Tragedy Strikes the Texas Rangers

Twitter   Facebook



When the Texas Rangers and the Oakland Athletics took the field on Thursday night, the last thought that would ever cross any of their minds is how things would play out and the events which would change one player, one family, and the Rangers' family forever.

After a foul ball down the left field line, Rangers' left fielder Josh Hamilton grabbed it and did what just about every baseball player has been known to do. He tossed it into the stands.

What happened next is something no one ever would have predicted.

A fan, reaching out for the ball, lost his balance and fell head first between the left field seats and the out of town scoreboard.

According to reports, Shannon Stone, a firefighter from the Brownwood Fire Department, was coherent and spoke to paramedics and authorities who rushed to his aid. His concern wasn't for his own well being but for his young son who was with him at the game.

The Rangers and A's returned their focus to the game as Texas poured on the offense and young left hander Derek Holland had arguably his best performance of the season.

But the story went from an impressive Rangers win to the tragic death of Stone who reportedly went into cardiac arrest on the way to a trauma 1 center in Fort Worth, Texas. He was pronounced dead at 8:26pm central time.

A father brings his young son to a baseball game, his son's first game according to a lot of reports I've seen, and it will be the last game this young child will ever be able to attend with his father.

Your thoughts and prayers go out to the Stone family as well as to the Brownwood Fire Department who lost one of their own on Thursday night.

But then you think about Josh Hamilton who was "distraught" according to Nolan Ryan when he made an official statement to the media after the game last night.

What is going to happen to Hamilton from here on out. When he grabs a foul ball, will he think about where or even if he tosses it to the fans? Will this tragedy be in the back of his mind when he goes up to bat or even when he heads out to his spot in left field?

There are no answers to any of the questions anyone wants to throw out there. There's no reason to ask the "what if" questions because they aren't going to do any good to anyone right now. What happened on Thursday night was a tragedy and by no means is anyone at fault.

I feel for the family who lost a husband, a son, a brother, a friend. I feel for those who were around Shannon Stone when his fall occurred and I feel for those who had to hold his young son back while he was screaming for his father.

The Rangers handled things correctly last night. They made an official statement and they closed the clubhouse to the media so the only statement made was the one that came from Nolan Ryan himself.

There's no telling the mind frame of the players when they begin to arrive at the ballpark on Friday afternoon to get ready for the second of a four game set against the A's.

The clubhouse will undoubtedly be a little more quiet and a little more somber than usual. Players won't have the same smiles they might have had every time they came to the park. It's going to feel different and there isn't one player, regardless of whether it's Texas or it's Oakland, who will be able to look at left field without the same visual replaying in their minds like a VCR that won't stop rewinding.

Parents will hold their children that much tighter and parents arriving to the ballpark on Friday night will keep an even closer eye on their children, themselves, and their surroundings.

This isn't supposed to happen. Not at a baseball game. Not at a place that brings families together and allows a father to bring his son to his very first baseball game.

Unfortunately it did happen and it's a tragedy that will remembered for a long time to come.

Texas Rangers: Could Mike Cameron Be a Good Addition?

Twitter   Facebook

When it comes to the Texas Rangers and the changes that need to be made in order to turn this team into a contender in the American League, the outfield isn't one of the places most people will talk about.

But when it comes to possibly bringing a veteran in, someone who already has American League experience, and a guy who's a proven hitter, I'm whole heartedly on board.

Josh Hamilton, Nelson Cruz, David Murphy, Craig Gentry, and Endy Chavez currently make up the outfield depth chart for the team and you can add Mitch Moreland to the list as he also has experience at both corner spots.


J. Meric/Getty Images



But outside of Hamilton and Cruz, the Rangers don't have a solid veteran hitter in the lineup who can not only do damage offensively but has the speed to get to any ball in the gap.

You can look at his numbers and be scared off from signing the 38-year old veteran but there's more to Cameron than his 94 at bats this season. Being with the Boston Red Sox and among all the talent that roster has, Cameron knew he wasn't going to get the chance to play every day.

Now that he's a free agent, Cameron is looking for a team he can land with who will give him a chance to prove he still has some life left in his legs.

He's not going to be the same kind of a player he was in his early days but he's still someone pitchers will think twice about with their pitch selection.

If you want to look at numbers, how about .266, Cameron's career batting average at Rangers Ballpark.

But Cameron's play has more to do with who he is as a ballplayer than any of his numbers will tell anyone who follows the game. He's a lot like Josh Hamilton. Cameron goes 110% and gives everything he has to the team he plays for.

They need a veteran presence in the outfield and someone manager Ron Washington can bring off the bench to provide a late inning pitch hitter or defensive replacement.

He's going to be a cheap option to sign and a guy they won't have to give up anything to bring on board. While the Rangers may not need another name on the outfield depth chart, Mike Cameron is certainly an option general manager Jon Daniels and CEO Nolan Ryan will think long and hard about.

Texas Rangers Notes: Josh Hamilton, Francisco Rodriguez, Neftali Feliz, Brett Myers

Twitter   Facebook

 

Josh Hamilton Blames His Blue Eyes



Mike Stobe/Getty Images



Texas Rangers' outfielder Josh Hamilton has been notoriously bad as a hitter during day games. Well, apparently we now have the reason as to why he struggles.

He told the Rangers' Radio Network that having blue eyes makes it harder to see during the day. He has bought sunglasses to try and remedy the situation but it seems the damage is already done with the Ranger fans. Most calling him out for just being plain bad and others wanting Hamilton to stop with the excuses.

Whatever the reasons might be, Hamilton is hitting an abysmal .122 during day games this season without a single home run.

Rangers Scouting Mets' Closer?

With the New York Mets coming to town, the Rangers will get a first hand look at young reliever Francisco Rodriguez, a guy some thing the team could look at as a trade option at the deadline next month.

