The American League Championship Series—Game THREE in the Books

 

Arlington, Texas—The third game of any seven game series is crucial, if you are the team that finds themselves down 2 games to none—you want to win the third game and keep the opportunity from being swept by the team with that advantage, that is what the Houston Astros needed to do without fail and, without fail they prevailed!

Winning game three by a score of 8-5 behind an outstanding pitching performance of Christian Javier, who, at one time had a no-hitter going into the 5^th inning, and for the most the part, a perfecto, into the third before giving up a walk.

For all of that—the Rangers were still able to keep the game with in reach for a little bit, especially with TWO home runs from a ROOKIE third basemen, Josh Jung, who battled for his team with a home run in the fifth and again in the 7^th inning, and bot of them with a runner on base. Four RUNS batted in on two swings of the bat, and this kid is being SNUBBED for a Gold Glove award at his position, five Rangers have been nominated, and rightfully so, but there should be a sixth and that is JUNG!

Beyond that, it was the Rangers starter, Max Scherzer who saw his first action in a month after going down with an injury in September. Manger Bruce Bochy stated, that “he’s one of our guys—and the ball was in his hands”.. to which his first inning out, 8 pitches and looked solid, it was the top of the 2^nd inning that got Scherzer into trouble, when he struck Yordan Alvarez on the left foot and then the another walk a single and a double that netted the three runs and the Astros never looked back,

The feeling is still that of optimism for the Rangers, and seeing that this team a year ago only won 68 games, here comes Bruce Bochy and crew and they harped on fundamentals, defense, because that is what wins games, the points on the board—as long as you outscore the other team you will see the wins mount up, and up until late August and through September, the Rangers held first place for over 160 days of the season.

Game four is set for Globe Life Field on Thursday and then Friday might be the closer if the Rangers win game four and lock game five up.

Still baseball to be played.

Just a thought

Rangers Are Playoff Bound!

 

For the first time since 2016, the Texas Rangers are headed to the American League Playoffs, and in doing so, after leading the American League West Division for over 140 out of 149 days, and they have regained that first place with one game LEFT in the season, they still have the chance to clinch the Division and be the NUMBER 2 seed in the playoffs.

A quick recap of the 2023 season, has to start with opening day against the Philadelphia Phillies, at Globe Life Field, and there was a feel in the air, something that hasn’t been felt since 2010, or maybe even 2011, under Ron Washington as the Manager of the Rangers.

New BOSS on the bench—Bruce Bochy, who after winning three World Series when he was the skipper of the San Francisco Giants—including the year that he faced Texas in 2010.

The Rangers also secured some arms with  Jacob deGrom (who later was lost to Tommy John , Surgery) a mid season pick up with Max Scherber from the Mets, and a couple of pieces for back up catcher and some outfield help, but the truth is, that this team had all the components that Chris Young wasis  able to put together before the Trade Deadline.

This season also gave us a chance to see what this offense could produce, such as 4 ALL STARS (including a Rookie Third Baseman) but solid All Stars like Marcus Semien at 2^nd base, or Corey Seager at short stop, Adolis Garcia in right field, Jonah Heim behind the plate, and Pitcher Nathan Evoldi… that’s a pretty good line up all on its own!

Go through the season and be at the top of the heap in the West for the majority of the season until August—when they go into a tail spin and Houston catches up, Seattle is in the hunt- and the eroding of the Angels falling by the way side—with Otani closing out his locker before the last week of the season, and also seeing Mike Trout of the Angels not being a factor in that three game series at the end of the season. BUT after sweeping the Mariners for the last series at HOME to close out the home side of the 2023 season, it looked promising that the Rangers would secure 1^st place in the West once again!

BUT WAIT! Its not over, losing 3 of four games to the Mariners in Seattle to close out the season and the Astros winning their last games against the Diamondbacks to move a game ahead of the Rangers to become the Western Division Champs on the LAST DAY of the season.

The Rangers will now take on the Tampa Bay Rays starting on the 3^rd of October in Tampa and it’s the best of three series for the Wild Card, and IF there is a third game to settle the score, it will also be played in Tampa. The Rangers WILL NOT play a home playoff game until the Divisional Series.

The Feel is the same as opening day—the thought is the same as that day as well.

Bring out the Brooms—RANGERS SWEEP the ROCKIES!

 

Yes break out the brooms—as the Rangers take the three game series against the Colorado Rockies at Globe Life Field over the weekend of May 19^th through 21^st, and twice in the series scoring double digits—11 runs on a Saturday afternoon and then 13 more runs on Sunday afternoon as well. TWENTY FOUR RUNS in two games, that’s says something about this Ranger offense.

Home Runs by Corey Seager, Josh Jung, and Josh Smith—not to mention extra base hits by a slew of Rangers to help push runs across the plate—five in the 2^nd inning and another six in the fifth. Tack on a couple of more in the 8^th and that’s your 13 runs in the game!

Andrew Heaney on the mound for the Rangers gave up ONE run but it was unearned since it was a Fields Choice and error on the 1^st baseman (Nate Lowe) trying to throw out the lead runner going into second base—however the Rockies did get a couple of more runs across when they faced reliever Jose Leclerc.

It’s the same song with the bullpen, you never know which one will show up for a game—the red hot guys or the ones that will get shell shocked and give up either a big lead and make it closer than it should, or the absolute worse, give UP the lead all together and lose it on the tail end of the late innings, where your offense is not able to break through.

