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

[DT LUNA]

I know he’s part of the team, so he comes with the package. But you could EASILY argue that the Rangers would be 2-2 instead of 0-4 over their last 4 games if Bochy hadn’t totally screwed up.

Montgomery’s start against Arizona was one of the absolute worst-managed games I’ve seen by any manager in a very long time. Bochy lost it once by not allowing Montgomery to finish. Then he tired out the bullpen. Then he lost it again by walking the tying run on base with Will Smith pitching. That game should have been a win.

Then tonight, he uses Sborz with a 1-run lead and then Smith with a tie game. No Burke, no Chapman, not even rolling the dice with a second inning from LeClerc. He put in 2 terrible relievers who can’t get anyone out to decide the game. Inexcusable.

Bochy lost this game making bad decision in relief pitchers. NO doubt!

 

[WilltheThrill]

They are playing like the worst team right now. A 7 game losing streak is the worst going right now

No. The Yankees are 1-9 over their last 10 games and haven’t even been as competitive as we have. We have been very bad, no doubt about it. But they have been easily worse.

 

[WilltheThrill]

I know Bochy’s hands are tied by CY not giving him much at all to work with in the pen. But he doesn’t seem to realize that 2/3 of his bullpen pitchers suck like no others. He REPEATEDLY has put in guys like Speas, Sborz, King, and Anderson in super important or tight positions late in games. And then he’ll waste his best relievers on non-important innings.

 

[Kelleyman]

Bochy has made some bad moves, but CY has set him up for failure by ignoring the pen in the offseason and only half way addressing it at the deadline.

Between the pen, the way they handled Ragans and giving Englert away, CY has had a rough first year.

Given our turnaround some may disagree

 

[WastinSomeTime]

I know Bochy’s hands are tied by CY not giving him much at all to work with in the pen. But he doesn’t seem to realize that 2/3 of his bullpen pitchers suck like no others. He REPEATEDLY has put in guys like Speas, Sborz, King, and Anderson in super important or tight positions late in games. And then he’ll waste his best relievers on non-important innings.

True. Guys need to do their jobs. Smith has to be sitting in close games. Let LeClerc pitch the 5th and 6th. Save Stratton for late innings. Bochy will need to change things around. You can't afford to give Smith the benefit of the doubt based on early season performance.

 

[saddles]

Given our turnaround some may disagree

That's fine. I understand different folks have different methods of evaluating.

 

[saddles]

Good outings for Kent, Cody and Speas. Not so much for Winn.

 

[jaar01]

Lucky for the Rangers that Cowboy season is right around the corner. Most people won't even care about their collapse, especially the Dallas media.

But yeah this is pretty bad right now. Nothing is working and the bullpen is one of the worst in baseball.

We will win one of the next two. Don't see us making the playoffs though.

 

[WilltheThrill]

View attachment 338343

Good outings for Kent, Cody and Speas. Not so much for Winn.

Man, that is just so unfortunate. Winn fell off a cliff. He was getting so close to being rotation-ready. I sure hope we’re not seeing the same from Owen White.

 

[saddles]

 

[scotsman1948]

I know Bochy’s hands are tied by CY not giving him much at all to work with in the pen. But he doesn’t seem to realize that 2/3 of his bullpen pitchers suck like no others. He REPEATEDLY has put in guys like Speas, Sborz, King, and Anderson in super important or tight positions late in games. And then he’ll waste his best relievers on non-important innings.

Who does he put in in their place? You say don’t use the best relievers in what you call non- important innings so who does he use?

 

[WastinSomeTime]

Who does he put in in their place? You say don’t use the best relievers in what you call non- important innings so who does he use?

I wonder if we will bring JHern back up. We haven't been using Perez much. I just know for me once we get to the 6th it needs to be LeClerc, Burke, Chapman and Stratton.

 

[fanman8825]

I wonder if we will bring JHern back up. We haven't been using Perez much. I just know for me once we get to the 6th it needs to be LeClerc, Burke, Chapman and Stratton.

agree with yja@d

I wonder if we will bring JHern back up. We haven't been using Perez much. I just know for me once we get to the 6th it needs to be LeClerc, Burke, Chapman and Stratton.

I agree with your selections. Leclerc has pitched well lately at RR.
He could be an option or even bring back Speas who seems to be coming around. Think he deserves another chance

 

[DT LUNA]

agree with yja@d

I agree with your selections. Leclerc has pitched well lately at RR.
He could be an option or even bring back Speas who seems to be coming around. Think he deserves another chance

What happened to Otto?

 

[scotsman1948]

I wonder if we will bring JHern back up. We haven't been using Perez much. I just know for me once we get to the 6th it needs to be LeClerc, Burke, Chapman and Stratton.

And yesterday he used Leclerc and Stratton going to Smith to hold the 8th (failed) with the intent of using Chapman to close out the 9th. With the way the entire bullpen has fluctuated up and down with their effectiveness I don’t think he and Maddux know who to trust anymore

 

[saddles]

I wonder if we will bring JHern back up. We haven't been using Perez much. I just know for me once we get to the 6th it needs to be LeClerc, Burke, Chapman and Stratton.

I think the problem is you need 5 or 6 guys you have trust in to pitch the 7th-9th. We come up very short.

Ideally, next year I would like to go into the season with the following makeup in the bullpen:

2 guys you can trust to close

2 guys you can count on to do consistently well in the 7th or 8th

2 guys who are maybe too inexperienced or a little too inconsistent to trust in late innings, but who have good enough stuff to keep the game close

2 guys who can give you 2 or 3 innings if need be, but who you wouldn't be afraid of, if they needed to go into the 7th or 8th on occasion.

In that first category, I want two guys I can trust more than Chapman. He would be in the second category for me.

 

[saddles]

What happened to Otto?

He had a really good June, a bad July, and has had a really good August.

 

[scotsman1948]

I think the problem is you need 5 or 6 guys you have trust in to pitch the 7th-9th. We come up very short.

Ideally, next year I would like to go into the season with the following makeup in the bullpen:

2 guys you can trust to close

2 guys you can count on to do consistently well in the 7th or 8th

2 guys who are maybe too inexperienced or a little too inconsistent to trust in late innings, but who have good enough stuff to keep the game close

2 guys who can give you 2 or 3 innings if need be, but who you wouldn't be afraid of, if they needed to go into the 7th or 8th on occasion.

In that first category, I want two guys I can trust more than Chapman. He would be in the second category for me.

We have only 3 that meet your second category (Chapman, Sborz and Burke) and none who meet the first.

I’ve stated before that I would go after Stratton, Hader, Hicks and Treinen in free agency. That leaves 1 opening for your last 2 categories and 2 of the keepers from now (Burke and Sborz) may better fill those last 2.

 

[saddles]

It is probably time for Sborz to go to Round Rock and try someone else. Maybe Anderson too.

I am still wanting to see what Heaney can do coming out of the bullpen. He might be able to have a lot of success pitching an inning three to five times a week.

 

[saddles]

We have only 3 that meet your second category (Chapman, Sborz and Burke) and none who meet the first.

I’ve stated before that I would go after Stratton, Hader, Hicks and Treinen in free agency. That leaves 1 opening for your last 2 categories and 2 of the keepers from now (Burke and Sborz) may better fill those last 2.

Yes, even if we kept our 4 or 5 best relievers, we would still need to acquire two guys for that top level to push everyone else down.