MVN - Most Valuable Network

Rangers Link Dump: 5/29 Edition

If the season ended today, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim would take home the AL West divisional crown by a 2½ game margin over the second-place Oakland Athletics with a 32-23 record - good for a .582 winning percentage.

Extrapolated out over the entirety of a 162-game schedule, that’s equivalent to a 94-win season. Not coincidentally, the Angels won 94 games in 2007, 95 games in 2005 and 92 games in 2004. In fact, they’ve won fewer than 90 games just once since a mediocre 75-win campaign in 2001.

They’re not going away.

For the 27-28 Texas Rangers to meet that 94-win threshold (and several other benchmarks along the way), here is how they would have to perform over their final 107 games:

To finish with 85 wins - 58-49 (.542 WP)
To finish with 90 wins - 63-44 (.588 WP)
To finish wth 94 wins - 67-40 (.627 WP)

It is nothing short of remarkable that the Rangers were able to pull themselves out of the horrific 7-16 hole they so hastily dug through the first 3½ weeks of the season. But if this ballclub has any kind of designs on remaining in playoff contention through the blisteringly hot North Texas summer months yet to come, there’s a whole lot of work left to do.

And taking seven or eight games on this upcoming 10-game homestand would be a tremendous step in the right direction.

Dallas Morning News: Texas Rangers activate Millwood, Metcalf

The Rangers and third baseman Hank Blalock are waiting to see if the soreness in his right wrist and hand goes away after a cortisone injection. “Hank hasn’t had the type of improvement in his wrist we hoped to see,” GM Jon Daniels said via email Thursday. “Surgical release is an option if he doesn’t improve from the injection.”

Blalock has carpal tunnel syndrome, and oral anti-inflammatory medication had not helped.

MLB.com: In their footsteps: The fifth starter

The fifth starter has a tough job. By definition the pitcher with the loosest hold on a rotation spot, he usually spends April having his turn skipped a time or two due to off-days, not getting the benefit of a five-day rhythm that his four rotation-mates have.

It’s not an ideal environment for a pitcher who is often a young player trying to establish himself and prove that he belongs in the big leagues.

Dallas Morning News: Texas Rangers’ Hamilton a hot topic

Ian Kinsler is ready to take issue with the latest issue of Sports Illustrated.

The cover shows that now-familiar follow-through of the sweet left-handed swing of the Rangers center fielder. Above him the words: “The Unbelievable Josh Hamilton.”

“I don’t know if it’s unbelievable,” Kinsler said. “He is what I expected. What I saw in Arizona in the spring, that’s what was unbelievable.”

MLB.com: Rangers creep into mix after slow start

The point is that having been a seller, Daniels knows how tough it is to be a buyer.

“You can’t go into a season expecting to get help in other places,” Daniels said. “It’s very rare. There aren’t too many players available for a variety of reasons. The Wild Card and parity have too many teams thinking they have a chance. You look at how things have developed over the past few years.

“There are very few starting pitchers available and the cost is prohibitive. I’m not mortgaging the future for a rental situation. You look at last year: the Diamondbacks didn’t make any moves. They promoted players, and that’s where they got their help. Same with the Rockies. I’m looking at guys in Texas and those in Frisco [Double-A] or Oklahoma [Triple-A] to see who are the first guys we go to if we have a need.”

ESPN.com: Reaching the unreachable could be possible this season

How do you project what a guy with no real track record is capable of, no matter how talented he may be? [Josh] Hamilton did hit .347 in the Appalachian League once upon a time. But he has never played 100 games in any professional season. So how well will he hold up as he tries to survive his first big-league marathon, let alone trying to win a Triple Crown along the way? Can’t say. But it’s astounding how many people are pulling for him.

“We all have our doubts, but when I’ve seen him, he’s gotten as many hits going to left and left-center as he has by pulling the ball,” said one scout. “And this guy is so strong — and by that I mean baseball strong. He’s hitting balls so hard that he’s shooting them through the hole so fast that the infielders are taking one step and the ball’s already behind them. And man, that’s special. And so is he.”

Dallas Morning News: Proximity pleases Texas Rangers, RoughRiders

Getting the chance to see some of the organization’s top prospects often during the season is one of many perks to having a top-level minor league affiliate, Triple-A or Double-A, close to the major league ballpark.

The Rangers moved their Double-A affiliation to Frisco in 2003 from Tulsa, and Rangers owner Tom Hicks and Daniels say they couldn’t be happier with the arrangement. Injured Rangers no longer have to leave the area for rehab assignments. And Hicks said bringing this level of pro baseball to Collin County expands the audience for the major league product across the area.

“It’s worked out better than we thought,” he said.

Daniels said: “It’s a huge advantage being so close.”

MLB.com: Sosa wants to play for DR in ‘09 Classic

Sammy Sosa might be without a job in baseball these days but he says his playing days are not over.

The former outfielder told the Associated Press that his immediate goal is to play for the Dominican Republic in the 2009 World Baseball Classic and he’s not thinking about retiring from the game at the moment.

“That’s my wish,” Sosa, 39, said, “to put on my country’s uniform so people can see me playing again.”

One week until the 2008 MLB Draft. Expect draft-related coverage to ramp up full throttle here at BTiA very, very soon.

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 29th, 2008 at 11:09 pm and is filed under Link Dump, The Season. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.