Fingers crossed for a miracle or two... TEX @ OAK 4/22-24

[saddles]

Josh Smith and his wife Claire occasionally do a video blog to share their experiences with everyone. In this one we get to see how excited his wife is, and how proud of Josh she is, that he was assigned to Triple-A. They discuss their drive from Surprise to Round Rock. They also express how thankful they are to the Rangers for going above and beyond what the were required to do in the way of housing for their players. They are staying in a very nice, fully furnished apartment in Pflugerville.

 

[True Rangers Fan]

The first name that came to my mind was Mitch Moreland in the 2010 postseason.

Rangers didn't really have any "superstars" on those '10/'11 squads. Hamilton came the closest. Just a bunch of regular dudes kicking ass and being awesome.

 

[saddles]

Today's Starters
AAA: Latz
AA: Bradford
Hi-A: White
Lo-A: Stephan

 

[DT LUNA]

Josh Smith and his wife Claire occasionally do a video blog to share their experiences with everyone. In this one we get to see how excited his wife is, and how proud of Josh she is, that he was assigned to Triple-A. They discuss their drive from Surprise to Round Rock. They also express how thankful they are to the Rangers for going above and beyond what the were required to do in the way of housing for their players. They are staying in a very nice, fully furnished apartment in Pflugerville.

Rough life.

 

[saddles]

 

[DT LUNA]

What is apple tv Can not watch tonight. Thanks Bally!!

 

[Kelleyman]

He might not be cut out for a SP role. It's too early to make that judgement, he only has 15 starts under his belt. But has hasn't had anything close to a good start so far this year.

Yes he might not but all for home having a full year to get it together. We need guys who can do more than 5 innings/ and twice through the order.

He has better stuff than Winn but pitching is a craft too. Winn I bet will show that

 

[True Rangers Fan]

What is apple tv Can not watch tonight. Thanks Bally!!

Not Ballys fault, this is MLB. If you have a streaming device, Apple TV+ is one of the apps like Netflix or Hulu.

 

[DT LUNA]

Not Ballys fault, this is MLB. If you have a streaming device, Apple TV+ is one of the apps like Netflix or Hulu.

I'll follow you guys

 

[saddles]

Yes he might not but all for home having a full year to get it together. We need guys who can do more than 5 innings/ and twice through the order.

He has better stuff than Winn but pitching is a craft too. Winn I bet will show that

You think Hearn has better stuff than Winn?

 

[Duane1952]

Reminds me of young Perez. Talent galore and less concentration.

The problem with Perez, was he had a million dollar arm and a 10 cent head.

 

[saddles]

This scouting report from Keith Law may shed some light on Vanasco's performance this year so far.

Ricky Vanasco was the talk of the Rangers’ instructs in 2020 before he blew out his elbow, taking him out for all of 2021, so his 2022 debut on April 12 was his first formal game action since August 2019. Texas’ 15th-round pick in 2017 out of a Florida high school, Vanasco made his second start of the year on April 19 at Wilmington, and whatever he may have shown before Tommy John surgery, it wasn’t evident in this outing.

Vanasco was 89-93 from a very high arm slot, and his control was awful, with 25 strikes in 53 pitches. He walked four in 2 1/3 innings and was spared a fifth only by a generous third-strike call. His only average pitch was his changeup, 84-86 with good deception, while his breaking ball was maybe a 45 (below average), getting some depth from his arm slot but not showing much spin or other break. It was a very cold night, under 50 degrees at first pitch, and he’s obviously just working his way back, but I’m concerned that this is where his velocity sits 18 months after surgery.

 

[Kelleyman]

— It’s too early in the season to say the Rangers needed that win. Not when the team lost 102 games last season, not when the front office is careful to balance the big free-agent acquisitions with reminders that it’s not going to be a one-year turnaround, and certainly not when the team is 2-9. What’s the difference between 3-9 and 2-10 in the grand scheme of things?

But man, the Rangers needed that win. Or perhaps I have put the wrong word in italics there. Let’s try this one on for size: The Rangers needed that win. A win where they had to fight back from an early 5-0 deficit. A win with a rally sparked by a walk from a guy whose biggest weakness has been the willingness to chase. A win where the vocal “heart-and-soul” leader of the team finally contributes a meaningful on-field moment. A win where the team takes advantage of the opponents’ mistakes for once, rather than the other way around.

