The Oklahoma Ranger tag:oklahomaranger.mlblogs.com,2008-03-29:/12591 2009-05-31T05:28:06Z The thoughts of a Texas Rangers fan living north of the Red River Movable Type Pro 4.25 The Angel vs. The Devil tag:oklahomaranger.mlblogs.com,2009://12591.947331 2009-05-31T05:22:38Z 2009-05-31T05:28:06Z Haven't the Rangers been a joy to watch over the last few weeks? We've seen great pitching, good defense, and good enough hitting to give the Rangers the best record in the AL. Maybe it is because I've been a... The Oklahoma Ranger Haven't the Rangers been a joy to watch over the last few weeks? We've seen great pitching, good defense, and good enough hitting to give the Rangers the best record in the AL. Maybe it is because I've been a Rangers fan for 35 years but, I'm still cautious. It's like I have this optimistic angel sitting on one of my shoulders telling me that my team has the best record in the AL. However, I also have this pessimistic devil sitting on my other shoulder constantly whispering that the Rangers are only 1-8 against the other two AL division leaders. So I'm left to wonder whether the Rangers success thus far is just the product of a soft schedule...or is this team for real? Inside the Numbers tag:oklahomaranger.mlblogs.com,2009://12591.898971 2009-05-13T04:29:50Z 2009-05-13T05:14:40Z I'm a numbers guy. If one knows where to look, numbers can tell a pretty interesting story. So what do the numbers say about the Rangers right now:Rangers' record: 18-14Angels' record: 16-14Yankees' record: 15-17Ray' record: 15-19Most wins by AL team... The Oklahoma Ranger
Rangers' record: 18-14
Angels' record: 16-14
Yankees' record: 15-17
Ray' record: 15-19

Most wins by AL team in May: 8
Wins by Rangers in May: 8
Rangers' ERA in May: 3.03
Rangers' May ERA rank: 1st

Of the six Rangers with more than 100 ABs, the number with a slugging percentage greater than .500: 4
Number with a slugging percentage greater than .475: 6
Number of Rangers on pace to exceed 200 hits: 2
Number of Rangers on pace to exceed 10 home runs: 10
Number on pace to hit more than 20 home runs: 5
Number on pace to hit more than 30 home runs: 5
Number on pace to hit more than 40 home runs: 3

Chris Davis' BA in May: .288
Davis' slugging percentage in May: .658
David Murphy's BA since starting the season 0-22: .333
Number of Elvis Andrus errors in first 17 games: 6
Number of Elvis Andrus errors in last 15 games:1

It has certainly been a good month of Rangers' baseball.
]]> Hello First Place! tag:oklahomaranger.mlblogs.com,2009://12591.882832 2009-05-07T05:22:13Z 2009-05-07T05:30:44Z I keep telling myself that it is only May 7. That there are still 4 1/2 months of baseball and 135 games yet to go. Yet it is nice to be in first place.How long will it last? Who knows.... The Oklahoma Ranger
How long will it last? Who knows. But we do know the Rangers got here with improved pitching. Only once in the last nine games, and only twice in the last thirteen, have the Rangers allowed the other team to score more than five runs. The rotation of Millwood, Padilla, McCarthy, Harrison, and Feldman looks exceptional. And with the addition of Kris Benson (for Luis Mendoza), there are now six reliable relievers for Ron Washington to call on (still don't trust Guardado's stuff). Elvis Andrus is becoming a web gem regular. Jarrod Saltalamacchia is shutting down the running game.

