Series Thread: Rangers Return Home to Face Boston for Three Games September 18-20

[Kelleyman]

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EG asking the tough questions re Smith having no FB
Bochy would never throw his player under the bus but he was grimacing

 

[saddles]

 

[jaar01]

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EG asking the tough questions re Smith having no FB
Bochy would never throw his player under the bus but he was grimacing

He's never had a fastball. He's being asked to get batters out that he has no business facing.

BTW is Chapman hurt? Not that it would really matter but where has he been?

 

[saddles]

Glad Jung got a hit and Carter got that triple. It is all about getting the young guys ready for next year at this point.

This team will win more this year than they have in a while, and that is good. I just wish they could have reversed the way the year went. Had they struggled some during the first 2 or 3 months and then improved as the season went on, and won 86 to 88 games, that would have been great. The way it has worked out, winning 86 to 88 games seems disappointing.

 

[Senator_fan]

Presley gives up 3 run homer in 9th. Astros lose.

 

[saddles]

I wonder if there is a clubhouse cancer.

 

[WilltheThrill]

The Astros are trying their best to keep the Rangers in the division race by losing the series to Kansas City and now blowing the game against Baltimore in the 9th. Too bad our team is too inept to take advantage.

Does anyone really want to win this division?

 

[WilltheThrill]

Except that isn’t correct. Stratton is appreciably better. It’s not even that close, especially if you look at their 2nd half numbers from this season.

That’s why I absolutely DO blame Bochy for some of this mess. He has a historically poor bullpen to work with, so his choices are never good. BUT, even within a historically bad bullpen, there are varying levels of awfulness. Stratton has been semi-decent. Sometimes great, sometimes not so much. Same goes for Perez. Same goes for Heaney. Same goes for Chapman. And even Brock Burke is a small step better than the likes of LeClerc, Smith, and Sborz.

So if you’re stuck managing this dumpster fire of a bullpen, at LEAST call on the mediocre guy (Stratton) or the bad guys (Perez, Heaney, Chapman) before you call on the completely horrible guys. Stratton and Perez might very well blow the game for you. But LeClerc and Smith absolutely will.

 

[saddles]

Except that isn’t correct. Stratton is appreciably better. It’s not even that close, especially if you look at their 2nd half numbers from this season.

That’s why I absolutely DO blame Bochy for some of this mess. He has a historically poor bullpen to work with, so his choices are never good. BUT, even within a historically bad bullpen, there are varying levels of awfulness. Stratton has been semi-decent. Sometimes great, sometimes not so much. Same goes for Perez. Same goes for Heaney. Same goes for Chapman. And even Brock Burke is a small step better than the likes of LeClerc, Smith, and Sborz.

So if you’re stuck managing this dumpster fire of a bullpen, at LEAST call on the mediocre guy (Stratton) or the bad guys (Perez, Heaney, Chapman) before you call on the completely horrible guys. Stratton and Perez might very well blow the game for you. But LeClerc and Smith absolutely will.

I might be wrong, but I took it that Tepid meant whoever would replace Smith on the roster wouldn't be better.

 

[WilltheThrill]

I wonder if there is a clubhouse cancer.

It’s something that does drag a team down sometimes. Royce Clayton was a jerk to his teammates back in the day. But with this team, I can’t imagine who that might be, though. Semien has been called a great team leader who does a lot for the community. Lowe is very popular within the team as well. Garver, Seager, Heim, and Jung all seem like they’re likable guys as well. Carter is brand new. Jankowski? Grossman? Taveras? Smith? Duran? Granted I’m not in there to know for sure, but they all seem like good dudes as well. I haven’t heard any reports of egos on the team.

Starting pitchers don’t strike me as jerks. Scherzer and Monty are too new to have caused this mess. The team record started sliding before they arrived. Eovaldi? Dunning? Gray? I don’t get a bad guy vibe from any of them, but who knows I guess.

And Bochy strikes me as a player’s manager. Doesn’t yell a lot or throw guys under the bus.

