Pitching and defense really does win games….weird
As a lifelong baseball fan I’ve always heard this phrase, as a Ranger-lifer, I’ve rarely if ever seen it executed.
It was so foreign to me and the rest of the Ranger faithful. Even during the runs of the late 90’s our staff was below average, what got them to the postseason were some pitchers that would go into the mid innings backed by a defense that did not kick many balls…oh yeah, and an offense that massacred those standing 60′ 6″ away.
May rolls around and all we can do is forget about April. Which by all accounts was worse than brutal…I actually can’t come up with a descriptive word to describe April…
Staff ERA is 1.84…really? Goodness.
Batting Average Against is .197….uhhhh, what?
We’ve won the last 5 and are 8-2 for the month correcting our overall record to 18-20 putting us 4 games behind Oakland and Los Angeles Anaheim California whatever…..
Any coincidence? Darn tootin’ there is.
People were calling for Wash’s head on a plater. I was about to become one of them. It’s amazing what some wins will do. I think he’s learning on the job, just as JD has. Have they been perfect? By all means, a big hearty “No.”
But given what Wash had to work with at the beginning of the year was unfair, now they’ve called up some kids who have energized both the team and the fans.
This is what it was supposed to be about….rebuild.
It didn’t look like it when we had Frank the Cat, Marlon Byrd and Ben Broussard out there every day.
Now we can call it rebuilding.
It is fun to watch the kids, but most importantly, it’s fun to watch these kids win.
Next Up: Brandon Boggs…promise.
Big League Hair 
how do you get a hit counter?
Congrats on being a featured blog. As far as the recent Ranger pitching dominance, it ended today. With Millwood going on the DL, don’t look for this to continue. I have enjoyed watching Brandon Boggs play recently.
Wash’s days are still numbered, but why rush to replace him when the patient will get worse before getting better?
http://hitlesswanderings.mlblogs.com/
Firstly, NICE WORK on the “featured blog” designation. Does this mean the powers that be at MLB look to you for the “public opinion” vibe? Awesome.
Secondly, about Wash…I am right there with ya about giving him the chance to sink or swim. Not to metion the fact that a season and a month is not a long enough sample to see if this is the guy for the organization long-term. My only concern is that for two consecutive Aprils, the team has flat-not been ready to open the season. The mistakes they have made (missing cut-offs, not moving runners along, horrible plate discipline leading to wasted ABs) are mistakes that should be cleared up in Spring Training, NOT in April. Maybe that is part of the learning curve for a new Big League manager, but it is not a good trend to start. I am a Wash fan, that is just one of my concerns.
Thirdly, I think the team we see now in May, is closer to reality than the team we saw in April. We are probably not quite this good, but we are no where near as bad as the April Rangers.
Lets go “drink good beers and sling bull” soon Ryno!!!
Peace.
Nope, never, not a chance, you can’t have him. The Giants would be absolutely crazy if they gave up Timmy. Lincecum is pretty much the only guy who has been solid for us. Sanchez’s last two starts have really worried me. He’s been lights out this season, averaging 10 K’s per nine innings and then these last two starts he’s been having some problems like today he was good for the first three innings and then all of a sudden in the fourth he couldn’t throw a strike. And then Cain just can’t catch a break, the run support never seems to be there for him. Correia is hurt and well everyone knows how Zito has been doing. So anyway…nope I wouldn’t give up Lincecum for anything. Oh and thanks for the comment. 🙂
Aubrey
http://vizquellover.mlblogs.com
Ryan,
Congrats on being a featured blog. Your comments are fun to read and usually include a few “Texas Junior College” characterizations of players and events.
I am still not sure why anyone tap dances around Jon Daniels’ tenure as GM. He is absolutely the worst GM in baseball and likely deserves historic consideration for ineptness. He has traded 4/5s of a strong rotation in two years (Chris Young, John Danks, Vasquez and Galarraga). In return for this pitchers, the Rangers have Josh Hamilton, great player – huge risk….that is it. Can you imagine Billy Beane trading Mulder, Hudson and Zito several years ago for Jermaine Dye?
Daniels is the personification of the ongoing problem with the Texas Rangers. There is absolutely no desire anywhere in the organization to do what it takes to win. Of course, the Rangers WANT to win. Everyone wants to win…very few teams do the things it takes to win. This new dedication to young talent will be thrown out the window next offseason. The bloated Tom Hicks will demand veterans to put a winning team on the field. The inexperienced, inept GM will make more poor trades with seasoned GMs, and Beltre, Diamond, Andrus and company will be starting for the Reds (Daniels fleeced by Jocketty for Adam Dunn).
It is impossible to give any type of rating to Ron Washington. Ron is obviously not running the show and the players know it. Now, throw Nolan Ryan into the mix, and the leadership is clouded even further. In the short term, stop trading period for 12 months. Put your focus on hiring excellent teachers and evaluators from good organizations. Don’t get tempted to rush prospects (Like the did with Vasquez) and let veteran players play out their contracts and collect draft picks unless someone blows you away with a trade offer. Stop trading anyone under 28.