SB Nation Dallas - Rangers Use Thrilling Comeback To Take Two Of Three From Royalshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48887/dallas-fave.png2011-05-29T19:28:15-05:00http://dallas.sbnation.com/rss/stream/19576452011-05-29T19:28:15-05:002011-05-29T19:28:15-05:00Dave Anderson On Sending Mike Napoli
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<p><a target="_blank" href="http://sportsblogs.star-telegram.com/foul_territory/2011/05/rangers-third-base-coach-talks-about-decision-to-send-napoli.html">Per Anthony Andro:</a></p>↵<p>The only thing that made it possible was he was going on the pitch. As soon as he went on the pitch and the ball is hit, you're taking a chance. It's two outs and if they make two good throws we're out. You're hoping for one of three things to happen: the guy miss the ball in the outfield, a bad throw to the cutoff man and a bad throw to home plate. They made good throws. We were just fortunate. He made a nice slide there and he was safe. More than anything else is you're taking a chance.</p>↵<p>I really don't know if I agree. Off the top of my head, it seems to risky, and Anderson hasn't exactly been above mistake in the past. That said, it's also plausible. It comes down to whether it's more likely than Napoli will be safe than it is <span>Andres Blanco</span> avoids an out (for his career, het gets out just under 70% of the time). If the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.royalsreview.com/">Royals</a> make the perfect throws they did, Napoli's out more than 30% of the time, but it's no guarantee the Royals always make those throws.</p>↵<p>I don't think anyone can say Anderson's definitely right or wrong. No one's crunching those numbers (prove me wrong, I dare you), Anderson doesn't have time to crunch numbers, and there's an argument both ways. As it was, the Royals played things perfectly, but the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.lonestarball.com/">Rangers</a> still lucked out. Let's all be happy!</p>↵
https://dallas.sbnation.com/texas-rangers/2011/5/29/2196692/dave-anderson-on-sending-mike-napoliRobbie Griffin2011-05-29T19:11:11-05:002011-05-29T19:11:11-05:00No Words (The Good Way)
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<th class="td-left"> <span>Final - 5.29.2011 </span> </th> <th> 1 </th> <th> 2 </th> <th> 3 </th> <th> 4 </th> <th> 5 </th> <th> 6 </th> <th> 7 </th> <th> 8 </th> <th> 9 </th> <th>R</th> <th>H</th> <th>E</th>
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<td class="td-name"><span class="loss"> <a href="https://www.royalsreview.com/">Kansas City Royals</a> </span></td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>5</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>1</td>
<td class="highlight">6</td>
<td class="highlight">9</td>
<td class="highlight">0</td>
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<td class="td-name"><span class="win"> <a href="https://www.lonestarball.com/">Texas Rangers</a> </span></td>
<td>0</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>2</td>
<td class="highlight">7</td>
<td class="highlight">10</td>
<td class="highlight">2</td>
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<td colspan="13">WP: <span>Arthur Rhodes</span> (3 - 2) <br> LP: <span>Joakim Soria</span> (3 - 2)</td>
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<p class="foot clearfix"><span class="link-more"><span>Complete Coverage ></span></span></p>
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<p><br id="1306714144710"> How does one begin recapping Sunday's Rangers game? It's one of those times in life where you tell people "you just had to have been there."</p>
<p>I was working on this post while trying to put aside anger and depression. It was heavy on stuff about how broken <span>Neftali Feliz</span> looks, about how much <span>Josh Hamilton</span> hurt the Rangers, about how ridiculous umpires can be, about how quickly fans can crash from big moments, and about how rarely you feel so miserable after your team outscores their opponents by seven runs in a series.</p>
<p>I even had a <a target="_blank" href="http://i723.photobucket.com/albums/ww240/rap_maharaja/Fun%20Stuff/RageFace.png">graphic depiction</a> of the game:</p>
<p><a href="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/624352/rage.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Rage_medium" class="photo" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/624352/rage_medium.png" height="206" width="200"></a></p>
<p>Instead, something completely different happened. . .</p>
