Series Thread: Rangers last go around with the Angels, at Globe Life 9/19-9/21

[jaar01]

I think getting homefield is really important for this team. And yes Perez has been our best SP since Sept 1. Who saw that coming?

But keep in mind if Texas gets homefield Perez is almost certain to pitch on the road in game 3 or 4.

 

[PhantomWarrior]

I feel so dirty cheering for the Blue Jays. I really, really do. They are FAR and away my most hated team. I truly despise them... worse than Houston, worse than Oakland, worse than the Yankees, worse than the Red Sox, and worse than the Angels.

As I was sitting there watching the end of that game, I kept getting caught up in the moment, forgetting why I was watching, and rooting for the BJ's to lose. I had to keep reminding myself that them winning helped us.

You should have seen the in-game commentary going on from both the Blue Jays fans and bloggers... nothing but bashing the USA and arguing every last pitch that was called against them. That whole franchise and fanbase are lowlife trash in every sense of the word. I don't normally wish injury on other players or people, but I absolutely do on Donaldson and Bautista.

Yes can't stand the BJs. Has something also to do with finding Canadians annoying too.

Perhaps save this one for the playoffs:

 

[PhantomWarrior]

Also, anytime we get to complaining about our bullpen (me included), let's all look at the Giants bullpen. They just blew their 8th save in 12 chances in September. Their BP is so bad that they have now tried 5 different relievers at closer over the last 2 weeks, and every last one of them has blown at least 1 save.

Oh, and Madison Bumgarner is a class A asshole. His inability to control his temper and his frequency of yelling "f you" to opposing batters now has him as a proud member of the Grant Balfour-Jon Papelbon-Yordano Ventura-Ken Giles Headcase All-Stars in my book.

On a roll Will....LOL....Keep going....

 

[romeo212000]

I think getting homefield is really important for this team. And yes Perez has been our best SP since Sept 1. Who saw that coming?

But keep in mind if Texas gets homefield Perez is almost certain to pitch on the road in game 3 or 4.

I'd set it up so he pitches at home. That's just me. Pitcher for pitcher matchups be damned. Perez is a different pitcher at home.

 

[PhantomWarrior]

Pitches way outside ended up getting called strikes all night long, until the 8th inning. Then the zone tightened up considerably.

I wish beyond all that is holy that there were a transparent system for judging refs. I wish a sabre-metric stat or two were built around how shitty they call strikes or stats kept about how often they are overturned in a replay. There should be public shaming for them, public accountability.

If they have not yet, they should put the Fox Track on the Jumbo screen for the egregious calls. Probably illegal but hey...

 

[PhantomWarrior]

FWIW, Texas owns the tiebreaker with both Cleveland and Boston. We won the season series with Cleveland and tied with Boston but win on the next tiebreaker record within division (thanks Astros).

And I know we are going to win the AL West so I'd rather see Seattle beat the crap out of Toronto the next few days and bury those guys. The division is ours so nothing to worry about.

Sure hope Banister cares about home field. But something tells me he doesn't.

Now is the time to care. We are 3 from clinching. Which means if we don't have our heads in our duff we could win this week.

I know it is obvious...but the best way to assure homefield advantage is to keep winning games.

 

[jaar01]

I'd set it up so he pitches at home. That's just me. Pitcher for pitcher matchups be damned. Perez is a different pitcher at home.

I'm not opposed to that idea. But you know the Rangers are going to set up the rotation so that Hamels and Yu get as many starts as possible.

If I had to guess it will be Hamels, Darvish, Lewis, Perez. In that order.

 

[jaar01]

Now is the time to care. We are 3 from clinching. Which means if we don't have our heads in our duff we could win this week.

I know it is obvious...but the best way to assure homefield advantage is to keep winning games.

I think it is going to take 95, maybe even 96 wins to clinch homefield throughout the playoffs. Certainly doable considering our remaining schedule. Of course Khris Davis may hit 6 HRs against us this weekend so you never know.

 

[donaldson79]

Texas Rangers playoff roster projections

Pretty well thought out article/roster.

 

[donaldson79]

But keep in mind if Texas gets homefield Perez is almost certain to pitch on the road in game 3 or 4.

I'd consider starting him at home and hold Hamels back to pitch our first road game myself.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

Yes can't stand the BJs. Has something also to do with finding Canadians annoying too.

Perhaps save this one for the playoffs:

Other than the McKenzie Brothers. Hey hosser.

 

[PhantomWarrior]

I think it is going to take 95, maybe even 96 wins to clinch homefield throughout the playoffs. Certainly doable considering our remaining schedule. Of course Khris Davis may hit 6 HRs against us this weekend so you never know.

Don't forget Evan Longoria kills us and we still pitch to him. And the Brew Crew did well against the Cubbies. Yeah, we better get better at demolishing subpar teams.

 

[PhantomWarrior]

I think it is going to take 95, maybe even 96 wins to clinch homefield throughout the playoffs. Certainly doable considering our remaining schedule. Of course Khris Davis may hit 6 HRs against us this weekend so you never know.

Boston has three more with Baltimore and three more with the BJs.

In between are nemesis teams like the Yankees and Rays.

O's have obviously three more with Boston and three more with the BJs

And of course the BJs have three and three with the aforementioned teams plus two left this week with SEA.

 

[jaar01]

Don't forget Evan Longoria kills us and we still pitch to him. And the Brew Crew did well against the Cubbies. Yeah, we better get better at demolishing subpar teams.

Case in point would be tonight's game: Facing Daniel Wright, 0-3 with a 7.04 ERA, you'd think we'd jump all over this guy. But we don't do that. In fact I'm sorta expecting the Angels to be up something like 3-1 heading into the 6th inning before the Rangers start swinging the bats and making a game of it. Just seems to be how we roll this year.

 

[jaar01]

Heard the Rangers have pushed Hamels and Darvish both to the weekend. Starting Holland tomorrow.

 

[DT LUNA]

I'd set it up so he pitches at home. That's just me. Pitcher for pitcher matchups be damned. Perez is a different pitcher at home.

That's two of us. It's time to make hard decisions. Winning is all this is about and what ever gives us the best odds is the way to go. Did you hear that Banister?

 

[romeo212000]

Heard the Rangers have pushed Hamels and Darvish both to the weekend. Starting Holland tomorrow.

Smart move. Both could use the extra time.

 

[PhantomWarrior]

Case in point would be tonight's game: Facing Daniel Wright, 0-3 with a 7.04 ERA, you'd think we'd jump all over this guy. But we don't do that. In fact I'm sorta expecting the Angels to be up something like 3-1 heading into the 6th inning before the Rangers start swinging the bats and making a game of it. Just seems to be how we roll this year.

Well with OAK we could always hope Melvin spot starts Madson.....

 

[PhantomWarrior]

Heard the Rangers have pushed Hamels and Darvish both to the weekend. Starting Holland tomorrow.

Think I heard that in the post game show. Well Dutch has his moment to prove himself worthy of the postseason roster. He will be the "man in the arena."

 

[PhantomWarrior]

That's two of us. It's time to make hard decisions. Winning is all this is about and what ever gives us the best odds is the way to go. Did you hear that Banister?

Agree. Like last year Banny started Holland over Colby even though the match up called for a RHP?

Hope he learned from that.