Texas Rangers vs. Houston Astros 8/9-8/12

[BLeslie59Rangers]

Braves streak over at 14.... Lost 1-0 to Miami...

 

[DT LUNA]

You just have to know how Rios felt tonight on his first game with his new team.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

I am more excited about having Rios than I was initially. I think his tools are a great addition to this team. He fits right in with our style of play.

 

[RevSader]

Exactly...to get HFA means we must keep winning ballgames.

Texas plays well at home or the road. Also some parks are better suited for our pitchers.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

That was one ugly win!

Houston is the king of ugly losses.

 

[DT LUNA]

and Monday

Lainey will come in all excited about the win, Rios contributions and Elvis's home run. She predicted he would hit one before the year was up.

 

[Windingmywatch]

HFA doesn't matter to me. Just win ball games.

It matters.

 

[DT LUNA]

I am more excited about having Rios than I was initially. I think his tools are a great addition to this team. He fits right in with our style of play.

And he crowds Murphy a little too.

 

[RevSader]

It matters.

In the WS it does, but Texas wins games on the road in AL Parks.

 

[ESPN Refugee]

HFA doesn't matter to me. Just win ball games.

At this point I don't think it matters for the Rangers. It's a been there done that with them and they're able to win at home or on the road in any park in baseball.

 

[darrylgann]

Lainey will come in all excited about the win, Rios contributions and Elvis's home run. She predicted he would hit one before the year was up.

One heck of a time to get one. Just about to put this in the loss column the way they played. Sure she enjoyed the outcome, however.

 

[DT LUNA]

What an outfield we have. Flat out speed from corner to corner with Martin Gentry Rios.

 

[DT LUNA]

One heck of a time to get one. Just about to put this in the loss column the way they played. Sure she enjoyed the outcome, however.

She's a hoot and baseball savvy.

 

[pegasusredleg]

Great day. Oakland, Baltimore, KC, NY, and looks like Cleveland all lost.

TB lost too. 4 in a row. They face Kershaw tomorrow.

 

[pegasusredleg]

:rollseyes:
Set our sights on Detroit and Boston and home field advantage...

Griffin vs. RA Dickey tomorrow. Should be a HR Derby at Rogers tomorrow.

 

[Hambombs]

 

[Hambombs]

By the way manny rameriz punch hit for lance berkman tonight haha

 

[Hambombs]

Damn rios wife is fine. 2nd one to the left

 

[Windingmywatch]

In the WS it does, but Texas wins games on the road in AL Parks.

TEX wins games on the road ... just like the rest of the AL contenders. Most important though ... you don't want to play the other contenders at their home. So ... HFA will make a bigger difference in LDS than last year but also makes a difference in the LCS and WS too.

Unlike last year the winner of the WC winner travels to the #1 division winner for a 2-2-1 playoff format. As of this moment the WC teams are TBR and OAK. They are tied but TBR owns the better head to head record. This means OAK would have to travel to TBR from SEA after its final game while TBR would have to travel home from TOR after its final game for the one game play in.

The WC play in winner then has to travel to the #1 division winner to start the ALDS. With all the travel ... the #1 division winner has a decided advantage over the WC winner. Would you like to face TBR having who on consecutive days has had to fly from TOR to TBR to TEX ... or better face OAK having on consecutive days having had to fly from SEA to TBR to TEX to open a 2-2-1 format? TEX does not get that advantage unless it is the #1 division winner.

In the ALCS and WS it is a standard 2-3-2 7-game format. The AL has the WS HFA.

TEX record slightly higher at home than on the road in AL parks ... TEX is only #6 in AL at home and while #1 on the road mostly courtesy of LAA and HOU and a couple of other bottom feeders who will not be in the playoffs. So road record can be misleading as the contenders w/exception of NYY win on the road too. You sure don't want to play the contenders at home if you can avoid it (DET #1, BOS #2, TBR #3, OAK #4, CLE #5). Only BAL and NYY are worse at home than TEX.

Against the contenders ...

TEX vs DET 3 - 1 TEX @ DET 1 - 2
TEX vs BOS 3 - 0 TEX @ BOS 1 - 2
TEX vs NYY 2 - 2 TEX @ NYY 2 - 1
TEX vs TBR 2 - 1 TEX @ TBR upcoming
TEX vs BAL 0 - 3 TEX @ BAL 2 - 2
TEX vs OAK 4 - 3 TEX @ OAK 4 - 2

As already shown above the #1 division winner has a huge advantage with HFA against the WC but HFA by #2 over #3 division winner is also important as the numbers above show. Most importantly you want last at bats in game #5 of the LDS ... just like you want last at bats in game #7 of the WS. Added advantage in both cases is that you are playing before RBIA home crowd in those final games.

HFA makes a bigger difference in post season play this year because the WC playin and LDS format change ... and with AL having WS HFA for the first time since 2009. The #1 division winner has a huge advantage due to the change in LDS format ... but you don't get that advantage unless you are the #1 division winner.

Hence ... the target for TEX is not OAK. The target is whoever has the best AL record ... and right now TEX is 3 games back of both DET and BOS. There is no head to head play ... but there is ample opportunity for TEX to finish #1.

 

[Windingmywatch]

At this point I don't think it matters for the Rangers. It's a been there done that with them and they're able to win at home or on the road in any park in baseball.

The only teams that says it doesn't matter are those that don't have it.