Texas Rangers Report – September 29 2009
September 30, 2009 by Guest Contributor · Leave a Comment
THE RANGERS REPORT – September 29
As the Texas Rangers’ sportsbook hopes to make the World Series die out, so does the Rangers Report for 2009. This week marks the final installment until next spring. Don’t worry; we’ll still keep tabs on the Rangers’ offseason in our Dallas Sports Roundup starting next week. For now, let’s catch up with Texas in detail one more time.
Current record: 85-71
AL West rank: 2
World Series odds: 5,000 to 1
THE LINEUP
Spending most of September without Josh Hamilton and Michael Young really hurt the Rangers and is perhaps the primary reason why they’re one loss or Red Sox win away from being mathematically eliminated from playoff contention. Josh Hamilton returned over the weekend to drive in five runs in two games but re-aggravated the pinched nerve in his back and is no sure bet to play again this season. Michael Young returned from a hamstring injury and gingerly banged out two hits on Monday night.
A bright spot: Marlon Byrd. He hit .320 with three homers and 11 RBI last week to earn AL Player of the Week Honors and quietly leads the Rangers with 89 RBI.
THE ROTATION
To say the wheels have fallen off for Tommy Hunter may be an understatement. The surprising rookie has struggled mightily over the last month and a half, seeing his ERA rise from 2.26 to 4.10 over his last 10 starts as teams face him for the second or third time. Thanks to solid run support, he’s 3-2 this month, but he has a 6.55 ERA during that span.
Fellow rookie and blue chipper Derek Holland continues to scuffle; he’s allowed 13 homers in his last 10 starts.
THE BULLPEN
As could be expected for any rookie, Neftali Feliz’s luster is wearing off late in the season. His velocity has dipped form 100 MPH to approximately 95, though pitching coach Mike Maddux doesn’t see any mechanical flaw or change that can explain the decline.
A week ago, we were discussing Frank Francisco’s job security in the closer role going forward. It seemed safe then but I’m betting management will have a tough time shaking Sunday’s four-run blown save out of its mind for the time being.
OVERALL OUTLOOK
The Rangers are almost in coast mode, as they would need to win out and see Boston lose out to make the playoffs. That means they’ll start looking to 2010 – and with great optimism. If Texas can add a veteran arm in the rotation and bullpen to spell the youngsters next season, it could seriously contend among other top MLB picks.
THE RANGERS REPORT – September 1, 2009
September 2, 2009 by Guest Contributor · Leave a Comment
NFL betting is upon us and, while the Rangers have done a good job holding off the Cowboys for our attention this summer, they’ll need a big push to do it in October. They’ve stumbled in the Wildcard race and the Angels seem out of reach in the AL West. Does Texas have anything left in the tank?
Season record: 72-58
AL West rank: 2
World Series odds: 35 to 1
THE LINEUP
As the Rangers showed yesterday, when they cut an 11-run deficit to one before losing 18-10, offense isn’t the problem lately. Michael Young continues what will go down as one of his best seasons; he needs three homers to set a new career high and is on track to post a plus-.900 OPS for the first time in his career. Ian Kinsler has sizzled since returning from the DL, batting .311 with 14 RBI in 16 games.
THE ROTATION
The Ranger arms kept Texas afloat while the bats slumped, but they’re falling on hard times. Derek Holland has been rocked twice in a row after he flourished for most of August. Kevin Millwood has one win in his last six starts. Scott Feldman remains a revelation, having tossed 12.2 scoreless innings over his last two starts (both wins, of course). The Rangers and online betting fans alike hope the rest of the rotation can step up; perhaps Brandon McCarthy, who returned to the big club when the rosters expanded, can give the rotation a shot in the arm.
THE BULLPEN
Frank Francisco posted a 6.97 ERA in August but really hasn’t pitched badly; of the eight runs he allowed that month, six came during his one blown save. He actually held opponents scoreless in nine of his 11 August appearances and thus hasn’t been the problem for Texas.
Neftali Feliz continues to set the world on fire. Stat update: 17.2 innings pitched, 22 strikeouts, one earned run, one walk. Wow. I’m betting management gives him a chance to start next season.
OVERALL OUTLOOK
No matter what happens, 2009 will not go down as a failure for the Rangers. They’ve shown us that their great farm system has set them up for future success the same way the Rays’ system boosted them. If Texas falls short of the playoffs in the end, next season could be an entirely different story, as the young guns will only get better.
