Series Thread: Texas comes home to face an old friend in Nelson Cruz.

[DT LUNA]

Banister in the post game really looked beat down. Frustrated. Clueless.

They have a long way to go to climb back in end of the season and next year ... but how disheartening is it for the guys to put it aside every night and try to come back positive the next day.

It will all get better when Josh arrives.

That's the way baseball goes

Wash

 

[Xx srs bsns xX]

That's the way baseball goes

Wash

...

 

[DT LUNA]

If you weren't positive on how bad we are hitting, read this. It'll confirm everything.

Against King Felix Hernandez and the Seattle bullpen, Rangers hits could once again be counted on one hand in a 5-2 loss.

The five-hit offensive night left them with a .210 batting average for the month, the worst in the majors. It is the worst batting average for a month since the AL started using the DH in 1973. Their .611 OPS for the month is the second-lowest in the DH era. Their two runs gave them a total of 75 in 21 April games, an average of 3.6 per game (if we round up). They have scored fewer runs in a month once since 1973.

Lot s to be fixed and where do you start?

 

[WastinSomeTime]

Banister in the post game really looked beat down. Frustrated. Clueless.

They have a long way to go to climb back in end of the season and next year ... but how disheartening is it for the guys to put it aside every night and try to come back positive the next day.

It will all get better when Josh arrives.

One thing that has been nice is our pitching overall has been good.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

If you weren't positive on how bad we are hitting, read this. It'll confirm everything.

Against King Felix Hernandez and the Seattle bullpen, Rangers hits could once again be counted on one hand in a 5-2 loss.

The five-hit offensive night left them with a .210 batting average for the month, the worst in the majors. It is the worst batting average for a month since the AL started using the DH in 1973. Their .611 OPS for the month is the second-lowest in the DH era. Their two runs gave them a total of 75 in 21 April games, an average of 3.6 per game (if we round up). They have scored fewer runs in a month once since 1973.

There is just no excuse for this to be happening. The players we have should not be hitting just .210. I have not gone around saying we need to fire Mags but when things are this bad you have to make someone accountable for it and it usually falls on a coach. They may have to let him go just for the sake of maybe it wakes some of these guys up.

 

[DT LUNA]

One thing that has been nice is our pitching overall has been good.

Will get even better but has certainly not been the problem

 

[Windingmywatch]

Lot s to be fixed and where do you start?

I suspect there is a plan and after the injuries in 2014 it was clear 2015 would be an rebuilding year even before Yu and Holland went down. With Yu and Holland out ... 2015 is an exhibition year.

Really bad when Rangers News Feed tweet highlights Cruz HR blast to the Club Deck. Fans will be packed in next time he comes to town and will get promoted to fill seats and buy stuff. Maybe Josh will bring in patrons too if he tags a few.

Focus is now on getting the pieces in place through 2016 to be the leader in 2017-2018.

 

[BULLPEN FAILURE]

Is anyone else annoyed by the team's social media push to get players to the All Star Game? I get it, but it's absurd. First off, it's APRIL, and secondly, the team is performing like it's February.

 

[DT LUNA]

There is just no excuse for this to be happening. The players we have should not be hitting just .210. I have not gone around saying we need to fire Mags but when things are this bad you have to make someone accountable for it and it usually falls on a coach. They may have to let him go just for the sake of maybe it wakes some of these guys up.

Accountability starts at the top all the way down. Has everyone performed as they should? Maybe yes maybe no but all aspects need to be looked at. Do we have the right GM,mgr,hitting coach,players etc. Everyone has to be accountable.

 

[Windingmywatch]

One thing that has been nice is our pitching overall has been good.

Team pitching ERA #9 in the AL which isn't as bad as it looks given a couple of bad outings by couple of guys.

Some definite bright spots in the bullpen. Colby is Colby. Reliable as always. Martinez is impressing but doesn't miss that many bats and could burp and come racing back to the pack of #3s and #4s in the rotation (remember how well Grimm and Tepesch pitched in April 2013). Tolleson is a stalwart. Kela in 2 years will be very good. Mendez and Pimentel have both pitched well. Bass in long relief better than short. Claudio we will see. Wonder when we get to see Fujikawa?