While he is one of the options I talked about yesterday, his recent struggles might keep him as a third or even fourth option if the other names the Rangers are after fall through.


Scott Boehm/Getty Images

 Rodriguez has blown two of his last three saves and has given up eight earned runs in his last 10 innings pitched. He's not the same guy who set the baseball world on fire with the then Anaheim Angels.

The problem with K-Rod could have been told in an SI.com piece three years ago that talked about his inability to command his fastball.

A reliever like Rodriguez tends to try to throw a mid-90's fastball by Major League hitters but without command of that pitch, it's going to look like nothing but batting practice.

While he may not be their first option, the Rangers will still be looking carefully at the young reliever and how he handles himself in one of the biggest hitters parks in baseball.

What to do With Neftali Feliz?

With the Rangers looking to bolster their bullpen the question it will bring up with most fans and media alike is what will the team do with their current closer, Neftali Feliz.

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images



If you bring in a guy like Heath Bell it will mean the end of Feliz's closing days. You can't bring in a proven closer and a guy who has all the confidence in the world, and only allow him the set up roll.

There's no question demoting Feliz might bruise his confidence a little bit, maybe he needs to learn from a real professional and how he goes about his business as a shut down closer. Maybe he can learn from a guy like Bell on how to prepare himself both mentally and physically before he comes trotting out for the ninth inning.

As for next season, the Rangers had attempted to look at him as a starter but he didn't have the command or the pitches to be effective. But if Ogando can come out of the bullpen, become a starter, and be effective there's no reason Feliz can't do it as well.

If he continues to struggle in the back end of the bullpen, it gives manager Ron Washington even less confidence to keep giving him the ball with the game on the line.

Rangers Interested in Brett Myers?

Not only are the Texas Rangers looking to bring in a name or two to solidify their bullpen but they're also looking at bringing in a proven starter to add to their rotation.

Rob Carr/Getty Images



Young left handers Matt Harrison and Derek Holland have struggled and some wonder if these two pitchers can continue to be trusted in the rotation down the stretch. Maybe one or both would be better off helping the team out of the bullpen?

Holland has that experience and has proven to be a solid reliever with exception to his problems during the playoffs. Pitching one inning is a lot different than trying to go five, six, or seven innings and anywhere from 90 to 100 pitches.

One of the names that has surfaced is Houston Astros right hander, Brett Myers. He was a name a lot of teams were interested in after a 14-8 record and a 3.14 ERA with the Astros last season. However, Myers has not had the same kind of success in 2011.

In 16 starts, Myers is 3-6 with a 4.65 ERA and has given up two or more runs in each of his last four starts including giving up five runs over six innings against the St. Louis Cardinals back on June 7th.

He definitely brings a veteran presence to the rotation and a guy who can take the ball every fifth day and will battle from start to finish.

He's not a guy who will be on and off the disabled list throughout the season and he's someone who could be a solid No. 2 starter behind C.J. Wilson and in front of Alexi Ogando. The way Colby Lewis is throwing right now and with Tommy Hunter due back, you'd have a solid rotation from top to bottom.

Texas Rangers Ride Derek Holland, Big Bats to Win Over Houston

Twitter   Facebook

The Texas Rangers, fresh off a road trip that saw them lose six of their nine games, came back to their home ballpark in Arlington, Texas looking to get back on track.

Another guy who was looking for a rebound was Monday night's starter, Derek Holland.

After giving up six runs through just five innings in New York against the Yankees, he took to the mound against the Astros and had one of his best performances of the season. He gave up three runs on six hits through seven and one-third innings and struck out four. Not a bad line for the young left-hander.

Jason Miller/Getty Images



It was a night Holland needed to have to give his confidence a little bit of a boost, especially since there had been talk recently that the Rangers were thinking of moving him back to the bullpen.

But it wasn't just Holland who had a good night. The Rangers offense exploded for seven runs, chasing Astros starter J.A. Happ before he was able to get out of the third inning.

Josh Hamilton and Adrian Beltre combined for five hits in nine at bats and drove in four of the Rangers eight runs on the night. They weren't the only ones turning in big performances.

Craig Gentry, the speedy outfielder, had a career high three hits on the night and Mitch Moreland added a solo blast in the home half of the eighth inning to put the game on ice.

While most will talk about the Rangers beating up on a bad team you can call it what you want. A win is a win and, right now, the Rangers will take any wins they can get to stay in front in the American League's Western Division.

But, as one person said inside the press box at Rangers' Ballpark, "the season doesn't begin for this team until after the All-Star break."

That might be true but the All-Star break isn't here yet and this team needs to tread water for a little bit longer. Make no mistake about it, the Mariners, Angels, and A's know exactly where Texas is and they are only one or two moves away from leaving them in the dust.

It's time to protect until general manager Jon Daniels and CEO Nolan Ryan can put together some moves of their own. Monday night was a good first step but this season is a long ways from over.

Texas Rangers Being Kept Afloat By Bad AL West Division

Twitter   Facebook

If you're the Texas Rangers and you are only give games above .500, there has to be something inside you thanking your lucky stars things aren't much worse.

Through almost mid-June, the Rangers currently sit two games in front of the Seattle Mariners and four and a half games in front of the Los Angeles Angels in the American League's Western Division.

At the start of the 2011 season, though my predictions for this division don't look all that great at this point in the season there is still a lot of time left.



Rick Yeatts/Getty Images

 The Texas Rangers have dealt with losing Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz to the disabled list and now will be without catcher Mike Napoli who was just put on the 15-day disabled list with a strained oblique.

But not only have they struggled with injuries but their starters, outside of C.J. Wilson and Alexi Ogando, have struggled as well. Matt Harrison, Derek Holland, and Colby Lewis have brought their share of good starts but, as of late, have brought their struggles along as well.

