SB Nation Dallas - Rangers Vs. Twins: Texas Passes Road Test, Sweeps Minnesotahttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48887/dallas-fave.png2012-04-15T16:48:24-05:00http://dallas.sbnation.com/rss/stream/27103702012-04-15T16:48:24-05:002012-04-15T16:48:24-05:00Texas Rangers Exorcise Target Field Demons
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<p>The bullpen shut down yet another opponent while the offense finally punched through on Sunday.</p> <p></p>
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<th class="td-left"> <span>Final - 4.15.2012 </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="win"> <a href="https://www.lonestarball.com/">Texas Rangers</a> </span></td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>0</td>
<td class="highlight">4</td>
<td class="highlight">10</td>
<td class="highlight">0</td>
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<td class="td-name"><span class="loss"> <a href="https://www.twinkietown.com/">Minnesota Twins</a> </span></td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td class="highlight">3</td>
<td class="highlight">7</td>
<td class="highlight">0</td>
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<td colspan="13">WP: <span>Robbie Ross</span> (2 - 0) <br> SV: <span>Joe Nathan</span> (3) <br> LP: <span>Glen Perkins</span> (0 - 1)</td>
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<p class="foot clearfix"><span class="link-more"><span>Complete Coverage ></span></span></p>
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<p>Don't call it a house of horrors.</p>
<p>The Rangers came in to their third series of the season having won one game ever in Target Field. They leave with a sweep, thanks to a late game comeback. The turnaround could be because they had a pretty small sample of games in Minnesota's new digs, or it could be because they are an even more awesome team than they've been the past two years. The second one sounds nice, let's go with that.</p>
<p>Anyway, with the tying run on third, Glen Perkins threw this pitch to <span>Josh Hamilton</span>.</p>
<p><a href="http://cdn3.sbnation.com/imported_assets/1041859/numlocation_php.gif"><img alt="Numlocation_php_medium" class="photo" src="http://cdn2.sbnation.com/imported_assets/1041859/numlocation_php_medium.gif" height="269" width="401"></a></p>
<p><i>via <a href="http://www.brooksbaseball.net/pfxVB/numlocation.php?pitchSel=450282&game=gid_2012_04_15_texmlb_minmlb_1/&batterX=57&innings=yyyyyyyyy&sp_type=1&s_type=3">www.brooksbaseball.net</a></i></p>
<p>That's hilarious.</p>
<p>It was a 93 mile per hour fastball with some sink, but still right in Hamilton's wheel house. We know Hamilton likes to swing at first pitches. We know he likes to hit fastballs. And we know he likes to hit them very, very far.</p>
<p>So he did. He swung, and he crushed. That gave Texas the tying and winning runs, after <span>Elvis Andrus</span> gave yet another eye-popping display of new power with an opposite field triple over the head of <span>Clete Thomas</span>.</p>
<p>I don't know what is wrong with Glen Perkins, or if he just hates Minnesotans. Honestly, Minnesotans are some of the nicest people I've ever met, so that seems unfair of him. He did it anyway, and it's part of why the Rangers won.</p>
<p>The other part of why the Rangers won was, again, the bullpen. Robbie Ross is looking kind of amazing. He entered with two on and no outs, with the Rangers trying to keep a 3-1 game close. He promptly struck out <span>Justin Morneau</span> and <span>Josh Willingham</span>, ended the inning, then pitched an easy seventh inning with another strikeout.</p>
<p><span>Mike Adams</span> pitched a shutout eighth with two double plays (more on that later), and then Joe Nathan got yet another save opportunity, garnering two soft fly balls and a strikeout. Frankly, Nathan overall looks fine. He blew a couple games, only one of which actually looked awful, but that's what closers do. He's probably not the best reliever on the team, and that's worth carping about, but there's not a lot of reason to assume he can't at least be a fine back end reliever this year.</p>