But when TEX adds Harrison, Perez and Holland back into the mix later this season. Yu will be back next year but probably a season away from being back at the top (2017). Last two seasons are great evidence of why you always need 10 ML-ready SPs. Am not so naive to think Harrison is back to top of his 20122-12 form

Gallardo, Detwiler and Rodriguez are gone end of July to make room for Harrion, Holland and Perez. Might get something for Gallardo. Will see what Detwiler builds on from his last start. He's pitching to get a 2016 job somewhere. Wendy hasn't been bad if you limit him to 4 innings. Maybe he could go to long relief -- when HPH return TEX will be stuffed with LH SPs.

TEX opens 2016 with any luck with Holland, Perez, Harrison and Martinez plus someone holding a spot for Yu.

But even if all those guys and Yu were here now ... the offense is still the worst. I like Fielder but not as an OBP guy. Choo is a disaster as has been already chronicalled. Both are here to bridge to the kids in Frisco. Both will be gone by the end of 2016.

 

[saddles]

To me everyone who is not under contract in 2017 or who can't be expected to contribute much in 2017 should be available to be had in July or after this season. In fact I would have handled last July in that same manner. We have 4 young hitters in Frisco and a few other good hitters a level or 2 behind them. We should do whatever we have to do to get Gallo, Alfaro, Williams, and Mazara ready to contribute in a major way in 2017. That means they need to be starting at least a year before then in order to get acclimated to the big leagues. The same thing goes for Chi Chi and Thompson.

 

[Windingmywatch]

Is anyone else annoyed by the team's social media push to get players to the All Star Game? I get it, but it's absurd. First off, it's APRIL, and secondly, the team is performing like it's February.

Am going to go all in and get Josh voted in. LOL! It will be like when we almost got Teagarden voted in when he was playing for OKC but had the playing time to qualify.

 

[BULLPEN FAILURE]

Team pitching ERA #9 in the AL which isn't as bad as it looks given a couple of bad outings by couple of guys.

Given that our #1 is out for the year and our #2 managed one inning before heading to the DL, a #9 ranking in the AL is a damn miracle.

 

[Windingmywatch]

To me everyone who is not under contract in 2017 or who can't be expected to contribute much in 2017 should be available to be had in July or after this season. In fact I would have handled last July in that same manner. We have 4 young hitters in Frisco and a few other good hitters a level or 2 behind them. We should do whatever we have to do to get Gallo, Alfaro, Williams, and Mazara ready to contribute in a major way in 2017. That means they need to be starting at least a year before then in order to get acclimated to the big leagues. The same thing goes for Chi Chi and Thompson.

Exactamente. Although that may mean going back and forth between AAA and ML. Need guys to get the ABs or innings.

I would love right now to find a way to get Odor to AAA without having to DFA someone to promote Field. Sophomores slump is due to not being hot following ST. Guys who get hot in AAA after several months and then come back up tend to stay hot.

Just thought of this ... wonder how may teams have both middle infielders who never played a AAA?

 

[WastinSomeTime]

Am going to go all in and get Josh voted in. LOL! It will be like when we almost got Teagarden voted in when he was playing for OKC but had the playing time to qualify.

I am going to pencil in Mike Schmidt. After all he made it once before after he retired before the All Star break. I thought about Bernie Williams since he just retired a week or so ago.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

Is anyone else annoyed by the team's social media push to get players to the All Star Game? I get it, but it's absurd. First off, it's APRIL, and secondly, the team is performing like it's February.

Yes and it bothered me last year as well. There is not a position player on this team that should be in that game.

 

[Windingmywatch]

Given that our #1 is out for the year and our #2 managed one inning before heading to the DL, a #9 ranking in the AL is a damn miracle.

I'd say #1-#4 out ... with Colby #5 only one here.

 

[DT LUNA]

Yes and it bothered me last year as well. There is not a position player on this team that should be in that game.

Right and a lot of folks don't even like that game.

 

[BULLPEN FAILURE]

The Texas Rangers' April, summed up in one image:

 

[Hambombs]

Frustrating offense. We need josh! Lol but need to start keeping up with our fantasy baseball league