After eight innings of shutout ball against Tampa Bay, Lewis has given up 15 earned runs over his last two starts (4.2 IP). He gave up nine runs against Detroit (3.1 IP) and six against the Minnesota Twins (1.1 IP) in his very next start.

Matt Harrison, after not giving up a single run in back-to-back starts (14.1 IP) against the Philadelphia Phillies and Kansas City Royals, he's given up six runs over his last two starts (10 IP) against Detroit and Minnesota.

Though Derek Holland was more than impressive against the Cleveland Indians in early June, throwing a complete game shutout, outside of that one start the young right hander has given up 13 earned runs (17 IP) in his previous three starts.


Gregory Shamus/Getty Images



This team can not keep counting on Wilson and Ogando to right the ship every time it looks like it's going to tip over.

We can blame the pitching staff all we want and the battle some of the starters are going through just to figure things out and get themselves right. But after starting the month of June with a perfect 5-0 record, the Rangers have dropped five of their last seven games including losing back-to-back series against the Tigers and Twins.

Over the next month and a half, the Rangers front office will be collecting names and talking to their scouting department about possible deals they could make at or before the trade deadline at the end of July.

They know they need to focus on pitching, both in the rotation as well as the back end of the bullpen. Owner Nolan Ryan and general manager Jon Daniels both know they are just one or two moves away from running away from the rest of the division.

It's not going to be just any move. It's going to take the right move for this team to be able to put some distance between them and those chasing them in the AL West. If they wait for the Mariners or Angels to make a move, they could be watching as they are the ones who get left in the dust.

As for right now, a bad AL West dvision is keeping them afloat when it should have already drowned them.

Texas Rangers Salvage Third Game of the Series Against the Detroit Tigers

Twitter   Facebook

 

If you don’t think the Texas Rangers aren’t thrilled to be wrapping up a three game series with the Detroit Tigers, all you have to do is look at the season series between these two teams thus far.

Coming in to Wednesday night, the Rangers had lost two of three in Detroit and dropped each of the first two games of this series here at Rangers Ballpark.

In Detroit, the series wasn’t really that bad. The two teams were dead even on total runs (8) but Detroit won back-to-back one run games.


Jason Miller/Getty Images



Here in Arlington it’s been a completely different story. The Tigers have treated this ballpark like they were feeling right at home. After an 18-hit barrage on Monday night, the Tigers came right back with 20 hits on Tuesday night and have outscored the Rangers 21-8 coming in to the third game of the series.

Colby Lewis, Monday night’s starter, struggled giving up nine runs. His highest total all season. The following night it was left hander Matt Harrison’s turn to struggle – and struggle he did. He lasted just four innings giving up four runs on eight hits, never able to get himself in a groove.

On Wednesday night, Alexi Ogando took the mound and the fans in the ballpark, and the media in the press box, were expecting different results. But when Tigers’ third baseman Don Kelly launched a 1-0 pitch into the right field seats, a collective “here we go again” could be heard throughout the ballpark.

The Rangers young right hander would settle in and though he wasn’t hitting his spots he was still able to battle through hitters and get his team out of the inning. It didn’t hurt that his offense decided to show up on the same night the team fired their hitting coach.

While the first two Ranger runs of the night came on a throwing error by the Tigers, Hamilton would add further damage to the inning with a 2-run double down the right field line.

Shortstop Elvis Andrus would add another run on an RBI single to extend the Rangers lead to 5-1 by the fifth inning. An RBI single from Adrian Beltre as well as his 12th home run of the year pushed the Ranger lead even further along and the team was off and running to what was a very convincing, 7-1, win on a getaway day.

With two wins in six games played it would seem like the Tigers have the Rangers number. Call it pitching struggles, call it not being able to score runs at the opportune times, call it what you will.

Detroit has just been better than the defending AL Champions though six games this season with one more three game set to play in Detroit in the first part of August.

As for right now, the Tigers can’t get out of town fast enough.

Texas Rangers Fire Thad Bosley as the Team's Hitting Coach

Twitter   Facebook

The Texas Rangers have made a move on Wednesday afternoon prior to their game against the Detroit Tigers.

Announced to the media in a quick verbal statement from Rangers' Executive Vice President, John Blake, the team had decided to move on without hitting coach Thad Bosley.

The question of why was across the faces of just about every media member standing around outside the Rangers' clubhouse. The answer soon came when quotes from players began to show up on Twitter.

Shortstop Elvis Andrus, who talked to Fort Worth Star Telegram's Anthony Andro, told him Bosely stressed physical adjustments rather than mental ones.

2010 MVP Josh Hamilton told Andro, "Thad was a good guy. He had a good heart. He just didn't fit with us. He's professional the way he approaches the game and the way he approaches teaching the game. It just didn't mesh with our clubhouse."

Replacing Bosley will be Scott Coolbaugh, a guy you might remember from an incident surrounding his brother who, while coaching first base, was struck in the head with a line drive during a Double-A game. He's the reason all base coaches now wear helmets when they're on the field.

Coolbaugh, according to Blake, is on his way to Arlington and should be here on Wednesday evening.

At Full Strength, the Texas Rangers Seem to be in Cruise Control

Twitter  Facebook

The Texas Rangers have always played third fiddle to the Dallas Cowboys and the Dallas Mavericks. You may as well consider them the little brother who never really gets noticed by their older siblings.

Enter 2010 and little brother is no longer waiting for big brother to tell him he's doing a good job.

The Rangers disposed of the Tampa Bay Rays followed by shocking the defending champion, New York Yankees, in the ALCS in front of a sold out crowd at Rangers' Ballpark in Arlington. They did all that while the Cowboys and Mavericks watched, wondering why they couldn't have that kind of success.

Although the Mavs tasted it once back in 2006 and are doing so again in 2011, the Dallas Cowboys have "lost that lovin' feeling" since Troy Aikman and Emmitt Smith decided to hang 'em up. After 16 seasons the Cowboys had just a single playoff victory.