I know it's only May...but the A's, Angels and Mariners would like to have our record right now. Hello first place!
]]> Seattle Sweep tag:oklahomaranger.mlblogs.com,2009://12591.882762 2009-05-07T05:15:37Z 2009-05-07T05:17:43Z Ok. So the team goes on the road to face a first-place ballclub, and they have to face Felix Hernandez and Erik Bedard. Yet, the team comes away with a pair of wins. This is some fun baseball.... The Oklahoma Ranger Ok. So the team goes on the road to face a first-place ballclub, and they have to face Felix Hernandez and Erik Bedard. Yet, the team comes away with a pair of wins. This is some fun baseball. Justin Smoak Update tag:oklahomaranger.mlblogs.com,2009://12591.875052 2009-05-04T06:11:45Z 2009-05-04T06:17:30Z I wonder how much longer before we begin to hear more chatter about Justin Smoak jumping to the Rangers? With Chris Davis continuing to struggle, the door is opening for Mr. Smoak. So far this season in Frisco he is... The Oklahoma Ranger Back to .500 tag:oklahomaranger.mlblogs.com,2009://12591.875032 2009-05-04T05:46:28Z 2009-05-04T06:11:32Z That was a nice series against the White Sox. Excellent starting pitching, mostly good relief, timely hitting, and if it weren't for one really bad managerial decision the Rangers would have three wins. This was the kind of series that... The Oklahoma Ranger
  • How good is Ian Kinsler? I've said before that I think he is the most exciting Rangers player, and the most important on offense. This year when the Rangers win he is hitting .453. When they lose he is hitting only .208.
  • Andruw Jones is looking pretty good too. I know he has seen sporadic playing time, but in that limited action he has an OBP of .500 and a .750 slugging percentage. Plus, what I like the most is that he is the only Ranger with more walks than strikeouts.
  • Kudos to Scott Feldman, Brandon McCarthy, and Matt Harrison for great starting pitching this weekend.
  • BTW, Darren O'Day was a nice pickup for this ballclub. Kudos Jon Daniels.
  • Unfortunately, Eddie Guardado seems to disappoint every time out. The Rangers cannot put up with his performance for too much longer.
  • For the record, at AAA Oklahoma City Beau Vaughan has a 1.17 ERA in 15.1 IP, while Warner Madrigal is at 1.80 in 10 IP.
  • How much longer before we hear about the Rangers offering either Marlon Byrd or Andruw Jones for some bullpen help?
  • The Mariners head into this upcoming series with a 15-10 record. The two pitchers the Rangers face have a combined 6-1 mark. The rest of the Mariners staff is 9-9. Tough pitching matchups the next two nights.
Still though, the last three games against a playoff caliber team is encouraging. But the next week is even more important.
]]> Leave Feldman In tag:oklahomaranger.mlblogs.com,2009://12591.874971 2009-05-04T05:12:49Z 2009-05-04T05:46:05Z In game one of the White Sox series Scott Feldman was pitching exceptionally. Through five innings he had allowed only one hit, and that one was not hit very hard. In the sixth the Sox mounted their first scoring threat.... The Oklahoma Ranger In game one of the White Sox series Scott Feldman was pitching exceptionally. Through five innings he had allowed only one hit, and that one was not hit very hard. In the sixth the Sox mounted their first scoring threat. After Feldman retired Alexei Ramirez on a 4-3 groundout and struck out Scott Podsednik, it looked like another easy inning. Then weak singles by Chris Getz and Josh Fields, along with a walk to Carlos Quinten, the bases were loaded with Jim Thome coming up.

It was at this point that Ron Washington made the move that cost the Rangers the game, replacing Scott Feldman with Derek Holland. Yes, Feldman was in a jam. But there are a number of reasons why Feldman should have stayed in the game:
  • Feldman had thrown only 77 pitches (51 for strikes). 
  • He had allowed only three hits (all soft singles), 
  • He is a groundball pitcher (10 groundouts to 4 fly outs on the night).
  • Derek Holland is a flyball pitcher (4 groundouts to 10 flyouts on the season)
  • Holland had made only two career appearances
  • Jim Thome had 545 career home runs
  • Thome last year had a higher slugging percentage against lefties than righties
Holland then gave up a deep flyball (no surprise) that bounced off the left-center field wall for a bases clearing double. One inning later Holland gave up the go ahead run and Scott Feldman's masterful performance was wasted.

I can understand believing in your young players, and I can understand trusting in Derek Holland's stuff. But Friday night Scott Feldman was exceptional...and I wish Ron Washington had believed in Scott Feldman's ability in that situation as much as Derek Holland. 

