By: Dustin Dietz
ddietz2004@yahoo.com
The Texas Rangers concluded a seven game home stand Thursday afternoon with a 5-4 ten inning loss to their American League West division rival, the Oakland A’s. The home stand began last Friday night against the Los Angeles Angels in one of the more anticipated regular season games in franchise history. Ranger fans were looking forward to witnessing the return of the self-absorbed Renaissance man C.J. Wilson take the hill against new Ranger pitching ace Yu Darvish.
The atmosphere in the ball park was electric as Darvish retired the Angels and new $240 million dollar man Albert Pujols quickly in the top of the first inning. In the bottom of the first, Wilson was only able to face five hitters before a torrential downpour stopped play for one hour and fifty six minutes.
After the rain delay concluded, Wilson was replaced by Jerome Williams, and the Rangers would score six times in the bottom of the first inning. The Ceej was charged with four of the runs and would be given the loss in a 10-3 Rangers victory.
While many Ranger fans were disappointed at the fact the Ceejster was unable to return to accept his beating, fans were delighted to see young pitching phenom Yu Darvish return to the bump after the long rain delay. Darvish pitched exceptionally considering he had to endure a two hour break, and lasted 5 1/3 innings while striking out seven Angels. Darvish earned his fifth win and lowered his ERA to a very respectable 2.84.
The highlight of the evening was Ranger slugger Josh Hamilton sending the sell out crowd into a frenzy after smashing his second home run of the evening off of Williams in the fourth. There have been few occasions when the ball park has been as loud as it was Friday night.
Wilson would display his toughness the next day as he was able to start the next game for the Halos, and tried to avoid becoming the first starting pitcher to lose two consecutive games in almost 40 years. Wilson did not earn a win, but pitched well as he only allowed two runs over 5 2/3 innings in a 4-2 Angels win. Ceej did give up a sixth inning round tripper to Hamilton, which was Josh’s ninth home run during a historically epic week for the former MVP.
Hamilton’s four home run game in Baltimore on May 8th was the fourteenth in the modern era, and displayed how crucial a healthy Hamilton is in the Ranger’s lineup. Hamilton is currently the American League triple-crown leader, and is in the process of earning a pretty sizable contract this coming off season.
The resilient Rangers had the daunting task in the rubber game of facing Angels’ ace Jeff Weaver in front of a national audience on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball. Coming into the game, Weaver sported an ERA below 2.00 and had pitched a no-hitter two starts prior.
The Rangers lit Weaver up for eight earned runs over 3 1/3 innings, and handed Weaver his first loss of the season in a 13-6 Rangers victory. Nelson Cruz hit a third inning grand slam, and converted starter Neftali Feliz pitched six innings to earn his third win of the year.
The $240 million dollar man Albert Pujols managed to produce just two singles and one RBI in the three game series. The 2 games to 1 series win for the Rangers gave them an 8 game lead over the Angels, and a five game lead in the division over the second place Oakland A’s. The Angels looked nothing like the serious competition the experts thought they were as the Rangers outscored them 25-13 during the three game series.
As expected, Josh Hamilton was announced the American League Player of the Week the next morning, and all things seemed to be going well for the mighty Rangers with the dreadful Kansas City Royals coming into town for a two game series.
Well, that’s why they play the game on the field. The Royals would sweep the two game series as the potent Ranger lineup was shut down by the indomitable Bruce Chen and the sensational Triple A call-up Vin Mazzaro (Those are sarcastic superlatives). The Rangers would commit three errors during the two game series (two by Colby Lewis and one by the normally error free Adrian Beltre) and appeared disinterested at times.
Rangers Manager Ron Washington rested four starters Monday night in the 3-1 loss, and sat two other starters in the 7-4 Royals win Tuesday night. Despite the two game sweep to the ‘mighty’ Royals, the Rangers still maintained a four game lead over Oakland as the A’s came to the ball park Wednesday night to begin a two series of their own with the Rangers.
Yu Darvish was back on the mound for the Rangers, and once again pitched magnificently over 7 2/3 innings earning his league leading sixth win in a 4-1 Rangers victory. Washington again rested another starter as Michael Young watched the game from the pine for the boys in red. Yu has quickly became the Rangers most reliable starting pitcher and is making the Rangers Pacific Rim scouting department look like baseball geniuses based on his early season performance.
The A’s would defeat the Rangers Thursday afternoon in the second game 5-4 in ten innings as it was Josh Hamilton’s turn to hop on the day off carousel. Hamilton would pinch hit in the 8th, and go for 0-2 at the plate, ending his 16 game hitting streak.
The Rangers squandered several scoring opportunities as they stranded 14 base runners in the loss. Manager Ron Washington pinch hit Brandon ‘Pretzels” Snyder in the 7th inning for Mitch Moreland after Moreland had hit two home runs earlier in the game. Snyder would fly out to right, and then was unable to win the game with a hit in the bottom of the ninth with the bases loaded. The move to replace Moreland with Snyder was a move one might deem micromanaging considering Moreland had gone yard twice in the game already.
The loss Thursday left the Rangers with an overall record of 24-15, four games in front of the A’s in the AL West, and seven games in front of the struggling Angels. The 3-4 home stand could have been much better had the Rangers taken the four games against the Royals and A’s more seriously. The Rangers seemed to treat the four games against the A’s and Royals as a vacation of sorts.
I understand the logic in wanting to rest players, but this is the middle of May. The Angels are currently staggering around at 17-22. One has to take advantage. The Rangers should be trying to extend their lead over both the A’s and Angels, and worry about giving players time to rest at a later date.
To sit eight of your starters in four games has to be questioned as it seems both arrogant and selfish to do it. Arrogant because the calendar is in the middle of May and the Rangers only have a four game lead. Sitting eight starters in four games resembles a team which feels the division is already wrapped up. I realize the MLB season is a marathon, but every game is important.
And selfish because the Rangers are resting their players in home games with sell out crowds attending games to see their favorite Ranger play. Fans pay enormous amounts of money to see Josh Hamilton, Michael Young, and Mike Napoli hit 400 foot home runs. No offense to these players, but fans are not paying their money to watch Alberto Gonzalez and Brandon Snyder field ground balls.
The organization owes it to the fans to at least field the team’s regular lineup in division games. If Wash wants to sit guys, sit them while playing games on the road.
The Rangers have to be careful because the Angels will begin to play better, and a seven game lead is not insurmountable. Albert Pujols has now homered in consecutive days, which now gives him three for the season. Allowing teams to stay in the race is certainly not wise, especially a team as talented as the Angels. Every game counts, and to treat winnable games against weak opponents like they are exhibitions is just foolish.
The Rangers now embark on a six game road trip against Houston and Seattle beginning on Friday May 18th. Hopefully, the team is well rested and ready to play baseball because losing 3 of 4 to Kansas City and Oakland at home is unacceptable. Extending the lead in the division is imperative, and now is the time to do it.
Follow Dustin Dietz on Twitter @DustinDietz18