<p>WPA is not meant as a measure of skill, but simply a measure of how the odds of a game change moment to moment, and which players create that change. It has been called something of a fan emotion meter, and rarely is that more true than today, with the violent swings in win probability you see on the chart at the bottom. This game felt exactly like that chart looks, with the Rangers steadily looking good early, a sudden, hopeless crash, an amazing late turn immediately followed by yet another crash, and then an improbable, vicious shift at the very end.</p>
<p>Things started with <span>Alexi Ogando</span> cruising and the Rangers offense getting a couple early runs. It all fell apart in fourth when the Royals managed to score five runs off of Ogando (according to the rule of Earned Runs, more on that later). <span>Mike Napoli</span> -- who opened the scoring with a double -- homered in the fifth to make it 5-3, but the Rangers proceeded to use up their outs and make a comeback less and less likely, until they hand only four left.</p>
<p>The amazing late turn came courtesy of <span>Michael Young</span>, who came up with a runner on after Josh Hamilton fell to 0-4. With the Royals leading 5-3, Young swing on a 3-0 count for just the third time in his career, and it resulted in a game tying three run home run and an incredible 39% shift in win probability. Just like that, a game that had seemed depressing and hopeless looked okay. The Face of the Franchise had seemingly given the Rangers a chance, and emotions were high.</p>
<p>Except, then came Neftali Feliz, who has been the Human Buzzkill lately. He was greeted by a triple to start things off, and all it took to seemingly erase Young's home run was a deep fly ball. That came, and in just a matter of minutes the game looked awful all over again. Arthur Rhodes had to come in and end the inning, and the Rangers were forced to come back against Joakim Soria. The game wasn't over, but considering how the Rangers had gotten to this point -- and how rare comebacks seem to be in 2011 -- it sure felt over.</p>
<p>Soria began the inning by just missing Nelson Cruz's chin. That may have been a bad call, as Cruz responded angrily with a game-tying shot to the left field stands, a 43% hike in win expectancy. It was the Young home run all over again, with another late surge in the Rangers favor. For eight and a half innings, it has been an emotional game, the kind you find thrilling when your team isn't involved.</p>
<p>The ending, though, was not something thrilling in the normal sense, instead, it was more hilarious, allowing things to run the full gamut of emotions. Napoli added his third hit -- this time a single -- to follow up Cruz's shot. Inspiring. Mitch Moreland struck out, and <span>David Murphy</span> then worked a full count and was called out on a "strike," and there were two outs. Aggravating. Finally, <span>Elvis Andrus</span> singled just past the glove of <span>Eric Hosmer</span>, and the winning run was headed to scoring position. Exciting.</p>
<p>. . . except Dave Anderson waved Mike Napoli home. Shocking. The throw by <span>Mitch Maier</span> beat Napoli to the plate with plenty of room to spare. Depressing.</p>
<p>And Napoli was safe. Because he slid under the tag. <i>Mike Napoli scored the game-winning run from first on a single because <span>Brayan Pena</span> forgot to tag him!</i></p>
<p><a href="http://cdn3.sbnation.com/imported_assets/729215/iwa8y.gif"><img alt="Iwa8y_medium" class="photo" src="http://cdn2.sbnation.com/imported_assets/729215/iwa8y_medium.gif"></a></p>
<p><br>Hilarious.</p>
<p>Everything happened in this game. The best and worst moments of baseball were all encapsulated in one of the most unbelievable and strange games I have ever seen in more than a decade of watching baseball, and, most importantly of all, the final emotion was elation. At multiple points it looked like this would be a series where the Rangers outplayed their opponents, but lost, anyway, so it didn't matter. Instead, they got the series victory they deserved and the angst is marginalized just to the players who showed troubling signs.</p>
<p>It's a game with so much to talk about, but no easy way to organize them. Instead, the last-minute-alteration of the graphic representation:</p>
<p><a href="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/624376/okaywiththis.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Okaywiththis_medium" class="photo" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/624376/okaywiththis_medium.png" height="204" width="200"></a></p>
<p><b>A few other bullet point-style thoughts on the game:</b></p>
<ul>