The Rangers needed that win, and with April already spiraling out of control, they needed it now. Before Thursday night’s game, manager Chris Woodward — the ever-optimist who can occasionally be seen in a “Good Vibes Only” T-shirt — let it be known that sometimes in sports, that means curling that peace sign into a fist.

“We’re a family. Like, our group is a family,” Woodward said. “Now, we are a family that was just put together in a lot of ways (but) when your family is attacked, or your family is challenged, for me personally? Like, if you mess with my family, my immediate family, I will kill you. I have no problem saying that. And I guarantee you there’s a lot of people that would say the same thing. So what are we going to do to fight for one another? At some point, you go, ‘OK, enough. Enough’s enough, these guys are threatening us; they’re threatening our family.’

“We have a lot of nice guys in that room, great character,” Woodward continued. “But now I want to see the ultra competitors. I want to see the claws come out a little bit. We all have it in us. But what does it take to push us to that limit? And it’s not a bad thing. I like having a little edge. You play a little basketball game, it starts off friendly and somebody fouls you. And you’re like, ‘All right. Here we go. He just turned it up a notch. OK. Now it’s game time.’ So I want to see that a little bit out of our group and see it happen. I can’t force it. But I think if we just keep getting punched in the face, it’s eventually going to come out.”

 

[Kelleyman]

You think Hearn has better stuff than Winn?

I said Winn is going to be a much more polished pitcher under the same strain of Maddox.
Obviously Hearn has a more powerful FB but so did Kirkman

 

[Kelleyman]

This scouting report from Keith Law may shed some light on Vanasco's performance this year so far.

Ricky Vanasco was the talk of the Rangers’ instructs in 2020 before he blew out his elbow, taking him out for all of 2021, so his 2022 debut on April 12 was his first formal game action since August 2019. Texas’ 15th-round pick in 2017 out of a Florida high school, Vanasco made his second start of the year on April 19 at Wilmington, and whatever he may have shown before Tommy John surgery, it wasn’t evident in this outing.

Vanasco was 89-93 from a very high arm slot, and his control was awful, with 25 strikes in 53 pitches. He walked four in 2 1/3 innings and was spared a fifth only by a generous third-strike call. His only average pitch was his changeup, 84-86 with good deception, while his breaking ball was maybe a 45 (below average), getting some depth from his arm slot but not showing much spin or other break. It was a very cold night, under 50 degrees at first pitch, and he’s obviously just working his way back, but I’m concerned that this is where his velocity sits 18 months after surgery.

Yeah I heard his velo was down but it is early and it seems like it has been better post TJS

 

[Kelleyman]

Was listening to game on radio and heard Hearn was injured on his very first start. To me it looked like nerves but what do I know.

I hope he becomes a starter and it seems like his. 2nd half earned him a shot but I have yet to become a believer.

Still as said I would not give up on him this season. Maybe he matures in his temperament.
You have to be tough mentally to play professional baseball

 

[DT LUNA]

Was listening to game on radio and heard Hearn was injured on his very first start. To me it looked like nerves but what do I know.

I hope he becomes a starter and it seems like his. 2nd half earned him a shot but I have yet to become a believer.

Still as said I would not give up on him this season. Maybe he matures in his temperament.
You have to be tough mentally to play professional baseball

Mentally tough is what he is lacking. Too early to give up on him.

 

[Kelleyman]

 

[saddles]

Was listening to game on radio and heard Hearn was injured on his very first start. To me it looked like nerves but what do I know.

I hope he becomes a starter and it seems like his. 2nd half earned him a shot but I have yet to become a believer.

Still as said I would not give up on him this season. Maybe he matures in his temperament.
You have to be tough mentally to play professional baseball

Inflammation in his elbow.

Taylor Hearn shut down for 3 weeks

An MRI revealed elbow inflammation but no structural damage for Taylor Hearn

www.lonestarball.com

 

[True Rangers Fan]

I'll follow you guys

we'll do our best to make you proud