Blue Jays Road Trip Preview

   Rangers fans can all take a sigh of relief because Nelson Cruz will be back in the lineup tomorrow as the Rangers start their road trip with a three game series against the Toronto Blue Jays.  Now the Nelly is back the Rangers will drop Ryan Garko to AAA Oklahoma where they plan on putting him on outright waivers giving him a chance to be picked up by someone else.  I'm unsure what will happen with David Murphy right now, but I really hope that Wash finds a way to keep him in the lineup.
  
Probable Pitchers:
Friday- Harden vs. Cecil
Saturday- Feldman vs. Romero
Sunday- Lewis vs. Morrow

What scares me about this next series is that the Blue Jays are right behind us on the ESPN power rankings.  They are coming off a loosing series against the Red Sox, but they also haven't had to deplete their bullpen like we have in this rough series against the A's.  Both Romero and Cecil will start the game off with a better ERA than Harden and Feldman, but I'm sure our lineup can change that in a hurry.

Last night all bats, today world class pitching.

Okay I'm not going to recap the entire game but I want to focus on the Wilson/Sheets match up.  Wilson had his seventh straight quality start since the beginning of the season, a Rangers record.  The only problem today was Sheets had his best start of the season.  The Rangers weren't able to put Sheets under any early stress and allowed him to stay in the game just as long as Wilson did.  In fact Sheets won the pitch count.  Matt Treanor getting kicked out after the Wilson balk was just crap.  That umpire apparently loves to eject people from games and has had a history with the Rangers in the past (same ump that got Padilla last season).
Finally in the bottom of the 12th Vlad had his 12th career walk off hit for the series win.  Thank God we won this series.  We now have a 2 game lead in the AL West as we go off on our road trip to Canada.

Holland Returns and the fans enjoy a fire work show on a Wednesday!

Derek Holland returns from AAA Oklahoma with maturity and plenty of confidence.  He did exactly what I thought he would (or at least hoped) and went six solid scoreless innings.  Dutch is back!  Seventeen hits for the Rangers tonight.  It was a serious slug fest.  My thoughts are that although last nights game was such a heart breaker after going that deep, tonights bounce back shows the depth of the bullpen.  Then again it helps when the Rangers aren't even worried about warming up their reliever until the top of the seventh.  Oakland blew through their bullpen last night just as we did, but needed them again by the fourth.  Oakland only had two pitchers left and you saw how well that worked out for them.

I'm seriously looking forward to tomorrow nights match up between Wilson and Sheets.  My thoughts are that if Wilson can go deep (like he did in his last appearance) and our offense puts Ben under some early stress the Rangers will be fine.  Oakland's bullpen is exhausted.  It's time to solidify our spot on the top of the AL West.

Awesome...

Will Ferrell Express

Rangers sweep the Royals, big deal or not?

So the Rangers sweep the Royals in a four game series, but I have to admit that I would be disappointed in anything but that.  The Royals are now 11-21 or .344 and with the exception of Baltimore they are the dregs of the American League.  The Rangers have the day off on Monday before starting a three game home series against the A's.  May looks like it could be a good month for the Rangers if they can get past this next series and then Minnesota later on.  Can't wait to see them slaughter the Cubbies, but that series may end up being high drama with their new Castro.  Holland should join the rotation somewhere in the middle of the A's series. Nelson Cruz will be starting his rehab assignment at AAA Oklahoma on Tuesday, and could be back by the last game of the A's series or if not at least in time for Toronto.  Being only one game ahead of Oakland right now makes this next week extremely important, but it looks hopeful.  Lewis, Holland, and Wilson will lead them during this home stand.  Oakland hasn't listed who will pitch for the Wednesday and Thursday games.
Rangers enjoy your day off tomorrow.

Semi-Confirmed: Holland is joining the rotation

This just came across the message boards.  Derek Holland will be joining the rotation.  So far no news as to when or where.  No details yet, but as I was saying last night his 0.93 ERA made an impression.  More to come on this subject as the news is leaked.

It's time to see Holland in a Rangers uniform again

This year I've been really impressed with our starting lineup with the exception of Matt Harrison.  Feldman, Harden, Lewis, Wilson...no gaps yet, but oh wait it's a five man rotation.  With Hunter just now being optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma I think we only have one option.  Bring Dutch boy back. Holland has a 0.93 ERA in six starts at AAA Oklahoma.  His time is now.  This season is too important to keep such a glaring hole in our lineup.  In my opinion Holland was amazing last year, but it was just too early for him to last such a long season.  I'm sure Sir Nolan and team had this in the cards the whole time, but sending Holland to AAA for the beginning of the season not only allowed him some time to mature his slider of all things, but to prevent that slump later in the season.  I personally can't wait to see him take Harrison's spot.  Below is a picture I took of him in the club house just after a autograph session at this years fan fest.    

Fan Fest Pics

Some great pics

Wilson's Complete Game puts Rangers on top of the AL West again

5/7/2010
    Tonight C.J. Wilson performed the most impressive start of the year so far.  Going up against Cy Young winner Zack Greinke, tonights pitcher's duel was much hyped and didn't let us fans down.  Wilson only allowed five hits, one run, and two walks.  Greinke only lasted seven innings after allowing the Rangers four runs which included Vlad's homer.  
    I am getting more impressed with our starting pitchers as of late.  Not only with tonights complete game, but I just don't remember a season with a starting pitching rotation going this deep in every game. God bless Nolan Ryan and God bless Mike Maddux.  They have toughened up our pitchers to the old school Ryan way of playing.  Last year the sports radio stations were full of C.J. haters, but I haven't heard one complaint yet.  C.J. has found his calling as a starter and I'm sold.  
  

Great books all Rangers fans should read!

Recently I've been downloading some great books on my Kindle that really all baseball fans should read.  One of which really I seriously recommend to all you Rangers fans.  The first chapter of The Baseball Codes; Beanballs, Sign Stealing, and Bench-Clearing Brawls by Jason Turbow gives the reader an amazing behind the scenes description of the 1994 butt kicking that Nolan Ryan gave Robin Ventura.  Every Rangers fan remembers that game and most die hards have had the picture as their desktop from time to time.  I actually have an old baseball card that I got when I was a kid showing Nolan with Ventura in a head lock (one of my most prized possessions).