<p>The concern is how often Ron Washington is pitching these people. With his seventh appearance, Adams is now tied for the league lead. Nathan is one behind him with six. <span>Alexi Ogando</span> also has six. This is an outrageous pace for the Rangers' best relievers.</p>
<p>The Rangers are playing a lot of close games, and they are winning or tied late in all of them (isn't that crazy, by the way?). Some of that is simply because baseball in general is not scoring a lot. The fact of the matter is, if things continue this way, Ron Washington and Mike Maddux are going to have to trust some of their lesser relievers to pitch typically key situations. They'll fail more often, but long term the Rangers will win more games and be healthier down the stretch because of it.</p>
<p>I mean, <span>Koji Uehara</span> has two appearances all year. He's been a great reliever for almost his entire career. His problem is homeruns. The minute you have a close game outside of a launching pad park, shouldn't you be leaping to the chance to use Uehara to provide rest for someone else?</p>
<p>Yes, you should. I think. I'm not paid to make these decisions.</p>
<p>Neftali Feliz's second performance was not as great as his first, but it was probably better than the box score indicates. There weren't a lot of swinging strikes (only five), and he had trouble locating the changeup -- with Thomas crushing one for a two-run home run -- but he also had to deal with some wet weather. When a pitcher has to go out in the rain, I'm inclined to take what I can get and not read too much in to the performance. The Twins contact was overall not great, he retired the first seven hitters, and despite the rain there were still flashes of a good starter. It's pretty rough he couldn't go farther than five innings, but one start is a small sample as it is. One start in the rain is nothing to panic about, particularly if you're panicking about three earned runs and two extra base hits.</p>
<p>So, the Rangers continue to win a lot of baseball games. This was probably the most tense one yet, but it wasn't a case of escaping while being outplayed. Minnesota was lucky to be ahead as late as they were before Texas rectified things. The Rangers already have their first sweep of the year, and they go in to a tough stretch of baseball with some very nice padding, both in the win column and ahead of their rivals.</p>
<p>On one quick note, because these things need to be brought up as often as possible, the Twins put the trying run on in the ninth, when Adams caught a popped up bunt attempt, then threw back to Kinsler at first to get the unconventional double play. Only, the runner was called safe because umpires have trouble seeing things some times.</p>
<p>Tom Grieve went in to his predictable "umpires have a hard time" routine, but that misses the point. Dave Barnett got the point by saying replay confirmed the runner at first was out. By a good distance, in fact. No one should expect an unaided human to get these calls right all the time, but baseball shouldn't expect their humans to be unaided. As it was, another unconventional double play -- force at first, tag on the path -- got Adams out of the inning, anyway, but that's good luck. It should never have gotten to that point. The more we bring this stuff up, the more likely it is something gets done about it.</p>
<p>But, yeah, Texas wins. Celebrate good times and such.</p>
<p>I'm going to miss Josh Hamilton.</p>
<h4>CHARTS!</h4>
<p><iframe src="http://www.fangraphs.com/graphframe.aspx?config=0&static=95750&type=livewins&num=0&h=400&w=550&date=2012-04-15&team=Twins&dh=0" style="border:1px solid black;" frameborder="0" height="400" scrolling="no" width="550"></iframe><br><i><span style="font-size:9pt;">Source: <a href="http://www.fangraphs.com/livewins.aspx?date=2012-04-15&team=Twins&dh=0&season=2012">FanGraphs</a></span></i></p>
<p><b>Biggest Contributions </b>(<a target="_blank" href="http://www.fangraphs.com/library/index.php/misc/wpa/">What is this?</a>)</p>
<ol>
<li>Josh Hamilton 24%</li>
<li>Elvis Andrus 22%</li>
<li>Joe Nathan 19%</li>
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<p><b>Biggest Play: </b>Elvis Andrus triples with no outs in the eighth, bringing home <span>Ian Kinsler</span> and pulling the Rangers to within a run (28% win probability added).</p>
