Series Thread: Rangers Close Out Season in Seattle With Four Games September 28 - October 1

[armadillooutlaw]

This is a huge accomplishment and something to build on. We have a nice, relatively young core of guys to build around, and what should be a decent window of opportunity to contend the next few years.
Let's celebrate the playoffs clinch now, and go win the division tomorrow!
There's not a single AL team that doesn't have a weak point, including Tampa and Baltimore.

 

[Kelleyman]

Heaney was nails
Brilliant bringing unflappable Bradford
And a great Le Close

 

[WilltheThrill]

“Rangers won’t win another game this year. 100% guaranteed.” - jaar01

“Told you guys. Season is over” - jaar01

“How am I overly negative?” -also jaar01

 

[jaar01]

Oh I'll happily eat crow. Rangers got in...and the bullpen actually helped today.

Any experience they get in Oct will be beneficial.

So...we either head to Tampa or get some rest and wait on Minnesota or Toronto.

 

[armadillooutlaw]

Oh I'll happily eat crow. Rangers got in...and the bullpen actually helped today.

Any experience they get in Oct will be beneficial.

So...we either head to Tampa or get some rest and wait on Minnesota or Toronto.

We can take Minny and Toronto. They're frauds. I think we can hang with Tampa or Baltimore, too... depending on which version of our offense we get.
There's no great team in the AL this year, so why can't we go on a run?

 

[WilltheThrill]

Oh I'll happily eat crow. Rangers got in...and the bullpen actually helped today.

Any experience they get in Oct will be beneficial.

So...we either head to Tampa or get some rest and wait on Minnesota or Toronto.

Just out of curiosity, why do you always go scorched earth every time the Rangers play a bad game? I mean, the rest of us get upset and say things look bad. But you go way off the deep end. Yet at the same time, you do seem like you really love the team. Is that just how you handle losses? You’ll post some really insightful stuff, and then you’ll turn around and say some totally crazy doomsday nonsense.

 

[WilltheThrill]

We can take Minny and Toronto. They're frauds. I think we can hang with Tampa or Baltimore, too... depending on which version of our offense we get.
There's no great team in the AL this year, so why can't we go on a run?

Baltimore, believe it or not, is the team that scares me the most in a playoff series. Their biggest weakness is their lack of depth in their starting rotation. But that can be hidden in a playoff series. Bradish is a legit #1, and Grayson Rodriguez has been pitching lights out. That’s 2 starters, and then they can go to a bullpen hybrid game for #3 if need be, and their bullpen is really good. Plus their lineup is as solid as it gets, and they have an insanely good record in 1-run games.

Toronto doesn’t scare anyone, except for newborn babies who are sitting in the 1st level who are in harm’s way from glass beer bottles being thrown by drunken Canadian fans in the 3rd level because they don’t know the rules of baseball.

Minnesota is a bit of a wild card. On paper, they’re the least threatening. But I could easily see them catching fire and surprising.

And the entire Astros franchise can be rolled up and thrown into a burning dumpster.

 

[armadillooutlaw]

Baltimore, believe it or not, is the team that scares me the most in a playoff series. Their biggest weakness is their lack of depth in their starting rotation. But that can be hidden in a playoff series. Bradish is a legit #1, and Grayson Rodriguez has been pitching lights out. That’s 2 starters, and then they can go to a bullpen hybrid game for #3 if need be, and their bullpen is really good. Plus their lineup is as solid as it gets, and they have an insanely good record in 1-run games.

Toronto doesn’t scare anyone, except for newborn babies who are sitting in the 1st level who are in harm’s way from glass beer bottles being thrown by drunken Canadian fans in the 3rd level because they don’t know the rules of baseball.

Minnesota is a bit of a wild card. On paper, they’re the least threatening. But I could easily see them catching fire and surprising.

And the entire Astros franchise can be rolled up and thrown into a burning dumpster.

Agree about Baltimore. They're the most imposing. It would take our A-game against them to make it a series, but could certainly happen.
I'm just stoked to be back in the playoffs. We have a great chance at Winning a playoff series at least, with a small but viable shot at going further. And looking ahead, I still think we're going to be even better next year than this year.

 

[jaar01]

Just out of curiosity, why do you always go scorched earth every time the Rangers play a bad game? I mean, the rest of us get upset and say things look bad. But you go way off the deep end. Yet at the same time, you do seem like you really love the team. Is that just how you handle losses? You’ll post some really insightful stuff, and then you’ll turn around and say some totally crazy doomsday nonsense.

I am a natural pessimist. In sports...and unfortunately, in life.

And that 2011 WS game 6 broke me. It came at a real low point in my life. I put all my eggs in that basket, and it just plain broke me after waiting my whole life to see Texas win a World Series.