<li>This year, Alexi Ogando has not pitched as well as his ERA suggests. His rates of getting outs on balls in play and stranding runners just aren't really sustainable, and without becoming a much better pitcher, they were due to go up. Today, though, he was better than his ERA suggests. The Royals' big fourth inning started with <span>Melky Cabrera</span> getting a single only because Josh Hamilton took a horrible route on a fly ball. Cabrera still would have been out if <span>Adrian Beltre</span> had managed to turn a double play to end the inning, but instead everyone was safe with two on and one out. A soft <span>Wilson Betemit</span> fly barely fell in for a hit, a run had scored in an inning that never should have seen a hitter in scoring position, and Ogando's pitch count was climbing. Another single added another run, and Ogando's 20th pitch of the inning was a belt-high change-up which Brayan Pena turned in to a three-run homerun. Without such a busy inning, that pitch might look better, and with some defensive support it doesn't come after having allowed so many baserunners. The ERA looks bad, but Ogando was fine tonight. He missed fewer bats than usual, but he still struckout four to one walk, managed to find the strikezone regularly, and didn't allow any damage outside of one inning where luck and defense failed him. Sometimes baseball helps you out, sometimes it doesn't.</li>
<li>Neftali Feliz, meanwhile, was bad. Again. He once again couldn't find the strikezone (50/50), never hit the zone with his slider, didn't miss a single bat, and all but one of the four batters he faced hit him hard, with a line drive triple and two deep fly balls. The velocity wasn't even there, which may have been an attempt to increase control, but it didn't work. A reliever who gets hit hard, doesn't miss bats, can't find the strikezone, and can't mix his pitches well is a bad guy to hand close games over to. I don't know how to fix Feliz, but he's been very, very awful since going to the disabled list, and something has to be done, or the Rangers will continue to lose games simply because of bad pitching in high leverage situations.</li>
<li>The Rangers won on a great call, where no one would have batted an eye if the umpire just gave the catcher the benefit of the doubt. Still, that followed another bad call, when David Murphy was called out on a pitch more than a foot outside the strikezone, with a full count and the winning run at first. That's not an unusual call, as lefty hitters are forced to guess on pitches that far outside, because humans can't, for whatever reason, call that part of the zone accurately for lefties. Unusual or not, it was the wrong call in a very, very bad situation for such an awful call.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/624380/murphy_k.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Murphy_k_medium" class="photo" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/624380/murphy_k_medium.png" height="271" width="400"></a></p>
<ul>
<li>That wasn't the end of questionable umpiring. The strikezone today was exceptionally bad, not because of how rarely the low strike was called, but because of how randomly the low strike was called. Umpires ignoring the bottom of the zone is nothing new, but when pitchers and hitters have to guess as to whether or not a low pitch will be called, there's a problem. Either call it or don't. <span>Ian Kinsler</span> was also called out on a clearly checked swing, then tossed from the game when he angrily tossed his bat out of frustration about an awful call. I cannot understand how allowing people to affect games this way is still considered okay, or even good.</li>
<li>I don't know why Dave Anderson sent Napoli. Seems ridiculous, but at least it worked out. Still, he should have been at second after the Murphy walk, so it never should have been a first-to-home thing.</li>
<li>Add Michael Kirkman to the "maybe the bullpen will be okay!" list with Yoshi.</li>
<li><i>Mike Napoli scored from first on a single!</i></li>
</ul>
<p>Okay, enough on the negatives from that game. The results were awesome and incredible and happy and hilarious. The Rangers got a series win and, overall, played well. These are good and happy things, and the only reason to dwell on how close it was to being sad is so you can feel that much better that it didn't.</p>
<h4>GAME CHARTS</h4>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.fangraphs.com/livewins.aspx?date=2011-05-29&team=Rangers&dh=0&season=2011">FanGraphs Win Expectency</a></p>
<p><a href="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/624384/wpa.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Wpa_medium" class="photo" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/624384/wpa_medium.png"></a></p>
<p><b>Biggest Contributions</b> (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.fangraphs.com/library/index.php/misc/wpa/">What is this, I don't even. . . ?</a>)</p>