<p><b>Cory Blaser's Strikezone</b></p>
<p><a href="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1060440/strikezone.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Strikezone_medium" class="photo" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1060440/strikezone_medium.png"></a> <br id="1334526081100"></p>
<p><i><a target="_blank" href="http://www.brooksbaseball.net/pfxVB/zoneTrack.php?month=4&day=15&year=2012&game=gid_2012_04_15_texmlb_minmlb_1%2F&prevDate=415">Via Brooks Baseball</a></i></p>
https://dallas.sbnation.com/texas-rangers/2012/4/15/2950702/texas-rangers-excercise-target-field-demonsRobbie Griffin2012-04-15T16:03:57-05:002012-04-15T16:03:57-05:00Rangers Vs. Twins: Late Rally Gives Rangers 4-3 Victory
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<p>Nelson Cruz may actually have added some upper body strength.</p>
<p>After <span>Ian Kinsler</span> led off the eighth inning with a walk -- the first of the game for Texas -- Andrus stepped up and muscled an opposite field drive nearly to the wall in right center for a triple. The ball just cleared the glove of <span>Clete Thomas</span> in similar fashion to the triple from <span>Denard Span</span> that barely eluded Nelson Cruz in the sixth, and scored Kinsler to close the game to 3-2.</p>
<p><span>Josh Hamilton</span> followed up by hitting the first pitch he saw absurdly deep in to the right field stands to give Texas the lead.</p>
<p>The comeback from the offense wouldn't have been enough without another tremendous bullpen performance. <span>Robbie Ross</span>, <span>Mike Adams</span>, and Joe Nathan -- yes, Nathan again -- combined for four more shutout innings, with four strikeouts and just two baserunners allowed.</p>
<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.lonestarball.com/">Rangers</a> become the first AL team to reach eight wins, and sit four games ahead of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.halosheaven.com/">Angels</a>, pending Anaheim's 7:00 p.m. game against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.pinstripealley.com/">Yankees</a>.</p>
https://dallas.sbnation.com/texas-rangers/2012/4/15/2950667/rangers-vs-twins-late-rally-gives-rangers-4-3-victoryRobbie Griffin2012-04-15T15:07:30-05:002012-04-15T15:07:30-05:00Rangers Vs. Twins: Neftali Feliz Done After Five, Texas Trails 3-1
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<p><span>Neftali Feliz</span> looked strong early in his second career start, retiring the first seven hitters he faced, with only a bleeder past <span>Mike Napoli</span> breaking up the perfect game.</p>
<p>A single to start the fifth was the first legitimate hit off of him, and unfortunately the second was a blast of a home run from <span>Clete Thomas</span> off a change-up to give the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.twinkietown.com/">Twins</a> a 2-1 lead.</p>
<p>The sixth began with a triple just over the head of Nelson Cruz following a bad route, and after an RBI single and a walk, he was done for the day. His second start had five innings pitched, five hits, three earned runs, three strikeouts, and two walks. Considering he began the day in the rain and did not allow a lot of great contact, it was probably a better start than the line indicates, but it's still a shame he couldn't go deeper.</p>
<p>Robbie Ross relieved Feliz to salvage the inning with runners on first and second, and impressively struck out <span>Justin Morneau</span> and <span>Josh Willingham</span> before inducing a harmless pop fly from <span>Chris Parmelee</span>, keeping the game at 3-1 with an impressive relief appearance.</p>
<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.lonestarball.com/">Rangers</a> have had seven hits, but the only run has come on a mammoth Mike Napoli home run that will have people checking ESPN's Hit Tracker tomorrow.</p>
<p><iframe src="http://www.fangraphs.com/graphframe.aspx?config=0&static=0&type=livewins&num=0&h=400&w=550&date=2012-04-15&team=Twins&dh=0" style="border:1px solid black;" frameborder="0" height="400" scrolling="no" width="550"></iframe><br><span style="font-size:9pt;">Source: <a href="http://www.fangraphs.com/livewins.aspx?date=2012-04-15&team=Twins&dh=0&season=2012">FanGraphs</a></span></p>