Texas Rangers Report – August 25
August 25, 2009 by Matt Lawrence · Leave a Comment
Dallas’ NFL betting odds may be the best pro bet in Texas right now (not counting the Longhorns’ BCS chances, of course), due to a recent slide by the Rangers. They’re still in the hunt, however, and every time this team is counted out, they end up back in the thick of things.
Current record: 69-54
AL West rank: 2
AL wildcard rank: 2
Odds to win World Series: roughly 60/1
THE LINEUP
Nelson Cruz has returned to the lineup missing three weeks with an ankle injury, and he’s gone 2-for-11 with a homer and an RBI in four games since. Meanwhile, Michael Young was absolutely on fire, going 15-of-30 with a dinger and eight RBIs to earn the American League’s Player of the Week honor. The six-time All-Star carried an 11-game hit streak into the Rangers’ series opener in New York on Tuesday, and he had three straight three-hit games in a row. Josh Hamilton and Ian Kinsler are still struggling, while Marlon Byrd is continuing his hot August.
THE ROTATION
Vicente Padilla was released and promptly signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers after four inconsistent seasons in Texas, and the Rangers responded by keeping 6’8” Dustin Nippert in the rotation. The righthander is no Roy Halladay, who would have easily boosted the Rangers’ online betting odds, but with youngsters Tommy Hunter and Derek Holland coming on, and Scott Feldman having a great season out of nowhere, the Rangers should be okay, if not for this year, then next year.
THE BULLPEN
The bullpen settled down after costing the Rangers a win in a 9-6 loss at home to Minnesota last week, but they haven’t been getting that many chances. They’re being extra careful with Neftali Feliz, while C.J Wilson and Frank Francisco are a solid one-two closing duo.
OVERALL OUTLOOK
Betting services have been tough on the Rangers this week, dropping them from 10/1 in this year’s World Series odds. They continue a nine-game road trip by heading to New York and Minnesota, which will be no easy feat, before coming home to host Toronto. As of Tuesday, the Rangers were only 1.5 games out of the wild-card spot, behind Boston, and that is no insurmountable gap. A lack of inexperience may hurt the Rangers down the stretch, but at 60/1, it couldn’t hurt to lay a little on their World Series odds.
THE RANGERS REPORT – August 18
August 19, 2009 by Matt Lawrence · Leave a Comment
As the UFC 102 fight card approaches, it’s hard not to cheer for underdogs like Thiago Silva. After all, teams like the Texas Rangers, who continue to defy the odds, are inspiring us. They remain in the thick of the American League Wildcard race, leading Boston by one game Through Monday. Do they have the horses to hold off the Red Sox?
Current record: 67-50
AL West rank: 2
AL Wildcard rank: 1
Odds to win World Series: 10 to 1
THE LINEUP
The Rangers’ World Series odds are the best they’ve been all season (better than the Cowboys’ Super Bowl odds in NFL betting), and a big reason why is the offensive turnaround. Josh Hamilton has returned to being the middle-of-the-order presence Texas depends on him to be. Since August 3, he’s hitting .453 with a .503 on-base percentage.
The Rangers welcomed two familiar faces back to the lineup this week in very different ways. First, they activated Ian Kinsler from the 15-day DL and eventually reinserted him into the leadoff spot. Then, they acquired longtime leader and Future Hall of Famer Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez in a deal with Houston. Pudge is reportedly content with playing a backup role.
We’re overdue to give props to Marlon Byrd; the stumpy outfielder has set career highs in homers and doubles, ranking fourth in the AL in the latter category. If he keeps rapping out extra-base hits, he won’t be the one losing playing time when Nelson Cruz returns from the DL (which could be this week).
More ego stroking! The Rangers also set a club record for steals in a game with eight against Boston on August 15. Elvis Andrus and rookie Julio Borbon combined for seven of them.
THE ROTATION
Betting software didn’t predict for it to happen so soon, but Derek Holland’s breakout continues. After beating the Red Sox on the weekend, he has a 2.25 ERA in August. If the Rangers are to make the playoffs and do any damage, they need Holland to keep up the good work.
THE BULLPEN
Not that any baseball picks experts predicted anything less, but it’s exciting to see what Neftali Feliz is doing. He became the youngest-ever Ranger to record a save (Age 21) on Saturday and his stat line now reads like this: 10 innings pitched, one save, four holds, one earned run, 16 strikeouts. Think the Rangers were smart to call the kid up?