With the 2011 season into its third month, the Texas Rangers find themselves on top of the AL West and are playing like they were at the beginning of the season.

Of course it doesn't hurt getting Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz, their two big bats in the lineup, back from the disabled list. They were able to tread water for awhile and stay just close enough to make this kind of a run when they were back to full strength.

The only question remaining at this point is what will the team do at the deadline and will they make a move to shore up their bullpen? We have talked a lot about the potential players they could be after and what kind of a deal it might take to land said players.

At this point, with the way the Rangers are playing, they may be able to ride this team right back into the playoffs and maybe back into the ALCS. However, it won't come by offense alone.

You can look at guys like Hamilton, Cruz, Ian Kinsler and Michael Young and imagine the team scoring six or seven runs per game. They have shown all year they can put up crooked numbers night in and night out. That's all well and good but this team will not succeed as they did last year unless their pitching staff and bullpen remain strong.

Starters like ace C.J. Wilson, first year starter Alexi Ogando, or young left hander Matt Harrison have each had their big starts for this team. Wilson has shown that he can be the ace of this staff even after Cliff Lee decided he didn't want to come back to Texas. Opting instead to pitch behind All-Stars Roy Halladay and Roy Oswalt, making it look more like the Miami Heat than Philadelphia Phillies.

The Rangers do have lady luck on their side. The American League's Western Division is not nearly as strong as it has been in years past. If the first few months of the season are any indication, the Rangers are a team who could go on a run and put this division in the rear view mirror by the All-Star break.

But before all that can take place, this team needs to take care of business on the field. They need to be able to beat the top team in the American League and not just make a habit of beating up on the bad ones.

For now it's a work in progress. For the future, it's something that still needs to be fixed.

Texas Rangers: For Whom the Heath Bell Tolls

Josh Hamilton has returned and so has Nelson Cruz, but there are still questions surrounding the Texas Rangers and most of them center around the bullpen.

Lately, the one name who has been talked about is San Diego Padres' closer Heath Bell. You might remember me talking about this exact scenario and the players who the Padres might be interested in. Apparently that interest has led the Rangers to call San Diego and inquire about Bell's availability.

According to CBS Sports' Scott Miller, the Rangers are "simply checking their options" as they have also talked to the Pittsburgh Pirates about their closer, Joel Hanrahan. While Bell says he would love to stay in San Diego he also realizes that baseball is a business.



Bob Levey/Getty Images



"I'll give it everything I have for the Padres until the team says otherwise," Bell told the media. "Until Jed [Hoyer, Padres general manager] tells me I'm no longer a San Diego Padre."

The sources I spoke to in early May through out a few possible names the Padres could ask for. One of which seems to intrigue at least a few Padre fans.

Bell signed a one-year $7.5 million contract with the Padres before the beginning of the 2011 season in order to avoid arbitration. To some this might look like another "Cliff Lee trade" when the Rangers sent another infield prospect, Justin Smoak, to the Mariners in return for the ace left-hander.

Lee skipped town as a free agent after the season ended, the same might be said for Heath Bell as he will become a free agent after this season concludes. Dealing away another infield prospect, this time shortstop Jurickson Profar, might come back to bite the team again if Bell heads to greener pastures.

At this point, Profar is blocked by the likes of current shortstop Elvis Andrus and second baseman Ian Kinsler not to mentioned long time Ranger, Michael Young. However, Kinsler is a free agent after the 2013 season and one has to wonder if he will be the team's next Michael Young or if the Rangers will not be willing to give him a long term deal.

Whatever the case may be the Rangers need to solidify their bullpen if they are going to stay in front in the American League's Western Division and make another deep run in the playoffs.

We are just over two months away from the trade deadline but the longer Texas waits to make a deal, the more teams will become involved for Bell. Though you might say the longer they wait there might be more relief pitchers who become available who won't require big time money as free agents.

The Rangers, as of May 28th, are tied with the Los Angeles Angels for first place in the AL West and have tread water to this point. As for the Padres, they currently sit 10 games below .500 and eight games back of NL West leading San Francisco Giants.

While eight games is not completely out of the race, the way this team is built, I don't see them making a move at the deadline to get themselves back into the race. They just don't have the pieces available to chase down the Giants or the Arizona Diamondbacks for that matter.

Rangers' general manager Jon Daniels is taking a wait and see approach to his ballclub and will wait for the perfect deal before he pulls the trigger.

If I'm Daniels, I would keep my radar squarely fixed on Heath Bell and be ready to pull the trigger when San Diego finally waves the white flag of surrender.


Follow Todd Kaufmann on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook

Texas Rangers Are Treading Water But For How Long?

Through just about the quarter mark of the season the American League West Division looks to be in a race for the worst division in baseball right alongside, predictably, the National League West.

The Texas Rangers, through 42 games as of Wednesday night, are 22-20 and in a tie for first place with the Oakland Athletics and a half game better than the Los Angels Angels.

Say what you want about how the team has played over the last couple of weeks, at least they are still in the race and not sitting 10 games back. There is always a bright side to everything.

While there has not been a whole lot of good news for this team over the past month, Josh Hamilton going down, Neftali Feliz hitting the disabled list, and the rotation and bullpen struggling to keep opposing offenses at bay, they are doing exactly what they need to be doing at this point.

They desperately needed to tread water while Hamilton was out of the lineup. That is exactly what they have done. They aren’t the same team who got off to a franchise record start at the beginning of the season but sitting where they are at this point should be a positive thing.

With Hamilton coming back in just a few short weeks, this team should be at full strength and ready to really make a push for the top spot in the division.

They aren’t going to out pitch the Angels especially since they don’t have guys like Jered Weaver and Dan Haren, not to mention Joel Pineiro who has been nothing short of dominate through his first four starts. He’s given up just six earned runs in 27.1 innings pitched.

