You may have noticed that the season, and the Texas Rangers, have finally caught up with the youthful Houston Astros. The Rangers have launched themselves into first place in the AL West with a 31-15 record since July 28, when the Yankees blitzed them 21-5.
It's also two days before the Rangers plucked Cole Hamels out of Philadelphia.
Texas stood five games under .500, eight games out and in third place.
So as you might imagine, all the talk this week has been about identifying the catalyst for the Rangers' rebirth.
Did the shellacking by New York incite new determination?
Did a players-only meeting light a spark?
Did Hamels bring new energy?
Of course, that's only how it works in Ex Post Facto Analysisland. In real life, teams make large improvements by compiling a series of small improvements until they reach a critical mass.
Certainly Hamels, and the return from injury of Derek Holland, helped. They bumped two replacement-level starters from the rotation. That meant Colby Lewis and Yovanni Gallardo no longer had to shoulder the load.
Consequently, at least in part, the Rangers lopped a run off their ERA after August 1.
In addition, after splitting their first 42 one and two-run games before July 28, Texas captured 17 of 24 close games. Timely hitting and relief pitching can do that.
The offensive juggernaut of the first half hasn't slowed and the defensive metrics say the fielding is up a tick. Put that all together and wheels once stuck in the mud gain traction. It didn't hurt that the Rangers have played 26 of their last 42 against losing teams.
We have a tendency to look for that epiphany, that one moment where the worm turned. We attribute it all to something that correlates with the hot streak without any evidence of causation. You see it all the time with managerial changes, as if a new manager could transform a lousy nine into world beaters in his first day.
Ranger manager Jeff Bannister had it exactly right today when asked what sparked the turnaround. He said Spring Training, where the team adopted a never-quit culture. That's a far better explanation than a team meeting, a clubhouse presence or a bad loss.
Though acquiring Cole Hamels doesn't hurt.
Showing posts with label Texas Rangers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Texas Rangers. Show all posts
17 September 2015
14 July 2014
Texas Rangers: Missed It By That Much
If you picked the Texas Rangers to win the AL West, or to compete for a Wild Card, or at least to outplay the Oakland A's, you're not alone. Texas has won 90+ games each of the past four seasons, annually sports a lineup of big-boy bats and worked a pair of deals this year for a couple more boppers.
But as the great philosopher Maxwell Smart observed:
"Missed it by that much."
The Rangers are not going to win the AL West. They are not going to compete for a Wild Card. They are currently 20.5 games behind Oakland and the gap widens daily.
The Rangers are, in fact, in last place in Major League Baseball. They trail the Cubs, the Padres and even the Astros. One more loss drops them behind the Toledo Mud Hens.
Texas represented the American League in the World Series in 2010 and 2011. Since then, they've lost Josh Hamilton, Nelson Cruz, Cliff Lee, C.J. Wilson, Michael Young, Mike Napoli, Joe Nathan, Mike Adams, David Murphy, Bengie Molina and Chris Davis. They traded a superb player, Ian Kinsler, for a superb hitter, Prince Fielder.
What they have left is Adrian Beltre, Elvis Andrus and Yu Darvish. Fielder is done for the season after contributing three home runs. Free agent signing Shin-soo Choo is up to his on-base ways but not much else. Number-two starter Colby Lewis sports a 6.54 ERA.
Somewhere between locusts and slaying of the first born have come a plague of Ranger injuries. Fielder is done due to a neck injury after playing every game of the previous three campaigns. Infield phenom Jurickson Profar -- the reason GM Jon Daniels traded Kinsler -- can thank a shoulder tear for keeping him off the field. Outfielder Kevin Kouzmanoff's .362/.412/.617 brilliance lasted until April 23 and neck surgery. Catcher Geovany Soto is toast after tearing a ligament in his knee. Rotation cog Matt Harrison lasted four starts before a spinal nerve flared. DH Mitch Moreland's on the shelf following ankle surgery. And Derek Holland, the team's second-best pitcher, has yet to visit the mound.
Oh, the humanity!
The results have been grotesque. The team isn't hitting. They're not fielding. After Darvish, they're not pitching. They're third in the AL in stolen bases but first in caught stealing (a miserable 65 for 104). They're last in the league in ERA and ninth in on-base and slugging. With starters like outfielder Michael Choice, who's hitting .177, imagine how painful their bench is. (Here's some help: Carlos Pena, who's hitting .136 with one home run, is not the worst backup on the roster.)
So the Rangers are done in 2014. The question is whether their window was closing or whether return from injury will catapult this squad back into contention next year. Watch whether Daniels starts flipping veterans in order to restock the barren upper levels of the farm to know which way they perceive themselves.
But as the great philosopher Maxwell Smart observed:
"Missed it by that much."
The Rangers are not going to win the AL West. They are not going to compete for a Wild Card. They are currently 20.5 games behind Oakland and the gap widens daily.
The Rangers are, in fact, in last place in Major League Baseball. They trail the Cubs, the Padres and even the Astros. One more loss drops them behind the Toledo Mud Hens.
Texas represented the American League in the World Series in 2010 and 2011. Since then, they've lost Josh Hamilton, Nelson Cruz, Cliff Lee, C.J. Wilson, Michael Young, Mike Napoli, Joe Nathan, Mike Adams, David Murphy, Bengie Molina and Chris Davis. They traded a superb player, Ian Kinsler, for a superb hitter, Prince Fielder.
What they have left is Adrian Beltre, Elvis Andrus and Yu Darvish. Fielder is done for the season after contributing three home runs. Free agent signing Shin-soo Choo is up to his on-base ways but not much else. Number-two starter Colby Lewis sports a 6.54 ERA.
Somewhere between locusts and slaying of the first born have come a plague of Ranger injuries. Fielder is done due to a neck injury after playing every game of the previous three campaigns. Infield phenom Jurickson Profar -- the reason GM Jon Daniels traded Kinsler -- can thank a shoulder tear for keeping him off the field. Outfielder Kevin Kouzmanoff's .362/.412/.617 brilliance lasted until April 23 and neck surgery. Catcher Geovany Soto is toast after tearing a ligament in his knee. Rotation cog Matt Harrison lasted four starts before a spinal nerve flared. DH Mitch Moreland's on the shelf following ankle surgery. And Derek Holland, the team's second-best pitcher, has yet to visit the mound.
Oh, the humanity!
The results have been grotesque. The team isn't hitting. They're not fielding. After Darvish, they're not pitching. They're third in the AL in stolen bases but first in caught stealing (a miserable 65 for 104). They're last in the league in ERA and ninth in on-base and slugging. With starters like outfielder Michael Choice, who's hitting .177, imagine how painful their bench is. (Here's some help: Carlos Pena, who's hitting .136 with one home run, is not the worst backup on the roster.)
So the Rangers are done in 2014. The question is whether their window was closing or whether return from injury will catapult this squad back into contention next year. Watch whether Daniels starts flipping veterans in order to restock the barren upper levels of the farm to know which way they perceive themselves.
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