustin Nippert’s name isn’t included when discussing top of the rotation starters or closers or gems for the future. The 28-year-old didn’t pitch for the Rangers until July 7, activated from the 60-day disabled list following a back injury that doctors struggled to identify and cure. Since then, he has become the staff’s 6-foot-8 version of duct tape – eating innings when necessary, starting on a day’s notice if needed.

Wednesday night’s start figures to be his most important outing of the season. “I don’t really want to think about it like that,” Nippert said Tuesday. “They need a starter, and they think I can do the job.”

(more…)

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.

(more…)

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.

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.”

(more…)

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.

(more…)

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.

(more…)

Post-Game Show: A’s 9, Rangers 0

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

Story of the Game
RHP Scott Feldman, searching for his 17th win and his eighth in a row, took a one-hit shutout to the sixth inning Monday, then ran smack into a brick wall.

The Rangers tired lineup, which sat through four rain delays in the previous eight day, hit the wall much earlier.

It combined for one ugly loss that eliminated any remaining margin for error on the nine-game homestand against AL West opponents. The loss was the Rangers third in four games on the homestand and dropped them 4.5 games back of Boston in the AL wild card. They remained six back of Los Angeles in the AL West with 19 games remaining.

After allowing just one hit through the first five innings, Feldman retired just four more hitters. The first run scored on a swinging bunt but Feldman complicated matters by allowing consecutive two-out doubles to Ryan Sweeney and Kurt Suzuki before escaping the inning. He couldn’t escape the seventh, however. He loaded the bases before being removed with one out. RHP Jason Grilli allowed all three inherited runners to score.

Offensively, the Rangers did nothing against Tomko. The journeyman – he’s with his ninth major league team in 13 seasons – pitched the second shutout of his career. He allowed just five hits. Tomko took advantage of a Rangers lineup that looked tired and lacking in energy.

(more…)