]]> Suggested Roster Move tag:oklahomaranger.mlblogs.com,2009://12591.867701 2009-05-01T06:10:28Z 2009-05-01T06:22:02Z One month into the season the Rangers are sitting one game below .500. Are there any roster moves you think the Rangers should make? There is one I suggest: release Eddie Guardado and replace him with Beau Vaughan.Eddie's appearance today... The Oklahoma Ranger
Eddie's appearance today against the A's encapsulated his entire season. He faced one batter, threw four pitches, and walked in a run. Earlier this spring I wrote that Eddie's success last year was done mainly with smoke and mirrors, and this year even those have left him. As popular as Eddie is. As good of a guy as he may be, it is time for Eddie to go.

In his place the Rangers should call up Beau Vaughan from Oklahoma City. So far this season Vaughan has been terrific, allowing no runs in 12.1 innings of work, while striking out 13 and walking only 5. He is a big (6'4", 230 pound) reliever, who could develop into the right-handed setup man the Rangers need. And his performance is not just a one-year wonder. Last year he had a 2.33 ERA while splitting time between AA Portland (where he was an All-star) and AAA Pawtucket. He also logged 69 strikeouts in 58 innings. While at 27 he is a little seasoned to be a big league rookie, he has done everything that a minor league reliever should do to earn a shot at the show. 

He is a reliever who is ready for his chance, and the Rangers are a team that needs more quality relievers. It is time for Beau Vaughan to become a Ranger.
]]> Wasted Opportunities tag:oklahomaranger.mlblogs.com,2009://12591.867671 2009-05-01T05:57:25Z 2009-05-01T06:09:52Z A disappointing loss. A disappointing month.While the Rangers' April play this year was better than last, no one should be celebrating a 10-11 start, especially the way the team played today.In the fifth inning the Rangers had runners on second... The Oklahoma Ranger
While the Rangers' April play this year was better than last, no one should be celebrating a 10-11 start, especially the way the team played today.

In the fifth inning the Rangers had runners on second and third with no one out with Young, Jones, Blalock, and Cruz coming up. You have to expect in that situation that the Rangers score at least one, and probably two runs. Yet, Michael Young popped out. Andruw Jones drew an intentional walk. Hank Blalock popped out and Nelson Cruz struck out. Instead of taking a 2-0 lead to the sixth the A's had the momentum.

In the ninth, with already long odds, Michael Young made a huge baserunning error. While getting thrown out at third base when trailing by three in the ninth might not have cost the game, it certainly cost an out. Who knows how the game turns out otherwise.

And I still don't know what to think about Vicente Padilla. In his last start his fastball regularly reached the mid-90s. Today, it barely hit the upper 80s. Fortunately, the A's lack of offense allowed Padilla to still get a quality start. But the Rangers need him to pitch even better.

10-11 is not horrible. But it is not good enough either. For the Rangers this first month was full of wasted opportunities.
]]> 10-10 tag:oklahomaranger.mlblogs.com,2009://12591.862081 2009-04-29T03:54:18Z 2009-04-29T04:03:29Z Twenty games into the season the Rangers are sitting at .500, which is certainly better than last year. What makes this 10-10 start feel even better is the way the club has played over the last five games (winning four).... The Oklahoma Ranger
What was particularly interesting about tonight's game--aside from home plate umpire Eric Cooper's inconsistent strike zone--was that Ian Kinsler did not even reach base. In the nine previous Rangers' wins Kinsler had hit safely in each game and scored in eight of them. Yet, tonight Kinsler was 0-4. Just how important is Kinsler's offense to this club? In the team's ten wins (including tonight) Ian is hitting .488 (20-41) whereas in the team's ten losses he is hitting only .195 (8-41). Generally, as Ian goes so goes the Rangers. The fact that the Rangers won tonight without even a base hit from Kinsler shows the rest of the club stepped up.