<ol>
<li>Michael Young 41%</li>
<li>Elvis Andrus 39%</li>
<li>Nelson Cruz 36%</li>
</ol>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.brooksbaseball.net/pfxVB/zoneTrack.php?month=5&day=29&year=2011&game=gid_2011_05_29_kcamlb_texmlb_1%2F&prevDate=529">Mike Eastabrook's Strikezone from Brooks Baseball</a></p>
<p><a href="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/624388/strikezone.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Strikezone_medium" class="photo" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/624388/strikezone_medium.png"></a> <br id="1306714104089"></p>
https://dallas.sbnation.com/texas-rangers/2011/5/29/2196608/no-words-the-good-wayRobbie Griffin2011-05-29T10:59:23-05:002011-05-29T10:59:23-05:00Rangers Vs. Royals: Alexi Ogando Looks To Improve To 6-0
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<p>(Sports Network) – <span>Alexi Ogando</span> tries to continue his amazing start to the season this afternoon when the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.lonestarball.com/">Texas Rangers</a> close out a three-game set with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.royalsreview.com/">Kansas City Royals</a> at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.</p>
<p>In his first year as a starter Ogando has posted a 5-0 mark to go along with a 1.81 earned run average. The impressive start has followed up a spectacular rookie campaign in 2010 that saw him go 4-1 with a 1.30 <span class="caps">ERA</span> in 44 relief appearances.</p>
<p>Ogando’s most recent win over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.southsidesox.com/">Chicago White Sox</a> was his best yet, as he tossed a five-hit shutout. He also struck out six, walked three and threw 115 pitches in the first complete game of his career.</p>
<p>“Ogando did an excellent job,” Texas manager Ron Washington said. “He did an excellent job controlling the [White Sox bats]. Those guys can swing the bats and he kept the ball in play and the defense made plays behind him.”</p>
<p>The gem was the first shutout by a Rangers pitcher at the Ballpark since 2008 and it was also just the fifth by a Texas pitcher at home in the past 12 seasons. Ogando has now yielded two runs or less in all but one of his starts, and his <span class="caps">ERA</span> ranks second in the AL.</p>
<p>“Sometimes I don’t know how to express things, but this is like a blessing from God,” Ogando said. “That’s what it is. Every inning I’m learning more, getting more experience and getting more comfortable on the mound.”</p>
<p>Ogando did not get a decision against the Royals the last time he faced them, but is 1-0 with a 2.08 <span class="caps">ERA</span> in three games (two starts) against them.</p>
<p>Texas scored early and often on Saturday, as <span>Mitch Moreland</span>, <span>Mike Napoli</span> and <span>Endy Chavez</span> hit consecutive home runs off Sean O’Sullivan in the second inning, all part of the Rangers’ 10-1 rout.</p>
<p><span>Adrian Beltre</span> and Nelson Cruz also went deep off O’Sullivan (2-4), who was pounded for 15 hits and 10 runs over 5 2/3 innings. It was the third straight rough start for the right-hander. During that span he’s allowed 31 hits and 23 earned runs, raising his season <span class="caps">ERA</span> nearly three whole runs to a current 6.75.</p>
<p>“I tried to get as many outs as I could knowing how deep our bullpen had to go recently,” O’Sullivan said. “It was about as fun as it looked.”</p>
<p>Beltre finished with three <span class="caps">RBI</span> and Napoli drove in two for the Rangers, who bounced back from a 12-7 loss in 14 innings on Friday.</p>
<p>The strong offensive showing made a winner of <span>Matt Harrison</span> (5-4). He yielded five hits over six shutout innings and has won two straight starts after losing four consecutive decisions. He left the game, though, with a blister on his pitching hand.</p>
<p>“The last time I had a blister was probably five years ago,” Harrison said. “I don’t know if it had anything to do with it being so humid out there today. I kept touching my hat and finger’s getting wet, rubbing the on the seams it probably popped up.”</p>
<p><span>Matt Treanor</span> drove in the lone run for Kansas City, which lost for the sixth time in its last seven games.</p>
<p>Kansas City will hand the ball to a young hurler of its own this afternoon in left-hander <span>Danny Duffy</span>, who will be making the third start of his career, but the second already against the Rangers.</p>
<p>In his big league debut on May 18 Duffy gave up two runs and four hits in four innings to the Rangers in his team’s 5-4 loss. He also surrendered two runs in 5 1/3 innings in Baltimore his next time out.</p>
