Series Thread: New look Rangers bird watching in Baltimore 8/2-8/4

[donaldson79]

This from ESPN's Jeff Sullivan on teams which could take out the favored Cubs in the WS:

Texas Rangers
But Lucroy is really good, and he makes the Rangers stronger. The deadline worked like winning a game against a rival: the Rangers didn't just improve, but they improved in the way the Indians wanted to. That's extra sweet. And aside from the Cubs, no team has a bigger lead in its division -- at 5½ games.

That's an important factor for the Rangers. Not only did they bulk up at the deadline, they bulked up knowing they're likely to make it to the playoffs by winning the division and avoiding the one-game wild card. The Rangers' odds of getting into series play are high at 85 percent, and that's great news for their World Series chances. This group looks particularly suited for October.

Lucroy helps the lineup. Carlos Beltran should provide what Prince Fieldercouldn't. Now the lineup has gotten a lot deeper too, as the Rangers have gone for it.

At this point, the Rangers' weakness is starting rotation depth. That's probably the best weakness if you're a playoff team, because you can drop your fifth starter. You get to lean on the front guys -- in this case, Cole Hamels and Yu Darvish. Now, the Rangers would still have questions at third and fourth starters, but the Rangers also just bolstered their bullpen. Look at this list of active relievers: Sam Dyson, Jeremy Jeffress, Jake Diekman, Keone Kela, Dario Alvarez, Tony Barnette and Matt Bush. Maybe you don't know Alvarez. He has one of the highest strikeout rates (16.2 K/9) in baseball. Maybe you don't know Barnette. He has a 2.08 ERA.

So while I said bullpen depth isn't that important in the playoffs, this could be big for the Rangers, because all of those guys are good pitchers. They reduce what's needed from the third and fourth starters, who are on short leashes -- then the power arms come out. No, the Rangers don't have enough good starters. In the playoffs, they might not need them.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

Good point. Thought about this last night myself. Let's see how settled down we look tonight.

But in fairness, Bundy looked really sharp too.

Bundy did pitch a good game. The ump consistently called the pitches just on or out of the zone on the left side of the plate and he consistently hit that area. A lot of it was him.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

In the 5th inning, he threw a pitch, winched, and he was immediately visited by the catcher, then the doc. And he was ushered into the dugout rather quickly.

Did not know that. He has been possibly been there best pitcher of late. They have not had those types of issues this year like we seem to have every year.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

This from ESPN's Jeff Sullivan on teams which could take out the favored Cubs in the WS:

Texas Rangers
But Lucroy is really good, and he makes the Rangers stronger. The deadline worked like winning a game against a rival: the Rangers didn't just improve, but they improved in the way the Indians wanted to. That's extra sweet. And aside from the Cubs, no team has a bigger lead in its division -- at 5½ games.

That's an important factor for the Rangers. Not only did they bulk up at the deadline, they bulked up knowing they're likely to make it to the playoffs by winning the division and avoiding the one-game wild card. The Rangers' odds of getting into series play are high at 85 percent, and that's great news for their World Series chances. This group looks particularly suited for October.

Lucroy helps the lineup. Carlos Beltran should provide what Prince Fieldercouldn't. Now the lineup has gotten a lot deeper too, as the Rangers have gone for it.

At this point, the Rangers' weakness is starting rotation depth. That's probably the best weakness if you're a playoff team, because you can drop your fifth starter. You get to lean on the front guys -- in this case, Cole Hamels and Yu Darvish. Now, the Rangers would still have questions at third and fourth starters, but the Rangers also just bolstered their bullpen. Look at this list of active relievers: Sam Dyson, Jeremy Jeffress, Jake Diekman, Keone Kela, Dario Alvarez, Tony Barnette and Matt Bush. Maybe you don't know Alvarez. He has one of the highest strikeout rates (16.2 K/9) in baseball. Maybe you don't know Barnette. He has a 2.08 ERA.

So while I said bullpen depth isn't that important in the playoffs, this could be big for the Rangers, because all of those guys are good pitchers. They reduce what's needed from the third and fourth starters, who are on short leashes -- then the power arms come out. No, the Rangers don't have enough good starters. In the playoffs, they might not need them.

I think Alvarez will be alright. We just have to be patient with him. Same with Jeffress. It is different when the games you come in actually mean something so a few good games under their belts will get them going in the right direction.

 

[Bmurph]

Did not know that. He has been possibly been there best pitcher of late. They have not had those types of issues this year like we seem to have every year.

They are starting to pile up for them now. They had McCullers go down last night and it sounds pretty serious. Gregerson just went on the 15 day, Marwin Gonzalez has missed 4-5 games in a row w a bad hand, Valbuena is on DL and Gomez has missed some games lately. Injuries are starting to happen for them now too

 

[DT LUNA]

I think Alvarez will be alright. We just have to be patient with him. Same with Jeffress. It is different when the games you come in actually mean something so a few good games under their belts will get them going in the right direction.

Last night was an all around bad night for everyone. I'm not concerned about Alvarez. His record indicates that last night was just a bad night as it was for most.

 

[Xx srs bsns xX]

Darvish/Lucroy last night :

 

[jaar01]

I ain't the least bit concerned about last night. Great pitching beats great hitting every day of the season in MLB. Yu was good. Just not as good as Bundy. And Baltimore is a really good team, especially at home.