The talk around the water coolers, especially lately, is how to fix the Rangers’ bullpen. There has been more talk about possible trades and names being thrown about in terms of what it might take to land each respective player.

Make no mistake about it, you have to give something to get something. There are those who will make a big deal about giving up prospects and there are others who will give up whatever it takes to get the right guy.

Take the Cliff Lee trade at the deadline last season. The Ranges gave up one of their top prospects, third baseman Justin Smoak, to the Seattle Mariners in order to bring Lee to Texas.

The move paid off as Lee was one of the biggest catalysts for this team getting to the World Series. He didn’t put them over the top but he made a huge impact.

Is there a deal to be made that can make the same kind of impact Lee made on this team in 2010?

There are a few everyone will talk about and there will be so many names tosses around to make you think everyone is available.

It’s hard to know what to address first. Do you solidify the back end of the bullpen especially with Darren Oliver and Arthur Rhodes having their struggles? Or do you do something with the rotation with Derek Holland and Matt Harrison both having their rough spots over their last few starts?

Those are questions that need to be answered and the speculation will run wild until the trade deadline in late July comes and goes.

The AL West isn’t going to have a team run away with the division. The Rangers can stay at or near the top of the division with what they have now. When the deadline approaches, general manager Jon Daniel and owner Nolan Ryan will look to make the same kind of impact deal they made last July.

But it can’t be just any move, it’s going to need to be the right move to put this team back on top and back into the World Series.

Follow Todd Kaufmann on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook

Texas Rangers: Michael Young's No Trade and How to Fix The Rotation, Bullpen

Michael Young’s Full No Trade Clause

Texas Rangers’ super utility guy, Michael Young, will not have to worry about being traded any time soon-if at all.

Young’s 10-and-5 rights kicked in on Saturday May 7^th meaning he has control of if, when and where he’s traded.

You may remember the talk surrounding his impending trade during spring training and even more might remember the Rangers being in serious talks with the Colorado Rockies.

The topic came up again in Denver but was quickly shot down on Twitter by Rockies’ beat writer Troy Renck.

Is there still a chance? Sure. But it would have to be because the team is way out of the race by the trade deadline at the end of July.

Rangers need to upgrade their bullpen, rotation

At the beginning of the 2011 baseball season the Texas Rangers got off to one of their hottest starts in franchise history. It looked like the team was going run away with the American League’s Western Division before the All-Star break even got close.

A few weeks later, the team would lose both outfielder Josh Hamilton and closer Neftali Feliz and the hot start quickly turned ice cold.

While Feliz has returned to the team, the Rangers’ offense has struggled without their MVP in the lineup. Opposing pitchers are not going to pitch other hitters the way they would if they were to face Hamilton in the middle of it.

Left hander Matt Harrison, who was one of the reasons this team was playing so well right off the bat, has struggled with his command over his last few starts. After winning his first three starts, giving up a combined four earned runs, Harrison has lost each of his last four starts giving up a combined 17 earned runs in 17.1 IP.

But he is not the only one wondering if they will ever gain some sort of momentum.

Young right hander Derek Holland has also struggled, giving up 22 earned runs in 29.2 IP including giving up at least five runs in three of his last five starts.

While there aren’t many trades seen at this point in the season, the Rangers need to be looking at their options. They need to make sure they stay within striking distance of the Oakland A’s and Los Angeles Angels. No one is going to run away with the AL West, but the Rangers need to do everything they can to make sure they stay close.

There are two guys who can come in immediately and make an impact in the Rangers’ bullpen, something this team desperately need.

San Diego Padres’ closer Heath Bell and Kansas City Royals’ closer Joakim Soria.

Both players will demand minor leaguers in return but neither are going to require a lot in salary.

If you want to look at the rotation and trying to fix what seems to be broken, there are a few players we can throw out who might be of interest to general manager Jon Daniels.

For those of you who really follow the Rangers and know their minor league system you might have heard the name, Tanner Scheppers.

The former Fresno State standout is one of the top pitching prospects for this franchise and he is a player a lot of fans and media alike have mentioned as someone who might see the big leagues before the end of this season.

If these struggles continue, Scheppers might be called up sooner rather than later. The one thing Daniels and the Rangers need to make absolutely sure of is he is ready for the pressures of being a major league pitcher. If they bring him up and he proves to not be ready, you send him back to Triple-A with his confidence all but shot.

Instead of bringing up an unproven minor league prospect, Daniels can look at guys like Chicago Cubs’ right hander Matt Garza, Baltimore Orioles right hander Jeremy Guthrie, or young Boston Red Sox left hander Clay Buchholz.

There are other names the Rangers will probably look at prior to the trade deadline but they do not need to bring in a veteran type pitcher to make a difference. They bring in a young pitcher who you can control and build around over the next few years.

While it is not time to panic in Arlington just yet, the list of names to look at is going to grow if the bullpen and rotation continue to struggle.

Once Josh Hamilton returns to the lineup, we may see things begin to turn around and the momentum begin to grow. Until then, the Rangers need to at least need to tread water for the next month or more.

Follow Todd Kaufmann on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook

Texas Rangers' Closer Neftali Feliz Headed for the Disabled List

The Texas Rangers' bullpen was struggling even with a healthy Neftali Feliz at the back end. But, prior to Saturday night's game against the Kansas City Royals, that bullpen took an even bigger hit.

The team put their closer on the 15-day disabled list with shoulder inflammation. It's a move the team can't afford because as Rangers' manager Ron Washington says, they don't really have anyone who has the closer's mentality. “We’ve got no bona fide closer right now,” he told the media. “It’s that simple.”

What isn't simple at this point is to find the guy they want to take Feliz's place as the closer. Either that or the team is going to use a "closer by committee" mentality. Something reliever Arthur Rhodes says isn't going to change how the relievers in the bullpen face their roles.