<p>The Rangers have won 15 of their past 20 versus Kansas City, including a 5-2 mark versus the Royals this year.</p>
https://dallas.sbnation.com/texas-rangers/2011/5/29/2196077/rangers-vs-royals-alexi-ogando-looks-to-improve-to-6-0JP Starkey2011-05-28T21:17:17-05:002011-05-28T21:17:17-05:00Rangers Pile On O'Sullivan
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<th class="td-left"> <span>Final - 5.28.2011 </span> </th> <th> 1 </th> <th> 2 </th> <th> 3 </th> <th> 4 </th> <th> 5 </th> <th> 6 </th> <th> 7 </th> <th> 8 </th> <th> 9 </th> <th>R</th> <th>H</th> <th>E</th>
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<td class="td-name"><span class="loss"> <a href="https://www.royalsreview.com/">Kansas City Royals</a> </span></td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td class="highlight">1</td>
<td class="highlight">7</td>
<td class="highlight">0</td>
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<td class="td-name"><span class="win"> <a href="https://www.lonestarball.com/">Texas Rangers</a> </span></td>
<td>2</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>X</td>
<td class="highlight">10</td>
<td class="highlight">15</td>
<td class="highlight">1</td>
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<td colspan="13">WP: <span>Matt Harrison</span> (5 - 4) <br> SV: <span>Yoshinori Tateyama</span> (1) <br> LP: <span>Sean O`Sullivan</span> (2 - 4)</td>
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<p><br id="1306635270254"> I wish every day could be Vs. O'Sullivan Day!</p>
<p>To help us get over last night's misery, the Ranger bats broke out in a big, big way. It started when <span>Adrian Beltre</span> doubled in <span>Ian Kinsler</span> and <span>Michael Young</span> to give the Rangers a 2-0 lead in the first. Then it peaked in the second, when <span>Mitch Moreland</span>, <span>Mike Napoli</span>, and <span>Endy Chavez</span> combined for back-to-back-to-back home runs, and Texas never looked back.</p>
<p>Chavez's blast was perhaps the highlight of the game, capping off the run of blasts by going in to the upper deck; a mammoth blast from anyone, let alone a utility outfielder not known for his power. It was his first home run since 31 May, 2009, as a Mariner. Chavez added another hit later to make the choice of playing his glove, rather than <span>David Murphy</span>'s, in center look like a good one. It's been a small sample, but since being called up this season, Chavez has put up an impressive .991 OPS, at least providing some hope there might be a worthy centerfielder on the roster while <span>Julio Borbon</span> is out.</p>
<p>Chavez was not alone with the offensive exploits, though, as ten runs suggests. With the game seemingly over, Ned Yost opted to let starter Sean O'Sullivan stay in the game, rather than use up his bullpen for a lost cause. Every Rangers starter but Michael Young (who still reached with a walk) responded with a hit, and each of the 5-9 hitters had a home run. Nelson Cruz was particularly inspiring, putting up three hits, with a double to go with his home run, and playing some fantastic defense in right field. Cruz has struggled this season, both before and since his DL stint, but for tonight at least he confirmed he can still swing it.</p>
<p>On the other end was Matt Harrison, who was none too efficient and struggled to miss bats, but also managed to avoid walks or melt downs. The Royals were never able to hit Harrison hard, and though he only managed six innings, he was good enough to win today.</p>
<p>The fun part was Harrison's replacement, Yoshinori Tateyama, who allowed the first (and only) Royals run of the game, but looked good, with a strikeout, three swinging strikes, and two perfect innings after his first to put the game away. Every day someone comes in from the bullpen and looks good, it gives us a little hope the the most troubling aspect of the 2011 Rangers might be correcting itself. A little bit more of this from Yoshi would go a long way.</p>
<p>Also, he gives me an excuse to post things like this!</p>
<p><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/gNcIAC30mWI" frameborder="0" height="349" width="425"></iframe> <br id="1306634898007"></p>
<p>I don't expect anyone to be over Friday night's (or Saturday morning's?) horrific loss, but a nine run victory where just about every part of the Rangers looks good has to help. At the very least, it was cathartic.</p>
<p>More like this, please!</p>
<h4>GAME CHARTS</h4>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.fangraphs.com/livewins.aspx?date=2011-05-28&team=Rangers&dh=0&season=2011">FanGraphs Win Expectancy</a></p>