Tomorrow the Rangers match Vicente Padilla up against Josh Outman. Young Mr. Outman has made two starts this year and has failed to make it out of the fifth both times. If Padilla pitches tomorrow the way he pitched in Baltimore then I like the Rangers chances of getting on the plus side of .500. And I expect Kinsler to get at least one base hit too.


]]> Rangers Still Fighting tag:oklahomaranger.mlblogs.com,2009://12591.859321 2009-04-28T06:27:49Z 2009-04-28T06:42:18Z Last week, after the disastrous homestand, I wrote that this was going to be a dangerous road trip--the kind that could send the season over the cliff. But the Rangers responded by going 4-3 and now head home to face... The Oklahoma Ranger
  • Matt Harrison looked really good tonight. His fastball was fast and had good movement> He did give up seven hits in seven innings, but only one was an extra-base hit. The best news was that he gave up only one walk (which ended up scoring) and battled back after a rough second inning when he was singled to death. If the Rangers can get this type of outing out of Harrison regularly then this team could be in for a magical summer.
  • Marlon Byrd is playing really well. He made another nice defensive play tonight that kept Brian Roberts to a second-inning single instead of what appeared to be an easy double. Plus, he is hitting .351 while playing all three outfield positions. Anyone up for getting him a first baseman's glove too?
  • Michael Young moves to third base defensively and suddenly becomes a power hitter. Six home runs already on the season certainly works for me.
  • I have to say that I was really impressed with the top three hitters in the Orioles lineup. Brian Roberts is a tough out. Adam Jones is just pounding the ball, and Nick Markakis is a star. They might have the best lineup 1-3 in baseball.
  • I was not impressed with 4-9 though. Nor with their pitching.
  • Still would not trade Ian Kinsler, MIchael Young and Josh Hamilton though for the Oriole three.
Good win. Good series. Good road trip. 

Now to do it at home. With Kevin Millwood going against Midland native Brett Anderson...I like the Rangers in game one.
]]> Four Things That Must Change For the Rangers to Compete tag:oklahomaranger.mlblogs.com,2009://12591.853821 2009-04-26T04:34:55Z 2009-04-26T04:52:14Z Over the last few days the Rangers have been playing better baseball. It was great to see Vicente Padilla's dominating stuff return. It has been nice seeing Jarrod Saltalamacchia's bat come alive. And it has been a relief (all pun... The Oklahoma Ranger
  1. Josh Hamilton must begin to hit like he did last year. Right now, Hamilton is hitting just .246 with a .385 slugging percentage. The Rangers need him to perform at a much higher levfel than that. Unfortunately, the rib injury aggravated today won't help improve those numbers much.
  2. Better pitching from the #5 starter spot. Right now Matt Harrison is holding down the #5 rotation spot, but just barely. In three outings this season Harrison has a 9.20 ERA, and in 14.2 innings has allowed 26 hits and 11 walks. Consequently, unless Harrison improves soon Kris Benson's return from the DL might just send Harrison down to AAA.
  3. Elvis Andrus must cut down on his errors. After tonight's error which led to an unearned run for the Orioles, Adrus has six errors--enough to lead the major leagues. At this pace, Andrus will have 57 errors by the season's end...clearly an unacceptable number. 
  4. Chris Davis must cut down on his strikeouts. His 28 Ks lead the majors, and he is on pace for a ******** 267 strikeouts on the season. Yes, Davis does hit for some power, but 267 Ks is ridiculous. He has always been a big strikeout hitter (he had 150 in a full season of minor league ball in 2007), but he looked completely overmatched the other night against Baltimore's George Sherrill. The fact that rising phenom Justin Smoak walks more than he strikes out might be the most important reason Smoak will take over for Davis in the next two seasons.