OVERALL OUTLOOK
The original thinking was that Rangers couldn’t make the playoffs because they lacked the pitching depth and offensive consistency. Suddenly, the bats are hot when it matters and the young arms are ahead of schedule. Texas seems poised to fight tooth and nail for that Wild Card.
The Rangers Report – June 9
June 10, 2009 by Guest Contributor · Leave a Comment
None of the Texas trio is factoring in the NBA finals odds and the Dallas Stars aren’t part of the Stanley Cup Final, which means the main show in Texas in the Rangers.
Season Record: 33-25
AL West Rank: 1
Current World Series odds: 16.5 to 1
THE LINEUP
The Texas Rangers will be without Josh Hamilton for the next four-to-six weeks as he is set to go under the knife. Hamilton has a partial tear in his abdominal muscle, which is better news than some people perceived the injury to be.
The Rangers are just 12-9 without Hamilton in the lineup and just 3-5 in their last eight minus their All-Star.
One player to keep an eye on this week will be Omar Vizquel, who has 2676 career hits. That leaves Vizquel one short of Luis Aparicio, the All-Time leader for Venezuela.
No pundits, handicappers or betting software would have predicted that Vizquel would be hitting .345 this season.
THE ROTATION
After posting the second-best team ERA ever in a month during May, the Rangers have been in some high-scoring affairs in June.
THE RANGERS REPORT – June 2
June 2, 2009 by Guest Contributor · 1 Comment
THE RANGERS REPORT – June 2
Whether you bet on MLB odds or not, it’s hard not to enjoy a great summer of America’s pastime. Better yet, Major League Baseball has seen great parity so far; it seems almost every team is in the hunt. Included in that bunch: the upstart Texas Rangers. Are they for real? The first installment of the Rangers Report explores Nelson Cruz’s power surge, Josh Hamilton’s health and the surprising success of the pitching staff.
Season record: 30-20
AL West rank: 1
Current MLB odds to win World Series: 50 to 1
THE LINEUP
The Rangers are fourth in the American League in runs scored and first in homers. Yes, the big bats are bopping in Arlington; this is a recording. Ian Kinsler continues his torrid season, with seven RBI in his last 10 games, though his batting average continues so slip. Nelson Cruz is proving 2008’s minor-league power explosion was no fluke; he leads the team with 14 homers and shows no signs of slowing down, as six of those long flies have come in the last 10 games. The Bad news for Rangers odds supporters: Josh Hamilton could be on the verge of a DL stint. He underwent an MRI on his groin and abdomen yesterday and the results should be released later today. With Hamilton’s bat missing from the lineup, Chris Davis needs to be better. The slugger is still floating around the Mendoza line and has an absurd 77 strikeouts in 48 games. Eat your heart out, Mark Reynolds.
THE ROTATION
Is it Nolan Ryan’s new conditioning program? Whatever the reason, the Rangers’ pitching staff continues to surprise and is giving sportsbook odds makers fits. Fun fact: Texas’ May ERA was 3.57, the second-lowest for a single month since the Rangers moved into Rangers Ballpark in Arlington 15 years ago. Promising rookie Matt Harrison was placed on the DL with shoulder soreness this week but is only expected to miss the minimum amount of time. That’s a relief for the Rangers, as Harrison had a dominant stretch in early May, tossing two complete games and allowing two earned runs in a 23-inning stretch before the shoulder soreness got the better of him in his last couple of starts. Vincente Padilla will be activated from the DL today but, given his potential rustiness and the fact that he’s pitching at (gulp) Yankee Stadium, baseball betting fans should avoid the Rangers in sports wagering tonight.
THE BULLPEN
Yes, Frank Francisco finally allowed a run last weekend, but he’s 16 for 16 in save tries this season and hasn’t blown a save since becoming the full-time closer late last season. As long as he’s pitching like this (0.48 ERA, 18.2 IP, 19 K), the Rangers will have a chance to win every night.
OVERALL OUTLOOK
The Rangers are sitting pretty right now and have a respectable 4 ½-game cushion in the AL West. We know the bats will continue to mash, even with Hamilton hurting, but it remains to be seen if the pitching staff can keep up its brilliance. The Rangers’ MLB odds to win the West sure look good now, but the Angels are slowly getting healthy and creeping back into the race.
