None of the starters are impressing me right now and none seem to be capable of pitching more than 5-6 innings. That isn't enough to get the job done in my opinion (especially in the playoffs) so that is why I think they will continue to carry 13...
You really only need 3 good starters in the playoffs with the days off, this makes your 4th and 5th starters your game 4 pitchers, if you can get 4 innings from each one you're golden...
If things continue they way they are they will play the Royals and they have a winning record against them. Most of this I think is because most of their starting pitching is RHed, which will be a good match-up for the Rangers since most of their big bats are LHed. Less need for RHed pinch hitters or pinch base runners, but you will still need late inning defensive replacements (and will need to be RHed...
So with all that being said the pitchers will be Hamels, Holland, Perez, Lewis, Gallardo, Tolleson, Dyson, Diekman, Kela, Martinez, Gonzalez, Ohlendorf and Faulkner...
Let me guess you are wondering why I picked Faulkner over Freeman? Easy .125 BA by LHers against him and Freeman is .277, no brainer... Even though Faulkner is young he seems like he can "git er dun"... :) And Royals most dangerous bats are LHed...
As far as position players go Beltre, "Evis", Odor, Moreland, Fielder, DD, Hamilton, Choo, Giminez, Napoli, Stubbs, and Alberto. I wish I had different choices for the last 2 but there just aren't any...
As far as position players go Beltre, "Evis", Odor, Moreland, Fielder, DD, Hamilton, Choo, Giminez, Napoli, Stubbs, and Alberto. I wish I had different choices for the last 2 but there just aren't any...
That's a gamble not running with a second catcher. Nap is an emergency guy given his hip issues.
"For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly."---Romans 5:6
That's a gamble not running with a second catcher. Nap is an emergency guy given his hip issues.
I know, I was under the impression Chirinos was pretty much done for the year but I see he played tonight. I assume this is an audition to see if he can be on the 25 man roster???
I'm not really in love with the options both pitching and position players for this team going into the playoffs, they have holes and no aces...
If Scheppers was pitching well I would keep him and drop 2 other pitchers to keep more position players. But then who do you keep as position players since most of the other choices haven't played in the last week to 10 days. Obviously Banny isn't using any of them because none of them are hitting even 1/2 their weight!
And there is Josh another tweeked knee/shoulder away from being useless, who is gonna be his replacement?? (Who aren't hitting either)?? Venable, Martin??
I'll say it again I REALLY DON"T LIKE THE OPTIONS THEY HAVE!!!
Alberto - .222 (Rookie) (Rangers traded away serviceable backup middle infielders earlier in the year)
Venable - .244
Stubbs - .198
Strasbourger - .200 (Rookie)
Rua - .193 (Rookie) Can play multiple positions in IF and OF
Martin - .219 (has a bum hand) has about 5 days to prove he can play
Gallo - .206 (Rookie)
Wilson - .189
Hell of a list of backups isn't it???
You're probably right in that I'm probably going to have to go with 11 or 12 pitchers but I think that will end up biting them in the ass, they'll run out of pitchers, their relievers have pitched A LOT OF INNINGS THIS YEAR!!! Banny had to use 5 again tonight just to get by the "Tiggers" and Miggy sat out........
I'll say it again I REALLY DON"T LIKE THE OPTIONS THEY HAVE!!!
Yes they have holes in a leaking boat. But they have bailed out enough water to get where they are. I don't think anyone in the front office or even the dugout thought they would be where they are. It's been an amazing ride this year. Having the "trouble" of figuring out a post season roster is a good problem to have:)
If 2-6 keeps clobbering the ball they have a shot.
Pitching has been an issue all season especially the BP. But those two additions did wonders.
"For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly."---Romans 5:6
If the Rangers win tomorrow that eliminates LAA in the division race. Wish Seattle pitched Hernandez. Instead the manager pitched his BP starting as well.
So we can finish one order of business tomorrow. Win and the Angels can't tie us. They will be 4 back with 3 to go. We win with the Stros off we go up a half game to 3 full games. So that guarantees us a division tie with Stros. If we win tomorrow night. I think a win tomorrow also gets us a tie for the second WC. Rangers and Yankees have the same record now.
"For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly."---Romans 5:6
Yes if the Rangers win tomorrow they eliminate the Angels from division contention. They also pick up a 1/2 game on the Astros. That would guarantee at least a tie with the Astros.