“It’s not going to change our role, because eighth inning and the ninth inning are about the same,” Rhodes told the media. “We’ve just got to go out there and do what we’ve been doing, get guys out. … No mentality is going to change. I’m going to go our there and be Arthur, just do what I do.”

Rhodes has the experience of being a closer so he could be the guy Washington turns to especially since he's a veteran guy who knows what it takes to close out a game.

After Feliz was put on the disabled list, the team called up right-hander Cody Eppley from Triple-A Round Rock and quickly made his big league debut against the Royals on Saturday.

The Rangers have to hope the guys in the bullpen are up for the task of taking over for a young reliever who's been nothing but dominant when he comes in to a game in the ninth inning.

Whether Rhodes assumes the responsibility will not be known until the call is made by Washington. He is not the only reliever the Rangers' manager can call on so do not expect him to go with just one guy for the two weeks Feliz is on the shelf.

With outfielder Josh Hamilton missing for at least two months, an injury to their best reliever wasn't something this team could afford. However, if their offense continues to swat five home runs per night, maybe they won't miss their closer at all because there will not be any drama in the ninth innings.


Follow Todd Kaufmann @T_Kaufmann on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook

Texas Rangers in a Josh Hamilton Tailspin

If you don't think one player makes a difference just ask the Texas Rangers.

Since losing outfielder, and 2010 team MVP, Josh Hamilton for the better part of six weeks, the team has lost each of its last three series against the Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees, and just recently the Los Angeles Angels. They were without him last season for almost a month and were able to sustain somewhat of a consistency.

This time around the Rangers just can't seem to find any kind of stride at all. Say what you want about Hamilton being a solid outfielder and one of their best defensive players at the position. The loss of their power hitter in the lineup has left an even bigger void the team just can't figure out how to replace.

Not that Ian Kinsler, new addition Adrian Beltre, Nelson Cruz, Elvis Andrus, and long time Ranger Michael Young should be able to shoulder the load but Young seems to be the only guy hitting anything right now.

Since Hamilton's injury, Kinsler (.138, 4/29), Andrus  (.162. 6/37),  Cruz (.182, 6/33), and Beltre (.118, 4/34) are all struggling as are David Murphy (.071, 2/28) and Yorvit Torrealba (.240, 6/25).

If you want to know why this team is skidding so badly right now, you only have to look at these numbers. You can blame Colby Lewis missing a start due to the birth of his child which, by the way, was the absolute right decision regardless of what any local radio station might say. You can also blame it on the bullpen which has probably been the biggest problem for this team thus far outside of closer, Neftali Feliz.

Wherever you want to place your blame make sure you have the facts to back it up. The offense isn't getting the timely hitting and opposing pitchers are pitching differently to the Ranger hitters because Hamilton isn't in the lineup.

This team needs to find a way out of their tailspin before they're staring up at the Los Angels of Anaheim too far back to make the kind of progress that will keep them in the race past the All-Star break.

If they don't fix their problem quick this season will become like every other in Ranger history. Sports talk radio stations will start talking about the Dallas Cowboys in July instead of September and Ranger baseball will become  just a passing thought.

Texas Rangers, New York Yankees Ready for ALCS Rematch

When the 2010 American League Championship Series came to a close, the New York Yankees sat in an unfamiliar position. They were the ones sitting in their dugout watching as the Texas Rangers celebrated their first ever American League Championship.

More than six months later, the Rangers and Yankees will meet again in the Bronx for a three-game set which gets underway on Friday night.

Both teams have changed both aren't the same as when they met back in October of last year. The Rangers are off to their best start (9-3) since 1989 while the Yankees are currently sitting at 6-4 through their first 10 games of the 2011 season.

Texas will be missing the one key ingredient that was one of the biggest factors in their ALCS win over the Yankees, Josh Hamilton, after the outfielder suffered a small fracture in his right arm in a game against the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday afternoon.

They're also missing their ace, Cliff Lee, who moved on to the Philadelphia Phillies after deciding against re-signing with Texas and not signing with the Yankees.

New York also has their fare share of changes.

Pitcher Andy Pettitte decided for retirement instead of returning for yet another season with the Bronx Bombers.

Without him, the Yankees' rotation has struggled after ace C.C. Sabathia. Phil Hughes, Ivan Nova, and A.J. Burnett have each had their struggles so far this season but Hughes has gotten the worst end of them.

He's given up 11 earned runs through just six innings pitched while Burnett has given up at least two runs in each of his first three starts.

As for the Rangers, their rotation has been better than most thought it would be. Young left hander Matt Harrison and first year starter Alexi Ogando have opened everyone's eyes and have proved a lot of people wrong.

Ogando has dominated with just two pitches, fastball and slider, and has been this side of unhittable. As for Harrison, he's given up just two earned runs through 14 innings pitched, dominating both the Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox to start the season.

While it seems manager Ron Washington doesn't have many worries with his starters, it's his bullpen that might make him reach for the Tums to cure the heartburn created by aging relievers Arthur Rhodes and Darren Oliver, not to mention the struggles of Mark Lowe.

The only bright spot for them thus far has been young closer Neftali Feliz who has converted each of his first four save opportunities and has yet to give up a run through just over six combined innings (6.1 IP).

When these two teams converge at the new Yankee Stadium, there will be a new feeling in the air and a clean slate where each team has a chance to prove last year was either a fluke or the real deal.

Without Hamilton, the Rangers will need their offense to step up and fill in the gap left by their 2010 MVP. Nelson Cruz, Ian Kinsler, and Michael Young will need to be the catalysts and they'll need help from the rest of the lineup to stay afloat for the next two months at least.

This series against New York will be telling to see just where this team is at this point. Was their fast start a fluke or can they handle a little adversity right off the bat and show their championship selves once more?