Those are the frustrating games and the bullpens ineptness. Some blame Bruce Bochy the manager of the Rangers, for not managing the bullpen properly—or they point fingers at Chris Young for not getting the right arms, lets face it, the team has lost for the time being, Jacob deGrom with his injury, catcher Mitch Garver is still not back yet though he might start a rehab assignment soon, then there is the 60 days—those are the ones that the team might see sometime in July—Glen Otto, Bret martin, Jake Odorizzi, Spencer Howard, every one of those names are Pitchers—Jake Jankowski is on 10 days—along with Garver—so again, might see those guys play in either Round Rock or Frisco for rehab assignments.

For the most part however, the Rangers win three in a row against the National League Rockies, and their interleague play continues as they hit the road to take on the Pittsburgh Pirates for a set then travel to Baltimore for three games then to Detroit for another three games, back home June 2^nd when the Seattle Mariners come into Arlington to take on the Rangers for a three game division match up—then the RED BIRDS from St Louis come to town—not that any one of us still stings from GAME 6 of the 2011 World Series--- ONE OUT away—ONE STRIKE away from bringing home the hardware only to lose it in extra innings, to the Cardinals, and then game 7 was more a less an afterthought with the Cardinals in St. Louis win the whole thing for their 11^th WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP in club history, and the Rangers once again come in second place for the 2^nd year in a row. (2010 lose to San Francisco Giants, led by, current Rangers Manager Bruce Bochy. (I told him at the beginning of this season, that I would not hold it against him) But I did mentioned it—so I got it out of my system!

So we turn our attention to the road games coming up and see how they fare with the Pirates, Orioles, and Tigers, before they come back home to face the Mariners.

For now it’s a good feeling to sweep a team (any team) and take that momentum with you to the next game(s).

Just a thought

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!

Saying Good-bye to a Comfortable Sound!

 

On August 2^nd, around 8pm PDT, the news started to filter through the world that a long time voice, and a sound that was comfortable to listen to, on a warm (or hot) summer evening.

This voice started out in Brooklyn, New York, with a team called the Dodgers, and with names like Pee Wee, and Bragen, and Robinson. DEM BUMS as some would call them moved in the 50’s to Los Angeles, and started his tenure that lasted between Brooklyn to LA, 67 years behind the microphone for not only radio but Television broadcast as well.

The ONE and THE only- Vin Scully, who passed away at the age of 95, and with that, the microphone grew silent once again.

Our lives—if you are a fan of sports, sometimes, can be associated with the sound of a voice, through the magic of radio, that kept us company at night—or when we were younger--- tuning in to listen to the World Series during school (if you could get away with it, or better yet your Teacher was a fan of the game as well)

The voice at the other end was comforting, and like a warm blanket that would wrap itself around you and give you that solace that, everything was alright in the world.

When you think, and reflect, on the voices of your life, what impacted you, what were the sounds that were comforting. It might have been the voices of your parents, or grandparents. It might have been the voices that were that of your friends, or someone close to you!

I had the opportunity to meet Vin Scully when the Dallas All Sports Association honored him in the early 2000’s at a dinner. Listening to him talk about his career, and the greats that he had been associated with, and being at the microphone for monumental moments, such as World Series, Perfect Games, No Hitters, then there were College Games, and Football games, and Golf Tournaments—his voice was marking that of time that we spent watching the those events.

He lent his voice and talent to a movie with Kevin Costner in it, called “For the Love of the Game” which also starred the late Kelly Preston (John Travolta’s wife). A sports movie with a Love Story twist and turn, about an aging pitcher, in the twilight of his career, and staring at the perfect game, and every line uttered by Vin Scully was an absolute gem. Now its not as quoted as those of Bob Eucker in “Major League”, but none the less they are gems, such as “Pushing the Sun back up into the sky” or my favorite, “The Cathedral that is known as Yankee Stadium--- belongs to a Chapel!” In reference to the fictional pitcher, Billy Chapel in the movie.

During his talk at the DASA banquet, he spoke of his broadcasting style, and to this day I have stolen some of this thoughts, one was—” A picture may paint a thousand words, but we use a thousand words to paint a picture” referring to radio broadcasters, and the other was about the game of baseball, that while broadcasting the game its more about the drama you bring to the game through your words, and therefore a baseball game is nothing more than a good story interrupted by a game.”

His was about poetry, and how he could weave the stories into the game, and make them a part of his style and his ability to bring YOU the listener into the game.

He will be remembered for calling Kirk Gibson’s Home Run against the A’s in the World Series, where Gibson was hobbled, and hurting and took a swing and sent it to the right field bleachers—the Fist Pump of Gibson rounding second, and the sounds of Vin Scully just ever so slightly come across to emphasize the moment.

He was the master of being subtle, let the crowd tell the story best, and you just absorb, as a listener or a viewer, to the event.

He was the same when Sandy Kofax threw a perfect game, or when the Dodger or any other team won the World Series, Scully knew to let the moment have its own, and let the fans enjoy what was transpiring.

Eighteen NO Hitters 3 Perfect Games- Three World Series, and countless Game of the Weeks broadcast, along with being inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame as a Ford Frick award winner, and other accomplishments.

What will be missed the most, well since he fully retired in 2016 from the booth, and his age of over 90 years of age, when you think about it, most of what he had done in broadcasting is still archived, and we can still go back and listen to it over and over again. So in reality, Vin Scully, much like, Mel Allen, or Red Barber, or Jack Buck—Harry Carry, John Facenda, Pat Summerall, Frank Gifford, Howard Cosell, and the list goes on of those voices that shaped our lives and brought to life the games that we watched or listen to. (Didn’t wish to leave out Keith Jackson).

Its “So Long for now”, and until we meet again—from that great Press Box in the sky—Vin Scully you have been and always be a part of our time line of our lives.

Just a thought.