Rangers Putting Together WINS!

 

The Texas Rangers in the month of April are showing their toughness by scoring runs and winning games, the did it again over the week with taking 2 of three from the Defending World Series Champions Houston Astros, in Houston, and then coming home to take on the Oakland A’s at Globe Life Field in Arlington, taking again, 2 of three from the Swingin A’s.

ON a Saturday night, the Rangers EXPLODED with 18 runs and giving up 3 runs, and still ending the game in under 2 and half hours. The STAR of that game alone, with THREE home runs and 8 Runs Batted In was Adolis Garcia, so much was he the star of the game, that the Pro Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York has requested the batting helmet (City Connect version) to be placed in the Hallowed Hall!

On Sunday, the former New York Met, Jacob deGrom takes to the hill for the Rangers and, after a shorten outing in Houston, where he stated that he had soreness in his wrist, he returned with six solid innings of work, giving up 3 hits on two runs, of which only ONE was earned, no walks, and struck out 11 on the day—one home run that led to the two runs that crossed the plate, and according to Manager Bruce Bochy, it was really not a choice to just let deGrom come out after the 6^th inning after throwing 80 plus pitches and the 11 strike outs on the board.

Though the Runs exploded again for the Rangers in the second inning when Robbie Grossman stepped to the plate with two Rangers on the base paths, Leody Taveras was on second after a single and stolen base, then Marcus Semien walked and Grossman launched a rainbow into the left field seats that traveled an estimated 432 feet, to give the Rangers a 3-0 lead, they tacked on another run in the forth on a single again by Taveras and a Sacrifice to Center that scored from third—and it was 4-0, the mistake pitch by deGrom in the top of the fifth with one on for the A’s and it was a homer to left and it was 4-2. The Rangers weren’t done with their scoring on a wild pitch with the bases full of Rangers, in the bottom of the 8^th inning, and Taveras once again scores and it is 5-2 which was the final score.

The Rangers hit the road for a three game set with the Cincinnati Reds, then return to the home field on the 27 for a four game set with the EVIL EMPIRE also known as the New York Yankees, and the return of Aaron Judge, who in October, he’s last time to visit Arlington, hit home run number 62 to become the ALL TIME American League Home Run leader for a single season, and beating Roger Maris’ record of 61 that was set back in 1961.

Judge will come back to Texas, and most likely the local media will bombard him with the same questions that have been following the young New York Captain since the end of last season, are you capable of doing it again or MORE? To which, the answer is most likely to be “I don’t know”.. and honestly, that is the best answer of all, because no can predict what his talents can provide, last year for Judge, that was magical, 2023, different season, different story.

For now the Rangers head out and then return home—closing out the month of April that has been surprising to some, and expected by others.

As stated before, there is a different feel of this ball club, similar of that in 2010 and 2011, when the Rangers were American League Champions, and appeared in TWO World Series, it is believed to be the changing of philosophy of Skipper Bruce Bochy, who has three World Series Rings to prove it, and he motivates from the standpoint of- this team can be a champion if it believes in itself.

Just a thought!

There UGLY and then there is U G L Y!

 

The Texas Rangers dropped a truly ugly performance on Wednesday night in Arlington, Texas, to the Kansas City Royals 10-1.

Though the start of the game had promise to it, as Nathaniel Lowe went yard into Center Field for a Solo Home Run, that traveled 430 feet into the stands, but that was the last time that the Rangers saw the lead.

Nathan Eovaldi, the starting pitcher for the Rangers started the game with a bit of promise for himself, with striking out two out of three hitters,  throwing all strikes, and not one ball across the plate for a 9 pitch inning… however that didn’t last either, as he gave up hits and runs in the 2^nd inning and through the 5 innings that he pitched—he gave up 10 hits, 6 runs and struck out 7 batters (all swinging strike outs) As the Royals tacked on four more runs against reliever Taylor Hearn and that was the tally for the Royals on the night—10 runs on 14 hits and they left six men on the base paths.

The Rangers, the ONE lowly run, on 4 hits and left 5 on the bases, with Brad Keller shutting down the Rangers offense that was potent through out the first two games of the series, scoring 11 runs on Monday night and coming from behind in extra innings on Tuesday night to win 8-5 on a Jonah Heim three run blast into right center field to win that in walk off fashion—but Wednesday evening—2 hours 24 minutes of baseball and 10 runs on the wrong side of the ledger—makes for a long night for the Home Team.