<p><a href="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/623902/wpa.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Wpa_medium" class="photo" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/623902/wpa_medium.png"></a></p>
<p><b>Biggest Contributions</b> (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.fangraphs.com/library/index.php/misc/wpa/">What is this, I don't even. . . ?</a>)</p>
<ol>
<li>Adrian Beltre 20%</li>
<li>Matt Harrison 17%</li>
<li>Mitch Moreland 9%</li>
</ol>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.brooksbaseball.net/pfxVB/zoneTrack.php?month=5&day=28&year=2011&game=gid_2011_05_28_kcamlb_texmlb_1%2F&prevDate=528">Bill Welke's Strikezone from Brooks Baseball</a></p>
<p><a href="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/623910/strikezone.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Strikezone_medium" class="photo" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/623910/strikezone_medium.png"></a> <br id="1306635249621"></p>
https://dallas.sbnation.com/texas-rangers/2011/5/28/2195553/rangers-pile-on-osullivanRobbie Griffin2011-05-28T16:51:10-05:002011-05-28T16:51:10-05:00Rangers Vs. Royals: Saturday Lineups
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<p><a target="_blank" href="http://espn.go.com/blog/dallas/texas-rangers/post/_/id/4865365/rangers-royals-lineups-hamilton-in-lf">Per Calvin Watkins, ESPN.</a></p>
<h4>Texas vs. RHP Sean O'Sullivan</h4>
<ol>
<li> 2B <span>Ian Kinsler</span> <br>
</li>
<li>SS Elvis Andrus <br>
</li>
<li>LF <span>Josh Hamilton</span> <br>
</li>
<li>DH Michael Young <br>
</li>
<li>3B <span>Adrian Beltre</span> <br>
</li>
<li>RF Nelson Cruz <br>
</li>
<li>1B <span>Mitch Moreland</span> <br>
</li>
<li>C <span>Mike Napoli</span> <br>
</li>
<li>CF Endy Chavez</li>
</ol>
<h4>Kansas City vs. LHP <span>Matt Harrison</span>
</h4>
<ol>
<li> LF Alex Gordon <br>
</li>
<li>CF <span>Melky Cabrera</span> <br>
</li>
<li>1B <span>Eric Hosmer</span> <br>
</li>
<li>RF Jeff Francoeur <br>
</li>
<li>DH Billy Butler <br>
</li>
<li>3B <span>Wilson Betemit</span> <br>
</li>
<li>2B <span>Mike Aviles</span> <br>
</li>
<li>C <span>Matt Treanor</span> <br>
</li>
<li>SS Alcides Escobar</li>
</ol>
<p>Josh Hamilton returns to the field for the first time since his injury, improving the defense by moving Nelson Cruz to his natural position, and taking Mitch Moreland out of the outfield. The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.lonestarball.com/">Rangers</a> likely have deemed Hamilton healthy enough to move away from designated hitter.</p>
<p>Also improving the defense is the replacement of <span>David Murphy</span> with Endy Chavez. No word yet on whether or not Murphy's two defensive gaffes in the first inning Friday played a factor in the decision, or if it is just a regular day off. The answer will probably come tomorrow.</p>
<p>Chavez is likely a solid step behind <span>Craig Gentry</span> as a fielder at this point, but with a right hander on the mound, the lefty Chavez represents likely a sizable offensive upgrade over the righty Gentry, and, unlike Murphy, he can handle center.</p>
<p><span>Yorvit Torrealba</span> also gets a day off tonight in favor of Mike Napoli's superior bat.</p>
<p>Of note, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.royalsreview.com/">Royals</a> top three -- who killed the Rangers in Friday's loss -- offer a strong platoon advantage for Matt Harrison, with two lefties and one switch hitter, Melky Cabrera, who hits better from the left side of the plate. Kansas City's other switch hitter, Wilson Betemit, also struggles more against left handed pitching than the reverse.</p>
https://dallas.sbnation.com/texas-rangers/2011/5/28/2195274/rangers-vs-royals-saturday-lineupsRobbie Griffin2011-05-28T00:24:06-05:002011-05-28T00:24:06-05:00Nightmare
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<p><i> </i></p>
<hr class="widget_boundry_marker">
<p><i> </i></p>
<div class="pane sports_data_widget events clearfix">
<i>
<table class="box-score">
<thead>
<tr>
<th class="td-left"> <span>Final - 5.27.2011 </span> </th> <th> 1 </th> <th> 2 </th> <th> 3 </th> <th> 4 </th> <th> 5 </th> <th> 6 </th> <th> 7 </th> <th> 8 </th> <th> 9 </th> <th> 10 </th> <th> 11 </th> <th> 12 </th> <th> 13 </th> <th> 14 </th> <th>R</th> <th>H</th> <th>E</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td class="td-name"><span class="win"> <a href="https://www.royalsreview.com/">Kansas City Royals</a> </span></td>
<td>3</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>5</td>
<td class="highlight">12</td>
<td class="highlight">16</td>
<td class="highlight">1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="td-name"><span class="loss"> <a href="https://www.lonestarball.com/">Texas Rangers</a> </span></td>