https://dallas.sbnation.com/texas-rangers/2012/4/15/2950567/rangers-vs-twins-neftali-feliz-done-after-five-texas-trails-3-1Robbie Griffin2012-04-15T11:03:34-05:002012-04-15T11:03:34-05:00Rangers Vs. Twins: Sunday Lineups
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<p>Per MLB.com.</p>
<h4>
<a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.lonestarball.com/">Texas Rangers</a> vs. RHP Liam Hendriks</h4>
<ol>
<li>
<span>Ian Kinsler</span>, 2B</li>
<li>
<span>Elvis Andrus</span>, SS</li>
<li>
<span>Josh Hamilton</span>, CF</li>
<li>
<span>Adrian Beltre</span>, 3B</li>
<li>
<span>Michael Young</span>, DH</li>
<li>Nelson Cruz, RF</li>
<li>
<span>David Murphy</span>, LF</li>
<li>
<span>Mike Napoli</span>, 1B</li>
<li>
<span>Yorvit Torrealba</span>, C<br>
</li>
</ol>
<h4>
<a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.twinkietown.com/">Minnesota Twins</a> vs. RHP Neftali Feliz</h4>
<ol>
<li>
<span>Denard Span</span>, CF</li>
<li>
<span>Jamey Carroll</span>, SS</li>
<li>
<span>Joe Mauer</span>, C</li>
<li>
<span>Justin Morneau</span>, DH</li>
<li>
<span>Josh Willingham</span>, LF</li>
<li>
<span>Chris Parmelee</span>, 1B</li>
<li>
<span>Danny Valencia</span>, 3B</li>
<li>
<span>Clete Thomas</span>, RF</li>
<li>
<span>Alexi Casilla</span>, 2B</li>
</ol>
<p>Clete Thomas gets his first start as a Twin today. As a lefty, he gives Feliz the same issue Minnesota gave Darvish: a platoon disadvantage in two out of every three batters faced.</p>
<p><span>Mitch Moreland</span> remains unavailable due to an abscessed tooth, but the lineup is otherwise optimal.</p>
https://dallas.sbnation.com/texas-rangers/2012/4/15/2950120/rangers-vs-twins-sunday-lineupsRobbie Griffin2012-04-15T07:55:58-05:002012-04-15T07:55:58-05:00Rangers Vs. Twins Time, TV, Radio Info And More
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.lonestarball.com/">Texas Rangers</a> will send converted closer Neftali Perez to the mound for his second career major league start while they go for a series sweep of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.twinkietown.com/">Twins</a> in Minnesota. </p>
<p>In his debut as a starter, Perez pitched seven scoreless innings while allowing four hits in a 1-0 win over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.lookoutlanding.com/">Seattle Mariners</a>. Minnesota will send <span>Liam Hendriks</span> to the mound who will be making his season debut. </p>
<p>Texas defeated the Twins 4-1 on Friday and 6-2 on Saturday. The Rangers haven't swept a series in Minnesota since the 1999 season. </p>
<p><b>Game date/time:</b> Sunday, April 15, 1:10 p.m. CT</p>
<p><b>Location: </b>Target Field, Minneapolis, Minnesota</p>
<p><b>Pitching Matchups:</b> Neftali Perez (1-0, 0.00 ERA) vs Liam Hendriks (0-0, 0.00 ERA)</p>
<p><b>TV:</b> Fox Sports Southwest</p>
<p><b>Radio:</b> KSKY 660</p>
<p><b>Online Streaming:</b> MLB.tv</p>
<p><i>For more on this game Rangers fans should check out <a href="http://www.lonestarball.com/">Lone Star Ball</a> and Twins fans should visit <a href="http://www.twinkietown.com/">Twinkie Town</a>. For more news and notes from around Major League Baseball head over to <a href="http://mlb.sbnation.com">Baseball Nation</a>. </i></p>
https://dallas.sbnation.com/texas-rangers/2012/4/15/2949836/rangers-vs-twins-time-tv-radio-info-and-moreKris Willis2012-04-14T17:06:01-05:002012-04-14T17:06:01-05:00AL West Standings: Rangers Keep Solid Lead Above Rest Of Division
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<p>The Texas Rangers are performing exactly how everyone predicted in the preseason as they continue their hot start to the 2012 MLB season with a 7-2 record including three wins in a row. Even as <span>Yu Darvish</span> struggled a bit today, the team's incredible line-up can carry them through nearly any frustrating pitching performance.</p>
<p>As for the rest of the division, there's no explaining how the Los Angeles Angels are performing so poorly. The offseason spending spree that netted them <span>C.J. Wilson</span> and <span>Albert Pujols</span> were supposed to put them in the hunt with the Rangers at the top for one of the best divisional one-two punches in baseball. Instead, the Angels are already 3.5 games behind early in the season.</p>