 

[WilltheThrill]

I might be wrong, but I took it that Tepid meant whoever would replace Smith on the roster wouldn't be better.

Ahh, that makes sense then. But I would rather give Speas a 2nd chance in lower leverage situations than watch Will Smith pitch another inning. Nothing but poorly-located soft toss meatball sliders. And then when nobody bites on that trash, he throws his high school level fastball waist-high. The pitch Refsnyder hit was 92 right down the middle. I could have hit that.

 

[saddles]

It’s something that does drag a team down sometimes. Royce Clayton was a jerk to his teammates back in the day. But with this team, I can’t imagine who that might be, though. Semien has been called a great team leader who does a lot for the community. Lowe is very popular within the team as well. Garver, Seager, Heim, and Jung all seem like they’re likable guys as well. Carter is brand new. Jankowski? Grossman? Taveras? Smith? Duran? Granted I’m not in there to know for sure, but they all seem like good dudes as well. I haven’t heard any reports of egos on the team.

Starting pitchers don’t strike me as jerks. Scherzer and Monty are too new to have caused this mess. The team record started sliding before they arrived. Eovaldi? Dunning? Gray? I don’t get a bad guy vibe from any of them, but who knows I guess.

And Bochy strikes me as a player’s manager. Doesn’t yell a lot or throw guys under the bus.

What about Chapman?

The only trouble they had before he arrived was right after Bochy gave up that last Cardinals game to get guys ready for the Rays series. If that sidelined the team it certainly wouldn't have affected them this long.

 

[saddles]

 

[fanman8825]

I hope Bochy retires again.

I am with you. Too many bad decisions with the bullpen. Some other odd moves as well.

 

[Senator_fan]

Statistically as a reliever, Bradford has the numbers and could be used in the 8th or 9th or both but it probably won’t happen.

Throwing Smith out there every time and expecting him to do as good as he did in the first half is the definition of insanity.

 

[Kelleyman]

Statistically as a reliever, Bradford has the numbers and could be used in the 8th or 9th or both but it probably won’t happen.

Throwing Smith out there every time and expecting him to do as good as he did in the first half is the definition of insanity.

Yeah for this season I was wondering if Bradford might be more valuable as a late inning guy for quite a bit now
He seems to handle pressure better than alot or our guys

 

[Kelleyman]

Glad Jung got a hit and Carter got that triple. It is all about getting the young guys ready for next year at this point.

This team will win more this year than they have in a while, and that is good. I just wish they could have reversed the way the year went. Had they struggled some during the first 2 or 3 months and then improved as the season went on, and won 86 to 88 games, that would have been great. The way it has worked out, winning 86 to 88 games seems disappointing.

This is why I think you have to bring up Kelly
He will be snatched in rule 5 so might as well bring him up. Not sure anyone else is ready pitching wise

At least with Langford we have a guy seems to perform well in the clutch. Cater has had a pretty decent start. Maybe with Garcia in RF I’d is ok for next year.
Do think the bats are pressing and not mentioned publicly there is so much pressure due to the pen being so ineffective

 

[DT LUNA]

This is why I think you have to bring up Kelly
He will be snatched in rule 5 so might as well bring him up. Not sure anyone else is ready pitching wise

At least with Langford we have a guy seems to perform well in the clutch. Cater has had a pretty decent start. Maybe with Garcia in RF I’d is ok for next year.
Do think the bats are pressing and not mentioned publicly there is so much pressure due to the pen being so ineffective

I think the pen is the scource of the problem.

 

[scotsman1948]

I might be wrong, but I took it that Tepid meant whoever would replace Smith on the roster wouldn't be better.

You are correct. To replace Will Smith on the roster you have to have someone that is better and we don’t have anyone. This season is done. 12 games left: no offense no bullpen my best estimate is 2-10 the rest of the way

 

[Kelleyman]

You are correct. To replace Will Smith on the roster you have to have someone that is better and we don’t have anyone. This season is done. 12 games left: no offense no bullpen my best estimate is 2-10 the rest of the way

I think Kelly has a spot on this pen but Smith I would rest and use for spot outings against LHBs