Rangers are packing their bags and getting ready to head down I-45 to take on their Intrastate Rival, the Houston Astros for a weekend series starting on Friday night and takes them through the annual Jackie Robinson celebration, on the 15^th of April, where everyone wears 42 on their back. Its usually a home game for the Rangers, but this year 2023 , they are the road team in this particular celebration.

Its also a time to teach the younger generation of the struggles that a young African-American went through to play the game of baseball, not ever seeing the prejudice that faced him in certain areas of the country like the south, or in towns such as Cincinnati, St Louis, and even Chicago. Jackie Robinson played his college ball out in California, where he was accepted as an athlete, and as an equal to his teammates.

When Branch Rickey reached out to him, asked him to sign with the Brooklyn Dodgers, he was told that he was going to face harsh opposition to him playing baseball, in what was considered in those days, a “White Mans” game only, and that there was already a Negro League, where players such as Satchel Paige, Cool Papa Bell, Willie Mays, Henry Aaron, and many others were established players.

Robinson however was going to be the person to step over the line, the imaginary line, of prejudice, and hatred, and show people that HE is the one that can not only play the game, but keep his head above all the noise and nay sayers, and become a hero to not only African-American children, but to white children too, who immolated the young man with his batting stance, or stepping out and grabbing dirt and rubbing his hands in it, and then spread it on the handle of the bat, those were and are the things that make little boys dreams come true, and they, for that moment BECOME that person!

So this April 15^th, as every April 15^th, its not just Tax Day- its Jackie Robinson Day, and we remember the man, that lead Major League Baseball out of the darkness of their own sight and into the light of a new dawning of what the great American Past Time has become! EVERYMANS GAME!

Just a thought!

ITS BASEBALL TIME IN TEXAS! Season number 51 for the Texas Rangers!

 

2023 is the 51^st season in Arlington, Texas for the Texas Rangers Baseball Club, and with THIS season, there is a feel in the air, something that has not been felt since, back in 2010, and Ron Washington at the helm (manager) of the Rangers.

However this is 13 years later—a new manager in Bruce Bochy—formally of the San Francisco Giants with three World Series Rings on his hand—more so than that—the Rangers went out and got some arms—former New York Met ace Jacob deGrom and they resigned Martin Perez—along with others—their infield pretty much the same as a year ago with Jung at 3^rd—the middle infield remains the same from a year ago with Semien and Seager with Lowe at first.

The outfield has some question marks but that will shake out through out the season.

But the feeling is of optimism or at least it felt that way through the first inning when deGrom threw 10 pitches and struck out two batters and the roof caved in in the 3^rd when he gave up four runs in two innings. The Mets fans must be watching this game and thinking “WE TOLD YOU SO!” but truth is—1 game—first game does a season not make!

For what it is worth—the Rangers have had the Phillies number over the last couple of years as they have gone 9-0 including sweeping them last year in four games. Though so far the game is still young and deGrom has finished his outing going 3 and 2/3 with 6 hits 5 runs all earned and  7 strike outs!  Ya hate to see the 5 runs in just four innings of play—but it will see the toughness of the Rangers in the later innings to see what they can do.

The Rangers explode in the 4^th inning and put a 9 spot on the board to take the lead—and hold to it through out the game, even though Jacob deGrom left the game early—and even said that he thought he was throwing well, just that the Phillies were hitting the ball even better and that’s what let them score the four spot on the team, and eventually a five run lead.

Bruce Bochy in his first game as a Ranger Manager and back in the dug out after two years of “retirement” from the Giants, said that it was an atmosphere that he truly appreciated—and that the Fans were the best part of the game, 38, 300 plus in the house for opening game, and the first three dates will be a tail tell sign of things to come for this 2023 edition of the Texas Rangers.

The POMP and the CIRCUMSTANCE to open the game, with the TEXAS RANGERS Law Enforcement coming out—the Honor Guard and the Horse Patrol, the singing of the State Song, “Texas Our Texas” then our National Anthem, the ROOF open—then closed (first time in the history of Globe Life Field that they closed the roof DURING a game) the Texas Rangers Hall of Famers that came out onto the field, Tom Grieve, Pudge, Nolan Ryan, Michael Young, Ian Kinsler, and then you have Governor Abbott and former President George W. Bush to be on the field for the ceremonial first pitch.

Before the game, you’re on the field, talking to both Teams, players and managers and finding out the fun stuff, like the new guys just moving into the area, asking about shopping and eating places, and giving them your opinions and just getting to know the guys as people and not just athletes.

They will wipe the lines clean from the field and repaint them for the next game on Saturday and then on Sunday evening.

Just a thought!