"For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly."---Romans 5:6
Venable and Stubbs are holes in the line up. I would argue to the AL commissioner to change the rules to have two DH batters in the line up to offset them:) Or have the pitcher bat (Gally has a good bat) instead and DH for the OFer:)
Both OFers have saved our bacon in at least 4 games in the later innings. A dude who can run faster than DD and is about 4 inches taller (if not more) than DD is quite an asset (Stubbs).
Did you see Nap's rocket last night? Wow, memories of 2011.
Given Nap's success against Angel pitching (quite a history), he will probably be starting at 1B against LHPs and in LF against RH pitchers.
"For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly."---Romans 5:6
Both OFers have saved our bacon in at least 4 games in the later innings. A dude who can run faster than DD and is about 4 inches taller (if not more) than DD is quite an asset (Stubbs).
No denying their defensive capabilities they just can't seem to hit their way out of a wet paper bag, Venable is slightly better at the plate.... Slightly...
If they were both hitting it would sure go a long way towards solving the issues the team has with LHers...
#1357. To: redleghunter, tomder55, Liberator (#1353)
Yes if the Rangers win tomorrow they eliminate the Angels from division contention. They also pick up a 1/2 game on the Astros. That would guarantee at least a tie with the Astros.
Depending on how the Yankees play they may end up on the road in Houston for the WC game... If that happens and they lose that may be the end of Girardi...
He did great tonight. Glove, arm and bat. But I don't see them dumping Gimmy. I see both on the roster. Gimmy knows the new pitchers best.
Yeah he did alright but how will he feel tomorrow, and will he be able to throw out base runners??? I'm assuming he will have to have surgery in the off season to repair that muscle...
Depending on how the Yankees play they may end up on the road in Houston for the WC game... If that happens and they lose that may be the end of Girardi...
It would behoove the Yanks to wrap it up tonight . Not sure if and when the weekend game against the O's will be played if they are determinant on their placing . As far as Giradi being fired ? I don't think so. He's GM Cashman's man and will only go if Cashman goes .It is not Giradi's fault that he has a bunch of players who can't be moved because of their contracts . He will also have to live with it next year . Who is going to want AROID ,Beltran ,Tex ,CC ? Beltran could be a good DH somewhere ,but the Yanks can't put him there because AROID is locked in there . If Tex can stay healthy a full season he would be a lock at 1st . What Giradi did this year was manage a team that NO ONE thought would be a playoff team into the playoffs (I'm assuming that the math of the combo of Yank wins and other contenders losses over the weekend will work in their favor) . While he did that the Yanks have continued to look to the future and retooled their farm . They did not give up their future this year at the trade deadline .
Pitching has been an issue all season especially the BP. But those two additions did wonders.
Getting both Diekman and Dyson has really shored up the bullpen. There for about a 3 week stretch in the 1st half the starters were throwing quality starts every time out, before and after not hardly...
Yeah he did alright but how will he feel tomorrow, and will he be able to throw out base runners??? I'm assuming he will have to have surgery in the off season to repair that muscle...
And we must consider this data as well:
. @Rangers are 24-6 this season in games started by @ChrisGimenez5.
"For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly."---Romans 5:6
Basically if the Rangers win just one game against the Angels, the Angels can't catch them for either the WC or Division. If the Astros sweep the DBacks (hello Goldschmidt help us out here) and the Rangers only win one game against the Angels then there will be a tie breaker with the Astros at Arlington.
So the Rangers are in the driver's seat. If they win tonight great things happen early. They get a guaranteed playoff berth and if they win game 2 of the Angels series, they can set their post season rotation.
"For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly."---Romans 5:6
Here's Evan Grant's article. A bit more balanced. Where Sherrington touts the Angels are 15-5 against the Rangers this year (true) Grant had this to say:
The Angels have dominated the Rangers this season, winning 10 of 15 games, but seven of those wins came before the All-Star break.
The Rangers are a vastly different team since the break and that shows up dramatically in looking back at the season series. Among the starting pitchers for the Rangers in those first nine: Ross Detwiler, Nick Martinez, Anthony Ranaudo, Wandy Rodriguez and Chi Chi Gonzlalez.
Colby Lewis was the only pitcher to start against the Angels in the first half who is still in the Texas rotation. Since the All-Star break, when the Rangers started overhauling the pitching staff with the additions of Martin Perez, Cole Hamels, Jake Diekman, Sam Dyson and Derek Holland, the series is dead-even at 3- 3.