Follow Todd Kaufmann @T_Kaufmann on Twitter or find him on Facebook

Josh Hamilton's Injury Has the Texas Ranger Fans, Media Doing the Chicken Little

Josh Hamilton will miss the next 6-8 weeks of the 2011 baseball season after a small fracture in his right arm sent him out of their game against the Detroit Tigers earlier Tuesday afternoon.

While x-rays were negative and though the MRI results weren't expected until Wednesday, Rangers' general manager Jon Daniels called a press conference and right off the bat everyone knew the news wasn't going to be good. They were right.

But after the announcement was made, the entire Rangers' fan base including the media began doing the "Chicken Little" routine running around screaming "the sky is falling, the sky is falling!"

On my drive home this afternoon, I had it tuned to 105.3 FM The Fan here in the Dallas area and the reaction from on air hosts Gregg "Greggo" Williams and Richie Whitt was that of already wanting to vacate their spot on the team's bandwagon.

The way they were talking, some might have gotten the impression they were ready to stick the proverbial fork in the Rangers and call the season over. It's their opinion of the situation. You don't have to like it or you may agree with it, but it's not the final say in what will happen to the defending American League champions for the next 150 games.

Yes, Hamilton will miss almost two months of the season but let's not forget this same player missed a month of the season last year and the team still won the AL West by lengths that would make Secretariat jealous.

What happens now? That's the question a lot of people are asking at this very moment.

As of right now, the team has called up a familiar name and a player who's done nothing other than struggle through his time with the big club. First baseman Chris Davis, hitting over .400 at Triple-A Round Rock, will get his chance to redeem himself and finally show what he's capable of.

The biggest problem most see with that move is the fact the team is running with just three outfielders (Julio Borbon, David Murphy, Nelson Cruz) at this point with no one to back any of them up who have experience in the outfield.

I get the outfield doesn't exactly take a rocket scientist to figure out, but it does take speed and it does take a player getting good jumps on fly balls. Bottom line, it's the position that is going to require a lot of running.

Before you fans start panicking like some of the media seems to be doing, let's not take any credit away from what the other players in the lineup as well as the pitching staff and bullpen have been doing thus far.

C.J. Wilson, Matt Harrison, and Alexi Ogando have been nothing short of magnificent so far and though Derek Holland struggled a tad in his first start he was solid in his second go 'round.

As for the bullpen, they have some work to do with a few of their pitchers and it might be a sore spot if they can't move some things around, but having Neftali Feliz in the back end of the bullpen as well as Arthur Rhodes and Darren Oliver in front of him, at least you know for the most part a lead is going to hold through the final two to three innings of a game.

The injury to Hamilton is going to hurt this team but it's not like this offense hasn't run without him getting a single hit. He still hasn't hit a single home run as of yet and he hasn't been the guy carrying the team.

Say what you want and listen to whoever you want, but though the panic button might be easy to hit right now, leave the freaking out for the radio stations in town. That's what they're good at.



Follow Todd Kaufmann @T_Kaufmann on Twitter or find him on Facebook

Texas Rangers vs Boston Red Sox: Colby Lewis Looks to Keep the Rangers Rolling

On Friday afternoon, the Texas Rangers showed the Boston Red Sox why they were the defending American League Champions and why they had every intention of repeating.

Boston got two unearned runs in the very first inning, but the Rangers fought back and not only rallied once, but did so a second time to pull out a 9-5 win in front of a sold out crowd in Arlington, Texas.

Tonight, the team will be given their ALCS Championship rings. However, don't think for a second these players wouldn't exchange them for World Series rings in a second. They wanted it, but they weren't the better team.

Though this group of players don't look like contenders on paper, they certainly played like it on Opening Day.

The Rangers got solo home runs from second baseman Ian Kinsler and outfielder Nelson Cruz and a three run blast from newcomer Mike Napoli. But it was in the eighth inning that put the Rangers ahead for good.

With the game tied at 5-5, David Murphy was brought in to pinch hit and delivered a two-run double to give the Rangers a 7-5 lead over the Red Sox. Shortstop Elvis Andrus and outfielder Josh Hamilton followed with RBI doubles of their own, running off reliever Daniel Bard after giving four earned runs.

Closer Neftali Feliz, though not in a closing situation, came in and blew down the Sox to seal a very convincing win.

The Rangers will look to keep their momentum rolling as they will have right hander Colby Lewis on the mound but their offense will have the tough task of facing a tough pitching in Boston right hander, John Lackey.

Patience is key tonight for the offense. Take pitches, run the pitch count up, and take advantage of mistakes. They did a great job of that last night and they need a repeat tonight. Lackey isn't unbeateable as he showed last season but once he gets settled and into a groove he's one of the tougher pitchers to hit against.

As for Lewis, the Rangers need the kind of performance they saw from him last season.

In his career against the Red Sox, Lewis is 1-1 in four starts (26 IP) with a 3.12 ERA but has given up nine earned runs. Three of those have come from home runs.

Keep the ball down and don't allow Red Sox first baseman Adrian Gonzalez to beat them. Sure he had 3 RBI last night, but in the end it didn't end up making a difference. He's not the only threat in the lineup but he's the biggest threat to hit the ball to all parts of the ballpark.

If he can keep his pitch count down and limit the walks, the Rangers offense will have the chance to put this game on ice early to give Lewis a little bit of a cushion.

This should be a fun one tonight. Game time is set for 8:54pm CDT and it should be a beautiful night for baseball.


Follow Todd Kaufmann @T_Kaufmann on Twitter or find him on Facebook

Texas Rangers vs Boston Red Sox: C.J. Wilson, Jon Lester Battle in Arlington

Though Major League Baseball officially opened their season on Thursday with six games on the schedule, the rest of the league will open their 2011 season on Friday with 11 games on the slate.

