Series Thread: Rangers Play Three Games in Washington Prior to the All Star Break July 7-9

[Kelleyman]

The only problem with that, is that stretch started off with them going 2-6, before they had time to get worn out from the stretch.

It probably contributed later on.

The losing actually started the day before their last day off prior to when that long stretch started. That was the game Bochy rested a lot of guys to prepare for the Rays series.

So yeah maybe not the best strategy getting ready for the Rays

But surely you do not attribute their slump to that right?

They were hitting great with RISP earlier in the season. Either they had some luck then or bad luck recently or unlearned

Or maybe other pitchers are pitching better to them and have more data how to pitch to them
Regardless some adjustments need to be made methinks

 

[saddles]

But surely you do not attribute their slump to that right?

I attribute at least the beginning of it to that. I think it snowballed from there.

There is a mental side to playing well, and that part of their game has been out of whack since then, for the most part.

 

[True Rangers Fan]

MLB Gameday: Cardinals 1, Rangers 0 Final Score (06/07/2023)

Here's the box score from the magical game that somehow caused all the problems.

Semien, Seager, Lowe, Jung, and Heim all played the full game. Garcia and Taveras both had PH appearances. So the only regular of note that got a complete day off was Duran.

If that's all it took to wreck the season, then the season was already wrecked and we just didn't know it yet.

Personally, I think baseball is a long season, teams and players go through peaks and valleys, schedules get weaker and tougher, and adjustments are made over time. Also, blaming a 20-something game slump on a single game's lineup completely ignores the pitching side of the game, which tends to be kinda important. Perez, Heaney, and the bullpen surely weren't affected by Duran getting a day off, right?

 

[Kelleyman]

MLB Gameday: Cardinals 1, Rangers 0 Final Score (06/07/2023)

Here's the box score from the magical game that somehow caused all the problems.

Semien, Seager, Lowe, Jung, and Heim all played the full game. Garcia and Taveras both had PH appearances. So the only regular of note that got a complete day off was Duran.

If that's all it took to wreck the season, then the season was already wrecked and we just didn't know it yet.

Personally, I think baseball is a long season, teams and players go through peaks and valleys, schedules get weaker and tougher, and adjustments are made over time. Also, blaming a 20-something game slump on a single game's lineup completely ignores the pitching side of the game, which tends to be kinda important. Perez, Heaney, and the bullpen surely weren't affected by Duran getting a day off, right?

Agree. The book was out and another factor is running a head of the pack. Expectations are higher. More pressure vs playing with house money. That is a mental side
Also losing DeGrom even with Dunning stepping up has hurt

This is a long season though. Don’t judge too highly early or harshly at midseason
A lot of baseball to play

 

[saddles]

the season was already wrecked and we just didn't know it yet.

That is one way to put it, and yes, that could very well be the case.

 

[True Rangers Fan]

Agree. The book was out and another factor is running a head of the pack. Expectations are higher. More pressure vs playing with house money. That is a mental side
Also losing DeGrom even with Dunning stepping up has hurt

This is a long season though. Don’t judge too highly early or harshly at midseason
A lot of baseball to play

Lowe has regressed, Jung is still a rookie, Bombi fell back into some old habits, and Semien went ice cold. Plus, the offense was performing at a rate not seen for 80 years. It was ridiculous to think that was going to last all season.

 

[saddles]

blaming a 20-something game slump on a single game's lineup completely ignores the pitching side of the game

Not really.

 

[saddles]

Semien went ice cold

That is something that is going to be the case throughout his contract. You can count on it with just about as much certainly as counting on deGrom to be hurt a lot. Those two have to be looked at as if they are bonuses when they contribute, very hefty bonuses, but bonuses nonetheless.

 

[Kelleyman]

Next subject.

Of interest to me is the contract status of our current draft picks especially the LSU recruit.

 

[Kelleyman]

I will say Lowe swing looks much different than last year. He seem to be averse to pulling the ball except on occasion. Hope he is working his way out of this so he drives the ball more

 

[saddles]

I have seen a dropped pop fly foul ball wreck a Rangers season before.

Several years after that fly ball that George Wright dropped, Mike Rhyner dubbed such instances "the catastrophic moment."

 

[saddles]

Next subject.

Of interest to me is the contract status of our current draft picks especially the LSU recruit.

I think they have ser themselves up to be able to throw overshot money at more than one guy. Maybe it comes down to the one most willing to do so.

 

[Kelleyman]

I have seen a dropped pop fly foul ball wreck a Rangers season before.

Several years after that fly ball that George Wright dropped, Mike Rhyner dubbed such instances "the catastrophic moment."

Have to think Bichy is a settled t influence. These guys have to learn how to win the close meaningful games.
This is growth process needed and hope it takes place

 

[True Rangers Fan]

I have seen a dropped pop fly foul ball wreck a Rangers season before.

These things happen to every team, every season. It's the nature of baseball. I personally find it pointless to try and determine which particular event "wrecked" a season. Either the team was good enough to overcome adversity or it wasn't. Mistakes and bad games are 100% unavoidable and guaranteed to happen. all throughout a season.

I guess I understand how pinpointing a certain play or game can provide some sort of satisfaction, like the case was "solved," but since there's no way to prove it, and it doesn't change the fact that the team simply wasn't able to overcome adversity, it seems like a waste of time to hang a midseason slump on a single play or a single game.

 

[True Rangers Fan]

Not really.

Well, you've mentioned several times about "when Bochy sat a bunch of guys in anticipation of the Rays series" and how that is the key event that's led to the slump. Just trying to figure out how that would have affected the pitching side of things.

 

[saddles]

Have to think Bichy is a settled t influence. These guys have to learn how to win the close meaningful games.
This is growth process needed and hope it takes place

His influence could have very well been instrumental in them playing significantly over their head for the first 9 weeks or so. Of course, that ki d of thing can't go on forever.

I still think a lot of the growth process needs to be roster-wise. We aren't as good as we played those first few weeks, but we need to be a lot better than we have played, overall, since then. I think we are a few quality players short of a full grown WS contending roster.

 

[saddles]

Well, you've mentioned several times about "when Bochy sat a bunch of guys in anticipation of the Rays series" and how that is the key event that's led to the slump. Just trying to figure out how that would have affected the pitching side of things.

It affected the whole team, not just hitters. It affected them on the mental side.

 

[saddles]

Either the team was good enough to overcome adversity or it wasn't

We agree completely on this. Where we disagree on is what is or isn't adversity.

 

[saddles]

I guess I understand how pinpointing a certain play or game can provide some sort of satisfaction, like the case was "solved,"

I don't think any of us have a sense of satisfaction right now.

 

[saddles]

I personally find it pointless to try and determine which particular event "wrecked" a season.

If anything has been "wrecked," it is the last few weeks. It is too early to tell if it "wrecks" the season.