<td>5</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td class="highlight">7</td>
<td class="highlight">12</td>
<td class="highlight">1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="18">WP: <span>Blake Wood</span> (2 - 0) <br> LP: <span>Dave Bush</span> (0 - 1)</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</i><p class="foot clearfix"><span class="link-more"><span>Complete Coverage ></span></span></p>
</div>
<p><i> </i></p>
<hr class="widget_boundry_marker">
<p><i> <br id="1306560090742"> (Author's Note: The following words may be overly skewed by emotion.)</i></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>If you didn't watch Friday Night's Rangers game, you're a lucky person.</p>
<p><span>Colby Lewis</span> could not get outs, and gave up six runs in the first two innings. He wasn't helped out by <span>David Murphy</span>, who cannot handle centerfield (-33.5 UZR/150, by the way), and let a ball sail over his had early in the inning, and then failed to handle a shallow fly that most centerfielders would get to shortly after.</p>
<p>Murphy helped make up for it, though, by hitting a two-run homerun in the first. Despite the awful start by Lewis and the awful defense, the Rangers still managed to lead by a run after the first two frames.</p>
<p>The problem was, that was where the scoring ended.</p>
<p>The Rangers kept the Royals off the board, too, until <span>Neftali Feliz</span> came in for the save, and once again asserted that he is not right. He finally managed to find the strikezone consistently, but found too much of it against <span>Alex Gordon, </span>who took him (very) deep to tie the game. Ron Washington left Feliz in for another inning, though, and something strange happened: he started throwing breaking balls. In the 10th, Feliz through five sliders, and managed to make easy work of the Royals, including his first strikeout of a right handed hitter all season. It was perhaps encouraging, since it was the first time he's really looked good since he went on the disabled list, but it was none the less maddening that he has refused to do this earlier in favor of throwing all fastballs and living outside of the strikezone.</p>
<p>The Rangers managed to load the bases in the ninth, but Nelson Cruz struck out for the final out, and the game went in to extras. Both teams kept the opposing offenses off the board the rest of the way, until Dave Bush came in to the 14th and allowed five runs on three home runs, and that was that. It might just mark the end of his current tenure in Arlington.</p>
<p>On the Cruz, by the way, his Win Probability Added looks bad because of that moment, and because of an oh-fer, but he had a long fly ball in the 11th knocked down by the wind just shy of ending the game on a walk off. Less outrageous weather, and we're sitting here cheering about his wonderful moonshot instead of his inability to come through.</p>
<p>By that point, the Rangers had allowed <span>Craig Gentry</span> to bat with the winning run on base, even though <span>Mike Napoli</span> was available and a lefty was pitching. I have no clue why Washington made that call. Clearly, <span>Endy Chavez</span> was available, as he later pinch ran for <span>Mitch Moreland</span> (thus taking Moreland's bat out of the game), so Gentry could be taken out for the much better hitter. In the 10th, Washington had Torrealba bat -- again against a lefty -- even though Napoli, again, was available. Napoli eventually did come in to the game, though: as a defensive replacement after Moreland was pulled for Endy Chavez.</p>
<p>So, instead of use a man who for his career and this season has destroyed left handed pitching when he represented a chance to end the game, Ron Washing elected to have lesser hitters bat, even though he was eventually willing to put Napoli in the game, anyway. I cannot even fathom how it makes sense. Who knows if it would have actually resulted in a Rangers win, but you play the odds so you can find out, and, for whatever reason, Washington didn't play those odds tonight. He had Torrealba and Gentry hit so that Chavez could be used as a pinch runner for Moreland and Napoli could replace them.</p>