Get back after it tonight.

 

[romeo212000]

This from ESPN's Jeff Sullivan on teams which could take out the favored Cubs in the WS:

Texas Rangers
But Lucroy is really good, and he makes the Rangers stronger. The deadline worked like winning a game against a rival: the Rangers didn't just improve, but they improved in the way the Indians wanted to. That's extra sweet. And aside from the Cubs, no team has a bigger lead in its division -- at 5½ games.

That's an important factor for the Rangers. Not only did they bulk up at the deadline, they bulked up knowing they're likely to make it to the playoffs by winning the division and avoiding the one-game wild card. The Rangers' odds of getting into series play are high at 85 percent, and that's great news for their World Series chances. This group looks particularly suited for October.

Lucroy helps the lineup. Carlos Beltran should provide what Prince Fieldercouldn't. Now the lineup has gotten a lot deeper too, as the Rangers have gone for it.

At this point, the Rangers' weakness is starting rotation depth. That's probably the best weakness if you're a playoff team, because you can drop your fifth starter. You get to lean on the front guys -- in this case, Cole Hamels and Yu Darvish. Now, the Rangers would still have questions at third and fourth starters, but the Rangers also just bolstered their bullpen. Look at this list of active relievers: Sam Dyson, Jeremy Jeffress, Jake Diekman, Keone Kela, Dario Alvarez, Tony Barnette and Matt Bush. Maybe you don't know Alvarez. He has one of the highest strikeout rates (16.2 K/9) in baseball. Maybe you don't know Barnette. He has a 2.08 ERA.

So while I said bullpen depth isn't that important in the playoffs, this could be big for the Rangers, because all of those guys are good pitchers. They reduce what's needed from the third and fourth starters, who are on short leashes -- then the power arms come out. No, the Rangers don't have enough good starters. In the playoffs, they might not need them.

Sullivan should know better than to say a bullpen isn't that important in the playoffs.

 

[donaldson79]

Sullivan should know better than to say a bullpen isn't that important in the playoffs.

I'd almost venture to say a stocked and performing BP in the playoffs may be THE most important component.

 

[Bmurph]

Sullivan should know better than to say a bullpen isn't that important in the playoffs.

Yeah that was a dumbass statement

 

[donaldson79]

I had to bug out of yesterday's "festivities" but it sounded like everyone was a little on edge.

Didn't surprise me really, b/c all the suspense and drama of the trade deadline took a little starch outta my shorts for sure.

 

[donaldson79]

Jim Bowden rated JD & Co 2nd behind the Cubs Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer on "grading the GMs at the deadline." NOTE: He had the Astro's Jeff Ludhow at 17.

2. Texas Rangers

GM: Jon Daniels

Grade: A+

Analysis: The Rangers were targeting starting pitching at the deadline, but when the potential cost in prospects became prohibitive, they changed their plan on the fly and focused on offense and bullpen help. They benefited fromJonathan Lucroy exercising his no-trade clause to prevent a trade with the Indians, jumping in and trading two top prospects to the Brewers for him in the final hours. Lucroy's game-calling and above-average framing should help the entire staff, beyond his All-Star offensive contributions. The Rangers did well in getting Jeremy Jeffress in the same transaction; he'll give them another option at closer. Acquiring Carlos Beltran was important because not only does he replace the injured Prince Fielder at DH, but his track record of postseason success with both Houston and St. Louis could be a factor come playoff time. The best part of the Rangers' trades? They didn't give up any of their top young players, such as Nomar Mazara, Jurickson Profar and Joey Gallo.

 

[jta4437]

Sullivan should know better than to say a bullpen isn't that important in the playoffs.

Yeah that sends like misspeak, bc while he says that, he goes on to give reasons why they are important, just bad semantics

He needs to find a better way to verbalize that point

 

[jta4437]

I had to bug out of yesterday's "festivities" but it sounded like everyone was a little on edge.

Didn't surprise me really, b/c all the suspense and drama of the trade deadline took a little starch outta my shorts for sure.

I'm just tired of getting Astros updates, I know how to operate the interwebs, I can look up a scoreboard

He's scarcely on topic, and it's annoying, his posts are usually the equivalent of something that goes in my spam folder

 

[saddles]

 

[WastinSomeTime]

I think that is the same lineup. Hope Desmond gets it going again. In a slump much like the beginning of the year. It happens to everyone.

 

[True Rangers Fan]

I'm just tired of getting Astros updates, I know how to operate the interwebs, I can look up a scoreboard

He's scarcely on topic, and it's annoying, his posts are usually the equivalent of something that goes in my spam folder

I literally just posted in the other thread about this before seeing this.

Most of what is posted here is stuff we can look up ourselves. The Astros are a rival. What they do is relevant.

 

[jta4437]

I literally just posted in the other thread about this before seeing this.

Most of what is posted here is stuff we can look up ourselves. The Astros are a rival. What they do is relevant.

It's a game thread for the Rangers game, it's implied that we will be talking about the Rangers game, not the Astros game, if I wanted that I'd go to an Astros game thread

But I think what annoys me the most is that's all he really knows anything about is stuff we can look up ourselves

 

[True Rangers Fan]

But I think what annoys me the most is that's all he really knows anything about is stuff we can look up ourselves

Honestly, isn't that really what any of us brings to the table here?