Series Thread: Houston "you have a problem", the Texas Rangers 9/14-17

[Bmurph]

Agreed. But fuck it. Let's win tomorrow and sweep the Tigers.

Im in

 

[donaldson79]

Should the Rangers put away the West, they will need a four-man starting rotation. While Hamels and Lewis have been workhorses, Holland, Yovani Gallardo and Martin Perez are averaging 51/3 innings per outing in September. The Rangers are 48-56 this year when their starters fail to get through six innings.

 

[Nightcrawler]

Should the Rangers put away the West, they will need a four-man starting rotation. While Hamels and Lewis have been workhorses, Holland, Yovani Gallardo and Martin Perez are averaging 51/3 innings per outing in September. The Rangers are 48-56 this year when their starters fail to get through six innings.

You are up early

 

[Bmurph]

Should the Rangers put away the West, they will need a four-man starting rotation. While Hamels and Lewis have been workhorses, Holland, Yovani Gallardo and Martin Perez are averaging 51/3 innings per outing in September. The Rangers are 48-56 this year when their starters fail to get through six innings.

Hope Perez pitches well today, it would make me a bit more comfortable with our rotation, which all of the sudden seems a mess outside Hamels and Colby. Though I guess Gallardo, while hard to watch seems to be better than Holland right now.

 

[Kelleyman]

Re Angel series. Richards will likely go on short rest if needed as reported. Big win last night for Halos but at cost of Huston Street. Groin injury and Joe Smith is out too. Bodes well for us. Tough break for Austin kid

 

[romeo212000]

Re Angel series. Richards will likely go on short rest if needed as reported. Big win last night for Halos but at cost of Huston Street. Groin injury and Joe Smith is out too. Bodes well for us. Tough break for Austin kid

Gonna be tough for them to win consistently without those two.

 

[romeo212000]

Should the Rangers put away the West, they will need a four-man starting rotation. While Hamels and Lewis have been workhorses, Holland, Yovani Gallardo and Martin Perez are averaging 51/3 innings per outing in September. The Rangers are 48-56 this year when their starters fail to get through six innings.

Gallardo will get one of those spots. In a playoff you can get away with your starter giving you 5 innings of one or two run ball, but either holland or Perez will need to step up.

 

[Bmurph]

Today's line-up

CF
D. DeShields Jr. (R)
RF
Shin-Soo Choo (L)
3B
Adrian Beltre (R)
DH
Prince Fielder (L)
LF
Mike Napoli (R)
1B
Mitch Moreland (L)
SS
Elvis Andrus (R)
2B
Rougned Odor (L)
C
Chris Gimenez (R)

Perez vs Keuchel

Napoli back in LF today

 

[donaldson79]

Yesterday I asked, "Why did we not PH for Wilson in the 6th with runners on 1st and 3rd with 2 outs?"

Anyone got a guess on that one?

 

[Bmurph]

TEXAS AT HOUSTON

Time: 02:10 P.M. ESTVenue: Minute Maid Park

After picking up a crucial game on the Texas Rangers behind a power barrage, the Houston Astros next lean on their ace to move them closer in the AL West race.

Dallas Keuchel puts a 20-start home unbeaten streak on the line in Sunday's matchup with a Rangers team that dealt the All-Star his worst outing of the season earlier this month.

Houston (81-74) used a season-high six home runs - two each from Carlos Correa and Jose Altuve - to move within 3 1-2 games of the Rangers and keep hold of the AL's second wild card with Saturday's wild 9-7 win. The Astros overcame an early 3-0 deficit and withstood a three-run rally in the ninth to end an eight-game series losing streak.

Correa's second homer forged a 4-all tie in the third and gave the 21-year-old 21 this season, breaking Dickie Thon's franchise record for a shortstop and tying Lance Berkman's club rookie mark.

"His ability to stay calm in the moment continues to shine through," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said.

Altuve recorded his first multi-homer game one day after exiting Houston's 6-2 loss in the series opener when he collided with Correa while chasing a popup.

''I need to hit him every single day so he hits homers the next day,'' Correa joked.

The Astros have to like their chances of gaining further ground, as Keuchel (18-8, 2.51 ERA) enters Sunday's finale 14-0 with a 1.47 ERA in 17 home starts this season. He's won 15 straight decisions at Minute Maid Park since permitting five runs in six innings in a 6-2 loss to Texas on Aug. 10, 2014.

Keuchel extended the stretch by holding the Los Angeles Angels to a run over 7 2-3 innings in Monday's 6-3 victory, bouncing back from a Sept. 16 shellacking at Texas in which he was tagged for a career-high nine runs and 11 hits, including three homers, in 4 2-3 innings.

The Cy Young candidate has had better success against the Rangers in his home park. Keuchel has allowed one run over 15 innings in two season meetings at home, the last a 10-0 victory July 19 where he struck out a career-high 13 and threw seven innings of two-hit ball.

