What's up with the Rangers?!?!?!?!?

Three consecutive shutouts by a team that's never really been known for solid pitching. If this keeps up, I may actually have to start paying attention for the first time in a decade.

I'm almost ready for the MLB officies to order an investigation with every man on the staff being tested.[/fanboilooser]

 

I could shut out the Mariners.

/gruntledMsfanboylooser

 

Texas has won 10 of 14 since the nightmare road trip to Boston/Detroit and subsequent Come-To-Jesus meetings in the front office. Don't know if this is a sign that the players are rallying in support of their embattled manager, but I hope so. Washington seems like a good guy.

 

Three more wins and they'll be exactly what I thought they would be this year.

A .500 team.

 

Even though writing irish already chimed in, I may remind you that they're performing so well despite having...

...Just had to bring that one back up.

 

... They lost to the Penguins in five. Oh, my bad, never mind.

 

Everyone points to the "come to Jesus meeting" and the players rallying around Washington, but the Rangers also made some roster moves at the end of that skid that turned things around.

Putting Hank Blalock on the DL was addition by subtraction, for starters. Dustin Nippert was a walking can of gasoline on the mound and he got put on the DL at that time, too. Sidney Ponson was called up and has been brilliant, and Frankie Francisco looks like he's back to his 2004 form. And, of course, getting rid of Botts and bringing up Brandon Boggs has paid off handsomely.

All of those moves happened within a week's time, and the new parts are paying off. The pieces that had been performing (Hamilton, Bradley, Padilla, etc.) have continued to perform.

Doesn't mean the Rangers are suddenly AL West contenders, though. Millwood looks like he's hurt again, Jennings is on the shelf (and rightly so, he still isn't ready to return to the bigs after his surgery), and Gabbard (who had just come off a rehab assignment) took a pounding from Richie Sexless last week. That rotation is paper-thin.

 

Ponson wasn't brilliant today, for sure. He made it 5 1/3 and got a no-decision, but he got shelled in the first inning.

Padilla goes against Bedard tonight. Anyone's guess. This could be a 2-1 masterpiece or a 12-11 slugfest. Welcome to Arlington.

 

I'll bet it's 14-0 Mariners...wasn't it Texas where Bedard had the game of his life for the O's last year? 15 Ks and a two-hit shutout or something?

 

Just a question, what's the seminal moment in Texas Rangers' history?

To me, it's one-time manager Don Zimmer posing on a 1981-era game program cover literally dripping in chili dog and nacho cheese sauce. There was some "clever" headline to go with it, but I don't remember what it was.

Sadly, Google Images has not recorded it for posterity. But here's a media guide cover from that year Writing Irish will enjoy ...

 

Here's another, with Writing Irish's favorite and mine ... Ned Yost!



Why the hell would the Rangers have put Yost on a program cover? He was somewhat enjoyed during his Brewers playing days as a scrub, and for hitting a key home run against Boston the last week of the '82 season, but I'd be shocked if he ever appeared on a Brewers program as a player.

I'm presuming that's Gary Ward in the background. Beat the shit out of him, Gary!