<p>Here are the latest AL West standings:</p>
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<h3>AL West Standings</h3>
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<th></th> <th>W</th> <th>L</th> <th>PCT</th> <th>GB</th> <th>STRK</th>
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<td class="td-name td-first "><a href="https://www.lonestarball.com/">Texas</a></td>
<td>7</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>.777</td>
<td>0</td>
<td class="td-last">Won 3</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="td-name td-first "><a href="https://www.athleticsnation.com/">Oakland</a></td>
<td>4</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>.500</td>
<td>2.5</td>
<td class="td-last">Won 2</td>
</tr>
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<td class="td-name td-first "><a href="https://www.lookoutlanding.com/">Seattle</a></td>
<td>4</td>
<td>5</td>
<td>.444</td>
<td>3</td>
<td class="td-last">Lost 2</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="td-name td-first "><a href="https://www.halosheaven.com/">Los Angeles</a></td>
<td>3</td>
<td>5</td>
<td>.375</td>
<td>3.5</td>
<td class="td-last">Won 1</td>
</tr>
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<p class="updated">(updated 4.14.2012 at 6:03 PM EDT)</p>
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<p><i style="border-image: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Read more about the Texas Rangers at <a style="border-image: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; color: #c82527; font-weight: bold; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" href="http://lonestarball.com/">Lone Star Ball</a>.</i></p>
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https://dallas.sbnation.com/texas-rangers/2012/4/14/2948948/al-west-standings-rangers-lead-divisionMatt Conner2012-04-14T16:30:53-05:002012-04-14T16:30:53-05:00Offense Overcomes Darvish Struggles Again
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<img alt="Apr 14, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA: Texas Rangers starting pitcher Yu Darvish (11) looks down at the ground before delivering a pitch in the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-US PRESSWIRE" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/UR6FEPOZNwd6WThTrf0Ft2Psk2M=/0x193:471x507/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/photo_images/6486012/20120414_tjg_aj5_290.jpg" />
<figcaption>Apr 14, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA: Texas Rangers starting pitcher Yu Darvish (11) looks down at the ground before delivering a pitch in the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
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<p>For every element of the Rangers that looked bad, there was another willing to step up for an easy win.</p> <p></p>
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<th class="td-left"> <span>Final - 4.14.2012 </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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<tr>
<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>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>2</td>
<td class="highlight">6</td>
<td class="highlight">13</td>
<td class="highlight">1</td>
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<td class="td-name"><span class="loss"> <a href="https://www.twinkietown.com/">Minnesota Twins</a> </span></td>
<td>0</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
<td class="highlight">2</td>
<td class="highlight">13</td>
<td class="highlight">1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="13">WP: <span>Robbie Ross</span> (1 - 0) <br> LP: <span>Brian Duensing</span> (0 - 1)</td>
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<p>For a four-run game, Saturday in Target Field felt pretty tense.</p>