Josh Hamilton is 7 for 18 with a homer against Keuchel and made his first start since Aug. 15 Saturday. The former AL MVP had been limited to two pinch-hitting appearances in his return from Sept. 11 left knee surgery.

''It's still day to day based off how he feels,'' Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. ''We're at a point now where we need to find out how it's going to go.''

Martin Perez (3-5, 5.21) hopes to duplicate his performance when matched up against Keuchel on Sept. 16, when the left-hander yielded a run in seven innings of a 14-3 victory. He improved to 4-1 with a 2.00 ERA in five career starts against Houston, completing at least seven innings in four of them.

Perez wasn't as sharp in his follow-up, surrendering five runs and walking three in four-plus innings of Tuesday's 8-6 win at Oakland.

Prince Fielder homered off Keuchel in the most recent matchup and was 3 for 5 with two RBIs Saturday, raising his season totals to .377 with 18 RBIs in 18 games against Houston. Shin-soo Choo homered for a second straight game and is 12 for 18 with seven RBIs in the teams' last four meetings.

Really need the big guy to come through today, and Perez to pitch a good game

 

[Bmurph]

Yesterday I asked, "Why did we not PH for Wilson in the 6th with runners on 1st and 3rd with 2 outs?"

Anyone got a guess on that one?

Surprised me? Wilson hasn't been good at the plate since the first week or so, he was a Ranger

 

[romeo212000]

Surprised me? Wilson hasn't been good at the plate since the first week or so, he was a Ranger

Wilson didn't even resemble a professional hitter yesterday.

 

[DT LUNA]

To

If we can get Dutch and Perez pitching well, we will tough to beat

Tough to be in a position that we have to depend on Tommy John. Know what you mean and these two guys must be mentally struggling with the load on their shoulders. They have the guts to go out and do it and that's saying a lot.

 

[donaldson79]

Surprised me? Wilson hasn't been good at the plate since the first week or so, he was a Ranger

Wilson didn't even resemble a professional hitter yesterday.

I assumed when he was allowed to plate up, Banister was committed to giving Gim the day off. Yet, an inning later he's got Gimenez in the game. If we were going to let him catch 2/3 innings, why wouldn't we have PH for Wilson, then inserted Gim where he would have gotten 3/4 innings?

Completely puzzled me.

And, isn't Chirinos available to catch, at least some?

 

[Bmurph]

I assumed when he was allowed to plate up, Banister was committed to giving Gim the day off. Yet, an inning later he's got Gimenez in the game. If we were going to let him catch 2/3 innings, why wouldn't we have PH for Wilson, then inserted Gim where he would have gotten 3/4 innings?

Completely puzzled me.

And, isn't Chirinos available to catch, at least some?

I have no idea Don, Banister baffles me sometimes?

This is from the 18th

September 18, 2015 5:50 pm
Rangers C Robinson Chirinos expected to return to lineup Saturday
by Rotowire Staff | Special to CBSSports.com


Rangers catcher Robinson Chirinos (biceps) hit live batting practice Friday and is expected to rejoin the lineup Saturday, Stefan Stevenson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.

Chirinos hasn't made an appearance in a game since Sept. 9, but it sounds like that streak will finally come to an end Saturday. He will likely see the majority of starts behind the dish down the stretch, but the team could ease him back into action to avoid a setback of some kind.

 

[donaldson79]

I have no idea Don, Banister baffles me sometimes?

This is from the 18th

September 18, 2015 5:50 pm
Rangers C Robinson Chirinos expected to return to lineup Saturday
by Rotowire Staff | Special to CBSSports.com


Rangers catcher Robinson Chirinos (biceps) hit live batting practice Friday and is expected to rejoin the lineup Saturday, Stefan Stevenson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.

Chirinos hasn't made an appearance in a game since Sept. 9, but it sounds like that streak will finally come to an end Saturday. He will likely see the majority of starts behind the dish down the stretch, but the team could ease him back into action to avoid a setback of some kind.

Thanks for posting that article. I remembered it, but couldn't put my hands on it.

And I'm not at all trying to bash Banister. It was just one of those, "If you're going to do this now, why didn't you do that then?'' moments for me.

Oh well.....today is a new day and hopefully we'll get it going again, beginning with a fine outing from our starter.

 

[DT LUNA]

I assumed when he was allowed to plate up, Banister was committed to giving Gim the day off. Yet, an inning later he's got Gimenez in the game. If we were going to let him catch 2/3 innings, why wouldn't we have PH for Wilson, then inserted Gim where he would have gotten 3/4 innings?

Completely puzzled me.

And, isn't Chirinos available to catch, at least some?

Day off my foot. This late in the season with all the marbles on the taw line, you go with your best. It was a mistake. IMO your question is a valid one. Why?

 

[Senator_fan]

So if Hamilton is 7 for 18 against Keuchel, why isn't he starting?

 

[DT LUNA]

So if Hamilton is 7 for 18 against Keuchel, why isn't he starting?

Napoli starts against LHP

 

[romeo212000]

That'll work Prince.