So...I basically expect the worst, and the disappointment doesn't hurt so much.

I'm working on it.

 

[Senator_fan]

Astros win.

 

[armadillooutlaw]

I am a natural pessimist. In sports...and unfortunately, in life.

And that 2011 WS game 6 broke me. It came at a real low point in my life. I put all my eggs in that basket, and it just plain broke me after waiting my whole life to see Texas win a World Series.

So...I basically expect the worst, and the disappointment doesn't hurt so much.

I'm working on it.

That's tough, man.

 

[WilltheThrill]

Astros win.

Yep, and the M’s are eliminated. Bad news is, we still have to earn the division title. Good news is the M’s have nothing but pride to play for against us tomorrow.

 

[DT LUNA]

Yep, and the M’s are eliminated. Bad news is, we still have to earn the division title. Good news is the M’s have nothing but pride to play for against us tomorrow.

They won't make it easy.

 

[jaar01]

By the way, did you see the Seager interview after the game? When asked how much Bochy made a difference this year, he basically said it was all about team resilience. Nothing about Bochy.

Very interesting.

 

[WilltheThrill]

I am a natural pessimist. In sports...and unfortunately, in life.

And that 2011 WS game 6 broke me. It came at a real low point in my life. I put all my eggs in that basket, and it just plain broke me after waiting my whole life to see Texas win a World Series.

So...I basically expect the worst, and the disappointment doesn't hurt so much.

I'm working on it.

Understood. 2011 broke us all, I believe. Among all the DFW sports heartbreaks I’ve endured over my multiple decades as a fan, that one ranks as the all-time worst by a very, very wide margin. It wasn’t just a heartbreak, it was cruel and sadistic to have one of baseball’s all-time suffering fan bases/franchises to be one strike away from glory not once, but twice. It’s worse than the ball going between Buckner’s legs for Boston.

 

[WilltheThrill]

They won't make it easy.

Our guys should ask their players “hey, do you hate the Astros as much as everyone else in baseball does? How about you do us a solid and take a dive just this once?”

The Mariners do hate the Astros quite a bit.

 

[Duane1952]

Who is the starting pitcher for the Rangers tomorrow.

 

[jaar01]

Understood. 2011 broke us all, I believe. Among all the DFW sports heartbreaks I’ve endured over my multiple decades as a fan, that one ranks as the all-time worst by a very, very wide margin. It wasn’t just a heartbreak, it was cruel and sadistic to have one of baseball’s all-time suffering fan bases/franchises to be one strike away from glory not once, but twice. It’s worse than the ball going between Buckner’s legs for Boston.

I remember everything about it. Everything. Every single emotion. I'd just watched the Mavs win a title, grew up with Cowboy dominance, and was at the Rose Bowl when VY scored on 4th down to win it all (I'm a Texas alum).
But when Josh Hamilton put us up in extra innings AFTER the Freese tying hit, I'd never been more excited, or more sure of something. We were going to win. I knew it. I just knew it.

When we were a strike away, again, and still couldn't finish, game 7 loss just felt inevitable.

I've never really recovered I guess.

 

[WilltheThrill]

By the way, did you see the Seager interview after the game? When asked how much Bochy made a difference this year, he basically said it was all about team resilience. Nothing about Bochy.

Very interesting.

I do wonder what the players think of him. I have no clue either way.

I will freely admit that I was absolutely pumped when we brought him on board this off-season, because I was tired of Wash’s stupidity, Banny’s unpleasant nature, and Woodward’s lack of substance. I thought we finally had a legit A+ manager.

I did remember Giants fans from some years back complaining about Bochy’s mismanagement of the bullpen. And some were glad he was gone. But I filed those away as negative fans complaining.

And as this season wore on, I starting noticing questionable decisions made by Bochy. I ignored them at first. Then just kind of excused them as “nobody is perfect”. Then I started openly questioning what Bochy was doing. And now I truly believe he doesn’t have the slightest clue what he’s doing with that bullpen. And it has nothing to do with there being a lack of talent. He takes out fresh guys who are dealing and inserts guys with problems into crucial tense situations. Just 2 nights ago… prime example with Leclerc and Chapman. Every Rangers fan and sportswriter simultaneously yelled out “noooooooooooo!!!!!!” the moment he brought Chapman in. Somehow he was the only one who didn’t understand what mistake he was making at the time.

I was a fan and defender of his for a long time. I am firmly in the “Bochy must go” camp now. He’s just made way, way too many boneheaded decisions to stay another year. He took a crappy bullpen and got the least out of it.

 

[boogiewithstu2007]

Congrats Rangers fans, good luck in the post season …