<p>That's partly because <span>Yu Darvish's</span> second start in the Majors was once again uninspiring. The problem everyone cautioned about when he came over was nibbling, and while more than two out of every five pitches against the Twins missed the zone, nibbling was not a whole lot of the issue. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.brooksbaseball.net/pfxVB/location.php?pitchSel=506433&game=gid_2012_04_14_texmlb_minmlb_1/&batterX=&innings=yyyyyyyyy&sp_type=1&s_type=">There were a few strikes on the corner</a>s, and a few around the edges, that probably could have been called strikes, though his zone seems mostly normal with few awful calls. There were a few pitches close but not close enough, as well. All these might have helped, but that wasn't the problem.</p>
<p>The problem where the twenty-or-so pitches that were nowhere close. Repeatedly, Darvish was wildly high, or wildly low, and often away. There was no command whatsoever. Worse, it only became more of an issue as the game went on. By the sixth inning he was hitting guys (or at least coming close enough the ump could say he was it), and missing the zone more than half the time. He allowed the bases to load, and left without even finishing the inning.</p>
<p>Also bad in this start, the Twins weren't biting on any of his stuff. Everything looked nifty to watch, but it only resulted in six whole swinging strikes across the game. He fortunately was not hit particularly hard, inducing 10 ground balls and three or four soft fly balls, and that's great. But teams that hit better are going to hit those balls they don't miss harder. And if he's not getting them to miss, and giving them free baserunners, that's going to mean a lot of runs. And if he's throwing so many pitches, he's going to burn his bullpen to a crisp.</p>
<p>Darvish will get some positive word from this start for only allowing one earned run, but with four strikeouts to four walks, and the host of problems above, that was more a function of the team he got to face than anything. Two games is just two games, of course. Darvish is far from a failure at this point, just as he would be far from a success had he dominated these games. It's just frustrating.</p>
<p>The runs and high pitch count weren't entirely on Darvish, of course. <span>Michael Young</span> at third base is a very, very bad thing. Before the game I wrote that it was worth it to rest Beltre, but now I'm not so sure. In the second inning, he looked absolutely pitiful trying to field a ground ball, and then made the mind-boggling decision to throw to second, instead of getting the easy out at first, allowing a runner to score when the inning should have ended. It was as though he panicked, but he's a Major League Baseball player. They don't panic, right?</p>
<p>The second run off Darvish was also set up when a ball deflected off Young's glove and in to the outfield. It was awful. He drove up the rookie's pitch count and allowed runs. Darvish isn't totally off the hook for that, but the two of them combined to continue to stress the bullpen.</p>
<p>But, hey, as long as the bullpen is going to pitch a lot, it's nice that they're looking dominant at it. Once again, they entered the game, and didn't allow a runner to cross the plate. Robbie Ross induced a quick ground out to clean up Darvish's jam, and <span>Alexi Ogando</span> and <span>Mike Adams</span> were decent enough, before Ron Washington gave <span>Joe Nathan</span> another chance.</p>
<p>Nathan immediately gave up a hit on a flat slider, and another hit on what actually might have been a ball, putting runners at second and third. Then he proceeded to actually look just fine. He topped 95 on his fastball, garnered four swinging strikes, found the edges of the zone just beautifully, and got two strikeouts and a ground ball to end the small threat. There was a hittable pitch in there, and reasons to moan early, but Nathan actually looked pretty good.</p>
<p>Every night we talk about the pitching, but six runs is actually kind of an offensive explosion so far this season. MLB teams are averaging just over four runs a game -- and I mean just over (4.14) -- so topping that on the road is nothing to scoff at. Neither are thirteen hits, six doubles, and a mammoth home run from <span>Josh Hamilton</span> that I cannot find on the MLB highlights, or I would be linking it to you right now. The offense continues to be super aggressive, but it also continues to work, so it's hard to complain too much (and it might also be justified, stay tuned on that front!).</p>