<p>So we had questionable managerial decisions, a bullpen meltdown when the Rangers were just two outs from winning, and rather than the offense cancelling out a strong pitching performance it was the other way around. Not to excuse the offense, because going 12 straight innings against the Royals in Arlington without scoring a run is absurd. There was even more bad umpiring, such as the Rangers having a double play denied by the second base umpire -- which was not corrected because baseball is mysteriously allergic to replay -- and some bad strike calls, all of which Tom Grieve continues to excuse as though they are a necessary and understandable part of the game. Which only makes it worse.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, Minnesota blew a 5-0 lead over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.halosheaven.com/">Angels</a>, and the Rangers are back to a tie in first. Because of yet another game that was maddening on almost every front. This was one of those games where you wonder why you even follow baseball when it can do this to you, and yet most of us will be back tomorrow.</p>
<p>"Thank you sir, may I have another?"</p>
<h4>GAME CHARTS</h4>
<p>FanGraphs Win Expectancy</p>
<p><a href="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/623417/wpa.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Wpa_medium" class="photo" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/623417/wpa_medium.png"></a> <br id="1306559747306"></p>
<p><b>Biggest Failures</b> (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.fangraphs.com/library/index.php/misc/wpa/">What is this, I don't even. . . ?</a>)</p>
<ol>
<li>Dave Bush -49%</li>
<li>Nelson Cruz -27%</li>
<li>Colby Lewis -20%</li>
</ol>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.brooksbaseball.net/pfxVB/zoneTrack.php?month=5&day=27&year=2011&game=gid_2011_05_27_kcamlb_texmlb_1%2F&prevDate=527">Marty Foster's Strikezone from Brooks Baseball</a></p>
<p><a href="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/623425/strikezone.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Strikezone_medium" class="photo" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/623425/strikezone_medium.png"></a> <br id="1306560062908"></p>
https://dallas.sbnation.com/texas-rangers/2011/5/28/2194431/nightmareRobbie Griffin2011-05-27T17:36:54-05:002011-05-27T17:36:54-05:00Rangers Vs. Royals: Friday Lineups
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<p><a target="_blank" href="http://sportsblogs.star-telegram.com/foul_territory/2011/05/tonights-royals-rangers-lineups.html">Per Jeff Wilson, Fort Worth Star Telegram.</a></p>
<h4>Texas vs. RHP Nate Adcock</h4>
<ol>
<li>2B <span>Ian Kinsler</span>
</li>
<li>SS Elvis Andrus</li>
<li>DH <span>Josh Hamilton</span>
</li>
<li>1B <span>Michael Young</span>
</li>
<li>3B <span>Adrian Beltre</span>
</li>
<li>LF Nelson Cruz</li>
<li>CF David Murphy</li>
<li>C <span>Yorvit Torrealba</span>
</li>
<li>RF Mitch Moreland</li>
</ol>
<h4>Kansas City vs. RHP <span>Colby Lewis</span>
</h4>
<ol>
<li>LF Alex Gordon</li>
<li>CF Melky Cabrera</li>
<li>1B <span>Eric Hosmer</span>
</li>
<li>RF Jeff Francoeur</li>
<li>DH Billy Butler</li>
<li>3B <span>Wilson Betemit</span>
</li>
<li>C <span>Matt Treanor</span>
</li>
<li>2B <span>Chris Getz</span>
</li>
<li>SS Alcides Escobar</li>
</ol>
<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.lonestarball.com/">Rangers</a> continue to make certain Josh Hamilton stays healthy and eases back in to the lineup via DH, but that means more sketchy defensive lineups, with Murphy in center and Moreland in right, until Borbon can come back. This could be interesting with the fly ball-friendly Lewis facing a lineup with five lefties (including switch hitters).</p>
https://dallas.sbnation.com/texas-rangers/2011/5/27/2194020/rangers-vs-royals-friday-lineupsRobbie Griffin2011-05-27T13:22:54-05:002011-05-27T13:22:54-05:00Rangers Vs. Royals: Colby Lewis Looks To Stay Hot
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.lonestarball.com/">Texas Rangers</a> take on the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.royalsreview.com/">Kansas City Royals</a> on Friday night in Arlington as <span>Colby Lewis</span> looks to even up his record at 5-5.</p>
<p>Lewis pitched poorly to start the season, going 2-3 with a 5.70 ERA in the month of April, walking 11 and striking out 20 in 30 innings. More concerning, Lewis gave up 10 home runs in the month of April alone. May has been much kinder to Lewis, as he's gone 2-2 with a 1.74 ERA, walking only five while striking out 24 in 31 innings. Further, Lewis has only allowed three home runs in May.</p>
<p>Lewis will be opposed by Nate Adcock, who will be making his second start of the season. Adcock has made eight appearances out of the pen in addition to his one start, all in all totaling 21.2 innings pitched. Adcock has allowed 22 hits and issued six walks - and has only struck out 12 batters. His 1.66 ERA appears to be in serious jeopardy tonight against the Rangers.</p>
<p>First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. CDT. </p>
https://dallas.sbnation.com/2011/5/27/2335797/rangers-vs-royals-colby-lewis-looks-to-stay-hotJP Starkey