]]> Another Nice Win tag:oklahomaranger.mlblogs.com,2009://12591.853791 2009-04-26T04:25:50Z 2009-04-26T04:34:02Z Another game in Baltimore, another nice Ranger win. Tomorrow, the Rangers have a chance to get back to .500 for the first time since leaving Detroit after game six. Thoughts on the game:Is there a more exciting player to watch... The Oklahoma Ranger
  • Is there a more exciting player to watch than Ian Kinsler. With two home runs tonight Ian is now hitting .384 and leading the big leagues in total bases. Right now he has my vote for Player of the Month (but I'm biased).
  • Scott Feldman looked real good tonight. BTW, when did he develop a 94 mph fastball with a 92-mph cutter? Mix that with his other pitches and he might develop into a #1 or #2 starter.
  • Derek Holland looks real good too. After tonight he has allowed only 1 run in 5.1 innings---and he was throwing 97 mph tonight.
  • Frankie Francisco is flat out dominating.
  • I hope Josh Hamilton is not hampered for too long with his rib injury.
With two straight wins to start the series at least the Rangers won't lose their fifth straight series. And with Brandon McCarthy going tomorrow there is a decent chance the Rangers get back to .500 tomorrow.
]]> Minor League Update: Smoak, Pina, Murray tag:oklahomaranger.mlblogs.com,2009://12591.851521 2009-04-25T05:24:24Z 2009-04-25T05:42:24Z All the best news from the Rangers' farm clubs comes from the Frisco Rough Riders tonight. First Justin Smoak picked up two more hits. Remember, this is his first full season playing professional baseball and he jumped from low-A to... The Oklahoma Ranger All the best news from the Rangers' farm clubs comes from the Frisco Rough Riders tonight. First Justin Smoak picked up two more hits. Remember, this is his first full season playing professional baseball and he jumped from low-A to AA to start the season. The transition seems to be going well as young Mr. Smoak raised his average up to .283 on the season with an OPS of .834. But in the last ten games he is hitting .314. But what I like the most over that span is he has nine walks and only four strikeouts. I wonder how long before the pressure to promote Justin begins to rise.

And then there is Manuel Pina, the 21-year old catcher from Venezuela. He had four more hits tonight raising his season average to .486 after hitting successfully in all nine games he has appeared in this year. I would be tempted to not take his bat out of the lineup the way he is hitting.

Finally, Arlington John Murray (better known as A.J. to Rangers' fans) had another nice appearance today in relief. He pitched three scoreless innings while striking out three and walking none. In four appearances so far this year he has a 1.23 ERA. If the Rangers' bullpen continues to struggle it is not out of the question that A.J. finds his way back to Arlington later this summer.
]]> Big Win in Baltimore? tag:oklahomaranger.mlblogs.com,2009://12591.851461 2009-04-25T04:49:39Z 2009-04-25T05:11:11Z I have to admit that after the Rangers lost yesterday to the Blue Jays, I was pretty disappointed. The Rangers had dropped their fourth consecutive series, led the league in strikeouts, and were 13th in ERA. The team had fallen... The Oklahoma Ranger
Honestly, through seven innings tonight it looked like more of the same. Although it was great to see Padilla's fastball return to the mid-90s and Saltalamacchia make some big defensive plays and bang out some hits. Still this looked like another Ranger loss, and the beginning of another lost series/season. It's amazing how one swing from Michael Young's bat, coupled with a myriad of fine baseball played by a number of different players, can change that feeling.

Yes, Young's home run was clutch and will be on all the highlight reels. But there were many heroes tonight. This was a team win.
  • Ian Kinsler battling (and winning) in the AB before Michael's go-ahead home run.
  • Marlon Byrd legging out an infield hit allowing the Rangers' third run to score, and making a web gem catch for the second out in the ninth.
  • Elvis Andrus making a diving stop on a single in the eighth that kept the Orioles from scoring an insurance run.
  • Jarrod Saltalamacchia making two big defensive plays early in the game to stop Baltimore rallies
  • Vicente Padilla dominating (boy was it nice to see that mid-90s fastball again) except for the fourth inning when he was squeezed by home plate umpire Paul Nauert.
  • The Rangers' bullpen going 2.1 scoreless innings tonight to give the Rangers a chance
Of course, the win tonight will mean nothing unless it is followed up by at least one more this weekend. But 7-9 looks much better than the 6-10 mark it looked like the Rangers were heading towards at 8:30 tonight.
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