One of those will take place in Arlington, Texas as the defending American League Champion Texas Rangers will begin their defense of their league championship. The team they're hosting, the Boston Red Sox, have been talked about as the best team in not only the American League but the entire Major Leagues.

It's been an interesting off season for the Rangers. Losing out on Cliff Lee, who decided to depart for Philadelphia, the signing of free agent third baseman Adrian Beltre, the trade demands of Michael Young, and their former CEO Chuck Greenberg stepping down. Needless to say there's been no shortage of news coming from the team while they were in Surprise, Arizona for spring training.

On Friday afternoon, right hander C.J. Wilson will take over as the team's new ace of the starting rotation. He'll take the mound at Rangers' Ballpark to take on young Red Sox right hander Jon Lester.

Wilson became one of the surprises for the Rangers last season as he stepped up to be the number two man behind Lee and made several big starts for the team when they needed them the most. He made 33 starts for Texas in 2010 finishing 15-8 with a 3.35 ERA.

As for Lester, he came up one win short of a 20-win season and looks to be one of the best young pitchers in the game today. In 32 starts for Boston, Lester finished 19-9 with a 3.25 ERA.

This is the beginning of a long road for both teams. While we can talk about what the Rangers and Red Sox can or will do on paper, a lot of things could change between now and October.

As most say, this is a marathon and not a sprint.

Here's a preview of today's game, players to watch, keys for the Rangers and what they need to do to get off to a good start to the 2011 season.


C.J. Wilson (career against Boston) 15 games, 32.1 IP, 3 starts, 3-1 1.42 ERA

Jon Lester (career against Texas) 7 games, 49.0 IP, 7 starts, 3-1 2.94 ERA


Key Offensive Players:

Against Jon Lester (hot): Adrian Beltre (.364, 4/11), Josh Hamilton (.313, 5/16), Elvis Andrus (.333, 4/12), Nelson Cruz (.400, 4/10), Mike Napoli (.500, 3/6), Michael Young (.391, 9/23)

Against Jon Lester (cold): David Murphy (.222, 2/9), Ian Kinsler (.125, 2/16)

Keys to the game:

C.J. Wilson needs to stay in front of the hitters. He's going to be facing arguably the strongest offensive lineup in baseball. Adrian Gonzalez, David Ortiz, Carl Crawford, Jacoby Ellsbury, J.D. Drew, and Kevin Youkilis just to name a few.

The moment he falls behind, he's going to be forced to throw pitches these hitters are going to be looking for. Gonzalez is going to be his biggest problem. He's one of the best hitters in baseball and can put an outside fastball into the right field seats and take an inside fastball and crush it to left. Don't feed him fastballs he's too good for that.

Gonzalez is going to struggle when the ball is up in the zone. Keep the ball at the letters or higher and don't get him a chance to extend his arms. He's the one guy who can make your day miserable. If Wilson can keep him off the stat sheets and keep his pitch count down, he should be able to keep his team in the game.

Beltre and Hamilton need to lead the offense. Assuming they start Kinsler at second they have to assume his struggles against Lester are going to continue. They have the power to beat the young right hander but they need to work the count.

Swinging at first pitches isn't going to get it done. Lester is not going to be an easy pitcher to deal with no matter which team is facing him. He has a career .244 batting average against, .245 against left handers and .248 against right handers.

The Rangers' offense is going to need to pick their spots and make sure they take full advantage of any mistakes. Miss one chance and you may not get another one.

This will be a telling sign of where the team is regardless of the fact it's the first three games of the season. Winning two of three would be huge for this team.


Follow Todd Kaufmann @T_Kaufmann on Twitter or find him on Facebook

Texas Rangers: The Season Hasn't Begun And Already the Naysayers Are Out

The Texas Rangers are one week away from Opening Day 2011. They're also one week away from defending their 2010 American League Championship.

While this should be a time for excitement, it took just one decision late yesterday to turn the excitement to all out pessimism.

Neftali Feliz, the Rangers' soon to be 23-year old closer, began toeing the rubber as a starter during spring training. The team wanted to know if they could move him from the back of the bullpen to the starting rotation.

A few days before the decision was to be made, it seemed to most everyone the Rangers had their minds made up and would bring in their young phenom, and last season's Rookie of the Year, to be part of the rotation behind ace C.J. Wilson.

The debate was hot and heavy with most of the polls favoring Feliz's return to the roll of the team's closer. But when the decision was made, it seemed there was more anger toward the team than support.

Jim Thome Headed to the Lone Star State?

Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images

When the chase for Cliff Lee ended for the Texas Rangers, one name I thought they should go after or at least have interest in was free agent Jim Thome who had a solid year in Minnesota in 2010.

The general manager as well as the winter meetings went by with no indication at all that the team was interested in him. However, rumors have come out that the Rangers might in fact be going after Thome after all.

I'm not saying Mitch Moreland can't do the job at first base because he did a more than adequate job during the playoffs as well as the World Series. But if you can get a guy like Thome who is a proven offensive threat, that makes for a more solid lineup.

The Rangers have already parted ways with Vladimir Guerrero who forgot to show up during the World Series not only with the bat but he showed why people called him a "defensive liability" when they played in San Francisco.

Bringing Adrian Beltre was something they could afford to do but not for the kind of money they paid him (5 year $96 million). Not to mention the bad PR they have now with long time third baseman Michael Young. However, one can see why they made the move to get Beltre seeing as Young isn't exactly as youthful as he used to be though his defensive skills at the hot corner weren't really that bad last season.

Now that they have Beltre in the mix, it allows them to slide Young either to first base or to the DH role if they are in fact able to sign Jim Thome.

If they can get that done, they'd have a lineup that already boasts guys like Elvis Andrus, Ian Kinsler, Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz. Adding a bat like Thome's to an already powerful lineup could make them a definite threat to win the AL West again in 2011.