<p>And congratulations to <span>Brandon Snyder</span>, who had three hits in his first Texas Rangers start. Yay.</p>
<p>It's redundant at this point, but the Rangers won by playing a complete game. Young was awful defensively but <span>Elvis Andrus</span> and <span>Ian Kinsler</span> both saved runs on diving grabs at key points in the game, the starting pitching was sad but the bullpen made up for it, and the offense wasn't distributed that great but the heart of the order did all the work themselves. Someone on this team has an off day, and someone else goes crazy to win the game, anyway.</p>
<p>Minnesota was called a house of horrors, but Texas now has a series win, and potentially a sweep, before their first off day. Good times had by all.</p>
<h4>CHARTS!</h4>
<p><iframe src="http://www.fangraphs.com/graphframe.aspx?config=0&static=95140&type=livewins&num=0&h=400&w=550&date=2012-04-14&team=Twins&dh=0" style="border:1px solid black;" frameborder="0" height="400" scrolling="no" width="550"></iframe><br><i><span style="font-size:9pt;">Source: <a href="http://www.fangraphs.com/livewins.aspx?date=2012-04-14&team=Twins&dh=0&season=2012">FanGraphs</a></span></i></p>
<p><b>Biggest Contibutions</b></p>
<ol>
<li>Adrian Beltre 28%</li>
<li>Robbie Ross 10%</li>
<li>Alexi Ogando 9%</li>
</ol>
<p><b>Biggest Play: </b><span>Adrian Beltre's</span> single to left with two outs in the seventh, scoring Brandon Snyder to break the 2-2 tie, and moving Josh Hamilton to third (20% win probability added).</p>
<p><b>Ed Rapuano's Strikezone</b></p>
<p><a href="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1059509/strikezone.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Strikezone_medium" class="photo" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1059509/strikezone_medium.png"></a></p>
<p><i><a target="_blank" href="http://www.brooksbaseball.net/pfxVB/zoneTrack.php?month=4&day=14&year=2012&game=gid_2012_04_14_texmlb_minmlb_1%2F&prevDate=414">Via Brooks Baseball</a></i></p>
https://dallas.sbnation.com/texas-rangers/2012/4/14/2948828/offense-overcomes-darvish-struggles-againRobbie Griffin2012-04-14T15:37:36-05:002012-04-14T15:37:36-05:00Rangers Vs. Twins: Rangers Blow Apart Late Innings For 6-2 Victory
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<p><span>Yu Darvish</span> struggled and left a tied game with with the bases loaded in the fifth. From there on, the game was all <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.lonestarball.com/">Rangers</a>.</p>
<p>Minnesota starter <span>Nick Blackburn</span> left with shoulder stiffness, and Texas added five more hits, a walk, and a reach on an error in the final three innings. The ROE came off the bat of Young, the goat of the first six innings with his play in the first six innings, and brought in a run, as did his single in the seventh. The other two RBIs came from <span>Adrian Beltre</span>, singling and doubling Hamilton in for runs in the seventh and ninth respectively.</p>
<p>All four runs after the sixth came with two outs.</p>
<p>Texas had 13 total hits, almost entirely from the Hamilton-to-Cruz portion of the lineup, save for three hits by <span>Brandon Snyder</span> in his first start. Hamilton, Beltre, and Cruz each had two doubles, with Beltre adding a walk and Hamilton adding a homerun. The only other runner to reach was <span>Elvis Andrus</span> on a walk.</p>
<p>The bullpen combined for another scoreless outing, though Joe Nathan once again made the last inning interesting, allowing runners to reach second and third with no outs before striking out the next two hitters and ending the game on a harmless ground ball. He took 26 pitches, but at least he got out with no damage.</p>
<p>The win moves the Rangers to 7-2, the best record in the American League, keeping them 3.5 in front of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.halosheaven.com/">Angels</a>, and making them the first MLB team with a +20 run differential. It also gives them at least a victory in their third straight series.</p>
https://dallas.sbnation.com/texas-rangers/2012/4/14/2948763/rangers-vs-twins-rangers-blow-apart-late-innings-for-6-2-victoryRobbie Griffin