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Series Thread: Rangers shopping at Target for W's 8/11-8/13

Bmurph

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TEXAS AT MINNESOTA

Venue:
Target Field

While a recent surge has the Texas Rangers still in playoff contention, the Minnesota Twins appear on the way to falling out of the AL wild-card race.

Losers of seven of eight, the sagging Twins hope a return to Target Field brings a reversal of fortune as they open an important three-game series with the Rangers on Tuesday night.

Minnesota (55-56) owned a four-game lead atop the wild-card standings at the All-Star break but has floundered since, going an AL-worst 6-16 to fall below .500 for the first time since May 1. Poor pitching has attributed to the downfall, as the Twins have posted a 7.35 ERA while dropping 12 of 15.

Twins starters produced a 13.83 ERA during a 1-6 trip that ended with Sunday's 8-1 defeat to Cleveland, one day after the Indians had 17 runs and 19 hits. The Twins have allowed at least eight runs in five consecutive games.

"If you're out there and you're seeing the way guys are teeing off on you, you'd think you would try to at least make them a little more uncomfortable. I think we could probably improve on that," manager Paul Molitor told MLB's official website.

Kyle Gibson (8-9, 3.78 ERA) has been one of the primary culprits to the pitching problems. The right-hander is 0-3 with an 8.59 ERA in four starts following the break, allowing a career high-tying eight runs in 4 2-3 innings in Thursday's 9-3 loss at Toronto.

Gibson had won four straight starts to end the first half and enjoyed great success in two meetings with Texas in 2014. After firing six scoreless innings in a no decision at Target Field last May, he held the Rangers to two runs through eight in a road win a month later.

Elvis Andrus and Shin-soo Choo are both 1 for 7 against Gibson, though Josh Hamilton is 2 for 4.

Texas (55-55), which sits a half-game in front of the Twins, climbed back into the playoff hunt with a 7-1 stretch prior to losing two of three in Seattle. The Rangers left 10 on base and went 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position during Sunday's 4-2 defeat, squandering an early lead on Felix Hernandez and a complete game from Colby Lewis.

"We seemed to be on Hernandez early but we let it get away in the middle innings," manager Jeff Banister told MLB's official website.

Yovani Gallardo (8-9, 3.47) takes the mound seeking to win consecutive starts for the first time since late May. He halted a six-start winless stretch by allowing three runs in five innings of a 4-3 triumph over Houston on Aug. 4.

Gallardo, who's 1-1 with an 8.53 ERA in four post-break outings, last beat the Twins on June 25, 2011. He's 0-2 in four meetings since, including a loss with Milwaukee last June in which the right-hander was reached for six runs in five innings.

Trevor Plouffe is 3 for 7 with two homers off Gallardo, who's also had trouble facing Brian Dozier (5 for 7 with a home run) and Joe Mauer (6 for 12).

The Rangers are 18-9 against Minnesota, including an 8-3 mark at Target Field, since 2012. Texas took two of three in Arlington from June 12-14.


Facing 3 RH's in this series may help the bats come alive. Game 1 Gibson vs. Yoga, Game 2 Pelfrey vs. N. Martinez, Game 3 E. Santana vs. Cole Hamels. Need to take this series.
 

WastinSomeTime

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Wish I could pencil in 2 out of 3 but the way we have been playing against teams with losing records gives me some concern.
 

Bmurph

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DT LUNA

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Meh, it was the best my feeble mind could come up with at almost 1 am, but hey thanks Eph.
Clever or not not, No credit card. haha
 

BULLPEN FAILURE

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Tonight's lineup is:

DDJ
Choo
Prince
AB
Big Mitch
Hambone
Elvis
Roogie
Gimmy

Everyone in their standard defensive spots.
 

Xx srs bsns xX

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Stupid not to give Jackson the 9th inning the other day. Called him up just to provide "depth".... -_-
 

saddles

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Stupid not to give Jackson the 9th inning the other day. Called him up just to provide "depth".... -_-
If Wash was still here I would say Wash forced JD's hand to bring up Kela because Wash refused to use Jackson. I certainly hope that isn't the case with Banister. That sure seemed like the case the other day when he wouldn't bring in Jackson with an 8 run lead though.
 

