Series Thread: Rangers Travel to Minnesota for 4 Games August 24-27

[scotsman1948]

the bullpen isn't the only reason we are slumping right now.

No it isn’t but it’s a contributor that has to be addressed strongly this offseason

 

[saddles]

Josh Harrison opts out already.

 

[scotsman1948]

Josh Harrison opts out already.

He couldn’t pitch

 

[Duane1952]

Some guys like Speas encounter some problems in the beginning and them turn it around. Jeff Russell comes to mind.

In his first 12 games as a reliever in 1986 for the Rangers he had an ERA of 5.63. He was 24 years old. The rest of that year his ERA was 1.80 in 50 innings.

When he came up he fell in love with his slider. When they sent him down, they told him they wanted him to throw more fastballs.

 

[saddles]

The Twins have their lineup in, but nor the Rangers. There may be a roster move to be made.

 

[saddles]

When he came up he fell in love with his slider. When they sent him down, they told him they wanted him to throw more fastballs.

Last night he threw 10 FB and 19 gyro-sliders.

 

[saddles]

From Scott Lucas:

Jonah Heim's batted ball data before and after the injury:
Contact rate: 79% before, 65% after
Hard-hit rate: 38%, 25%
Median Exit Velo: 92.2, 83.6
90th Percentile Exit Velo: 104.1, 101.1

 

[Kelleyman]

With the limited and questionable members of the bullpen he has what else is he supposed to do? He can only hope that Smith and the others can get back to where they were earlier in the season

He may have to push the SP more amd
Sacrifice some pen guys. We shall see

 

[saddles]

From Scott Lucas:

Jonah Heim's batted ball data before and after the injury:
Contact rate: 79% before, 65% after
Hard-hit rate: 38%, 25%
Median Exit Velo: 92.2, 83.6
90th Percentile Exit Velo: 104.1, 101.1

If they are being honest, then that is very good news.

The one seems to dispute the other.

 

[jaar01]

From Scott Lucas:

Jonah Heim's batted ball data before and after the injury:
Contact rate: 79% before, 65% after
Hard-hit rate: 38%, 25%
Median Exit Velo: 92.2, 83.6
90th Percentile Exit Velo: 104.1, 101.1

Heim is playing through the pain. He will have surgery as soon as the season ends. If not in a pennant race he would be on the IL and out for the season.

 

[WilltheThrill]

To me, limping into the postseason never seens to work out well for a team. Certainly not the Rangers.

Of course not. It’s far from ideal. If they are still playing this way at the end of the season and they’re still somehow in the playoffs, then I would say their chances are almost 0% of doing anything.

But that’s just the thing. There are still multiple weeks left in the regular season. I’m at least going to withhold judgment on their postseason chances until I see how they play from here on out.

 

[scotsman1948]

He may have to push the SP more amd
Sacrifice some pen guys. We shall see

With rare exception our starting pitching has been solid

 

[saddles]

Evan guesses it is time for Hernandez to get a shot again.

 

[saddles]

 

[saddles]

Hedges will wake thus lineup up. Lol

 

[Kelleyman]

With rare exception our starting pitching has been solid

Bochy has not pushed SP to go the extra inning
So it Dane pitch count is down i would think going 8 is ideal with only Chapman or if way ahead someone else

 

[scotsman1948]

The one seems to dispute the other.

Not surprised if it’s timing. He has to be concerned with every swing of the bat which will slow him down

 

[scotsman1948]

Bochy has not pushed SP to go the extra inning
So it Dane pitch count is down i would think going 8 is ideal with only Chapman or if way ahead someone else

Depends on what their pitch count is around the 6th inning

 

[WilltheThrill]

Wanna guess which 2 relievers had the worst ERA on the team over the last 30 days before last night’s game? Hint: it’s the two Bochy chose to use to protect a 1-run lead in the 8th inning of a game they desperately needed to win.

So to answer the question which keeps getting asked of what other pitchers should Bochy have used instead… literally anyone. Anyone else. LeClerc for another inning. Burke. Perez. Chapman. Even Anderson. All
of those guys have been infinitely better since late-July, and all of them would have given the Rangers a statistically better chance to win the game.

And that’s what being a good manager is all about- putting your team in the best position to succeed. Using another reliever wouldn’t have absolutely guaranteed victory. But it would have given the team a far greater chance at holding that lead and getting the W.

 

[saddles]