But the problem is he's right, Holland hasn't been pitching worth a crap the last 4 times out or so. He needs to get it done tonight so that confidence will carry over to the ALDS...
Like I said before you can go a long ways with 3 good starters and he has to be one of them if they stand a chance of beating the Royals next week...
Yeah it seems to me Josh also had good luck against Angels pitching...
Just looked up his stats and he's averaging close to .310 vs the Angels. The thing of it is he really hasn't found his stroke this year so don't know how much his hitting .310 really means...
When they were 8-16 I'd bet you didn't think that would happen, I know I had my doubts and put their odds at less than 1 in 4 of it happening. I knew if they could rally a bit and stay close to .500 till reinforcements arrived they would still stand a chance.
Then May came and sweeps of the Astros and Yankees brought their confidence back and they crawled up to around .500. I thought they might be able to get a WC slot but never did think they would win the West, even though that is what I said they needed to do... (I know they haven't yet just figuring they can win one more to make that happen)... :)
Holland did alright last night I would have liked to see 7-8 innings 1-2 runs but it was much better than his last 4-5 starts, it will have to do.
Perez needs to step up tonight and "Git er dun" for the team and for himself, he still isn't where he needs to be (knew it might take time to get his feel/stuff back). But a high quality start would help his confidence going in to the playoffs big time. If he falters he might not get any starts in the playoffs, will instead end up in the pen...
Yanks locked up their spot .....3 more days to lock down the home field for the elimination game. Meanwhile they can rest the players who need the rest ,and keep out of the rain.
When they were 8-16 I'd bet you didn't think that would happen, I know I had my doubts and put their odds at less than 1 in 4 of it happening. I knew if they could rally a bit and stay close to .500 till reinforcements arrived they would still stand a chance.
Then May came and sweeps of the Astros and Yankees brought their confidence back and they crawled up to around .500. I thought they might be able to get a WC slot but never did think they would win the West, even though that is what I said they needed to do... (I know they haven't yet just figuring they can win one more to make that happen)... :)
Yes I admit you were closest in being accurate about this team.
When Yu and Holland went down in April I thought we were going to have another round of Tepesch and Grimm. Do well in April and wheels fall off the young pitchers in May. I have to say the 'plugs' in the dam this time on the pitching staff did much better than 2013. Nick Martinez did a fine job and so did Chi Chi (with no MLB experience); hats off to Wandy Rod too. He was a warrior until his age and the season caught up with him. Without those three giving us those great quality starts we would not be where we are now.
However, comma, you and I need to go back to all those summer posts about letting Beltre go and dumping Choo's contract:) LOL, it worked out:) We have Choo for quite a few years. But next season is Beltre's last for his contract. He is a free agent starting in the 2007 off season.
I think if they give him a little above the qualifying offer he might stay. But does he fit a team trying to inject more youth? If he could truly be that LF RH bat then I say let's off him to stay.
"For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly."---Romans 5:6
Holland did alright last night I would have liked to see 7-8 innings 1-2 runs but it was much better than his last 4-5 starts, it will have to do.
Perez needs to step up tonight and "Git er dun" for the team and for himself, he still isn't where he needs to be (knew it might take time to get his feel/stuff back). But a high quality start would help his confidence going in to the playoffs big time. If he falters he might not get any starts in the playoffs, will instead end up in the pen...
Holland did get the first out in the 7th so went 6-1/3. He hit a batter (Victorino I believe) after the first out. Guess Banny decided he had enough given his pitch count was at 98 and he had that finger deal from last game. Ohlendorf did ok to get them out of the inning with just one scored. He can get K's when he really needs them. So I think he is on the post season roster.
When I watched Holland strike out the side in the 1st I knew he was in the right mindset. When I watched him intentionally throw a heater on the inside corner knee high to Puhols thinking he could get it by him, I said 'he still has a lot to learn.' You just don't give Albert anything near there. Albert will go fishing with a good breaking ball.
Trout went 0'fer last night. CJ Cron? 0'fer too.
"For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly."---Romans 5:6
Yanks locked up their spot .....3 more days to lock down the home field for the elimination game. Meanwhile they can rest the players who need the rest ,and keep out of the rain.
Yes and congrats to you and Yankee fans. It was also the Yankees 10,000th win.
"For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly."---Romans 5:6