Series Preview: Rangers vs. Rays

While the Rays played their way out of playoff contention with an 11 game losing streak that culminated on September 13 with a pair of losses to the Red Sox, they were officially eliminated until a few days ago. That day is nothing but a formality at this point for the Rangers, with the Angels’ magic number down to four. So the upcoming weekend series between Texas and Tampa will serve little purpose other than to showcase the plethora of young talent on each side and ponder the future.

For now, the Rays’ future is third baseman Evan Longoria, whose strong finish to the season has some wondering about his MVP credentials. Tampa is also hoping Ben Zobrist can maintain his personally unprecedented performance next year after posting a 7.4 WAR season. But history’s not necessarily on his side, and he wouldn’t be the first former Rays All-Star to see a drop off after a career year.

Tampa Bay’s future success could hinge on their ability to find a true ace to anchor a solid pitching staff, whether they acquire one — like Felix Hernandez — or develop one. David Price was supposed to be that ace, and nearly everybody had him ranked as the game’s top prospect prior to the season. But a concerningly bad slider and mediocre results have taken some of the luster from the Vanderbilt product and left some to wonder whether he’ll ever be a top notch starter. The good news for Rays fans is that Price, who will start the finale on Sunday against the Rangers, has posted a 3.41 ERA since July 31 and has shown marked improvement on his slider. And between Price, Matt Garza, James Shields, AL Rookie of the Year candidate Jeff Niemann, and newcomer Wade Davis, the Rays are stocked with five quality starting pitchers aged 27 or younger.

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Linkin’ Park: Lurking Around The Web For You

Sure, the Angels’ magic number down to five with 11 games still left on their schedule and the Rangers’ shot at making the postseason is essentially gone at this point. And true, Michael Young is still out indefinitely and Ian Kinsler is growing frustrated by dwindling crowds at the ballpark. But the Rangers still have 12 games to play, and with Josh Hamilton looking ready to return, a solid run at a 90 win season isn’t out of the question.

Realistically, however, it’s not too early to start looking ahead to 2010 and beyond, especially for a team that can boast as much young talent as the Rangers can. One of Texas’ biggest bullpen bolsters, flame throwing Neftali Feliz, might move away from his current relief role next year, at least according to Rob Neyer. Neyer doesn’t see how the Rangers rotation can be successful without Feliz in it, especially in light of Derek Holland’s struggles throughout his rookie campaign. But, as Joey Matschulat points out, there’s still a lot to like about Holland despite his unsavory statistics.

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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.

Series Preview: Rangers at Athletics

Back in July, the Rangers didn’t made a blockbuster move to assist in what was going to be a strenuous sortie with the Angels for AL West supremacy. Instead, they stood pat at the trade deadline and hoped their young team could spin a surprising postseason berth without any outside help.

Now we know better. And with Texas’ playoff hopes seemingly wilted and only a few weeks until they’ll spend a long October at home, they’re allowed a hypothetical do-over. But, in truth, they probably wouldn’t trade for Roy Halladay or Cliff Lee to anchor the pitching staff, or Victor Martinez or Nick Johnson to curb their bouts of offensive anemia. And quite frankly, those guys might not have been enough anyway.

My guess is the Rangers would go back to September 4 and swap schedules with the Oakland Athletics. That was the day Oakland hit rock bottom following a 6-3 loss to the Mariners that pushed the Athletics to a season-high — or season-low — 17 games under .500. The Rangers, meanwhile, pulled within 3.5 games in the division and 2.0 in the wild card chase after a 5-1 victory in Baltimore. Since then, the A’s have won 12 of their last 14 and seven straight to move to 71-78 on the season, while Texas owns a 5-9 record over that stretch, being shut out in five of their nine losses.

So if anyone has Doc Brown on speed dial, now might be a good time to speak up.

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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.

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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.”

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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.

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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.”

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Series Preview: Rangers vs. Angels

It’s about as simple as this: if the Rangers can’t manage a sweep this weekend, they’ll need a flat out miracle to sneak into the postseason. And if they manage any less than taking two of three, even a Met-like collapse from the Angels wouldn’t be enough. So to say this is the “biggest series of the year” is not only unnecessary at this point; it’s also an understatement.

The struggles have been well-documented — four straight losses while plating only one run against mediocre competition. It’s been so bad that Brett Tomko, who had all of one shutout in nearly 1800 career innings prior to Monday, was able to blank the Rangers while feeling the effects of nerve damage that will keep him out the rest of the year. Even for a team that’s struggled at the plate all year, it’s been surprisingly difficult to watch.

But the Angels have faltered of late as well. Before a comeback win last night in Boston, LAA had lost four of five, including a controversial 9-8 loss in Fenway on Wednesday that left the Angels steaming and several coaches possibly facing disciplinary actions. And while Thursday’s victory has slightly quelled concerns for the time being, there’s still plenting of complaining and questioning and strategizing going on, leaving the Angels faithful to ask one question.

What would Darin Erstad do?

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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).

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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.

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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.

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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.”

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