Xx srs bsns xX

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And started his clock for no reason. :L

He was on the 40 man already (had to be added at the end of last season).


To add to the news --- Hamels just got scratched from Thursday's start. Groin issue. -_-
 

BULLPEN FAILURE

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He was on the 40 man already (had to be added at the end of last season).


To add to the news --- Hamels just got scratched from Thursday's start. Groin issue. -_-

Better to get him healthy now... we'll need him in October!!!
 

WastinSomeTime

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MINNEAPOLIS – Lewis Brinson, currently taking the Texas League by storm, added one last memento from his time in the Class A California League this week.

Brinson was named the Cal League’s Player of the Month for July, during which he hit .412 with 40 hits, 23 RBIs and an out-of-this-world .835 slugging percentage.

Brinson, the Rangers’ first-round choice in 2012, was promoted on July 30 to Double-A Frisco. He begins Monday hitting .400 for his first 10 games in Double-A and has a nine-game hitting streak. The 21-year-old is batting .346 for his full minor league season with a .412 OBP and a 1.046 OPS.
 

saddles

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Fraley had his chat session this afternoon. Here are some of the points I thought were interesting. He believes pitchers are catching up with DeShields and thinks Delino will have to adjust. He also thinks Brinson could push DeShields by next July. Gerry gives the rangers a 20% shot at making the postseason this year. He also likes the idea of making Rua a super-sub type player who can play both in the IF and the OF.
 

saddles

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Here are some minor league moves that Scott Lucas reported on today.

From Frisco to Round Rock: LHP Andrew Faulkner, C Pat Cantwell. Faulkner shifted to the bullpen a few weeks ago and has a chance at a September peek despite being off the 40 at present. Cantwell is a well-regarded if light-hitting Stony Brook alum.

From High Desert to Frisco: RHP Jose Valdespina, C Kellin Deglan. Deglan, selected 22nd overall in 2010, batted .236/.295/.426 in High Desert. The towering Valdespina reaches the upper nineties and shrugged off the hitter-friendly environment, posting a 2.25 ERA with an opposing line of .252/.324/.313.

Texas also assigned Tanner Scheppers to Frisco on rehab and released RHP Lendy Castillo from Frisco. Replacing Castillo, more or less, is 30-year-old righty Robert Coello, who has a 5.90 ERA in 29 innings scattered across three seasons and most recently toiled for San Francisco's AAA club.

Hickory IF Michael De Leon and High Desert IF Evan Van Hoosier are off the DL.
 

WastinSomeTime

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Doug Melvin out as GM. They want someone younger who is more in touch with modern baseball analytics.
 

jta4437

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MINNEAPOLIS – Lewis Brinson, currently taking the Texas League by storm, added one last memento from his time in the Class A California League this week.

Brinson was named the Cal League’s Player of the Month for July, during which he hit .412 with 40 hits, 23 RBIs and an out-of-this-world .835 slugging percentage.

Brinson, the Rangers’ first-round choice in 2012, was promoted on July 30 to Double-A Frisco. He begins Monday hitting .400 for his first 10 games in Double-A and has a nine-game hitting streak. The 21-year-old is batting .346 for his full minor league season with a .412 OBP and a 1.046 OPS.

Keep working on the strikeouts and he looks to be a keeper, plus plus defense in CF too
 

jta4437

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Fraley had his chat session this afternoon. Here are some of the points I thought were interesting. He believes pitchers are catching up with DeShields and thinks Delino will have to adjust. He also thinks Brinson could push DeShields by next July. Gerry gives the rangers a 20% shot at making the postseason this year. He also likes the idea of making Rua a super-sub type player who can play both in the IF and the OF.

Probably true, but he's looking at a lot of pitches that aren't that tricky, I don't know what his deal is but it doesn't look like he's being fooled, he's just taking a lot of pitches right down the middle

Agreed about being pushed by Brinson & Mazara very soon, I mention Mazara b/c Deshields is substantially better in LF, so he's going to be seeing competition for both positions soon

Rua as a suber sub type Zobrist type only works if he's actually playing everyday, otherwise he's being misused
 

saddles

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Doug Melvin out as GM. They want someone younger who is more in touch with modern baseball analytics.
We made some incredible strides with Melvin here, but I still can't get past him giving away a two time MVP for not much at all.
 
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