The Surprise, Surprise: Rangers' Bats Off To Hot Start
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By: Jared Sandler
Leading Off
Ben and Skin talked to Rougie today on 105.3 The Fan.
Game Notes: RANGERS 11 Reds 5
On the Bump
*Chi Chi Gonzalez pitched three scoreless innings but I'm not sure that it was a great performance. For me, it was average. He barely threw more strikes than balls (24-22) and allowed five base runners, two of which came via the walk. He benefited from two double plays, and while that's not luck, rather his bread-and-butter, allowing nearly two base runners an inning is playing with fire.
*Cesar Ramos, who is an underdog in the competition for the fifth starter spot, looked outstanding in his three innings of work.
At the Dish
*Ryan Rua continues to swing a hot stick, smoking three balls in his four plate appearances. Two resulted in hits, while the other was a line out. I love what I've seen from Rua, who I believe should win a MLB gig with his combination of age, upside, versatility, and play this month. I expected big things from him last year, but perhaps I was a year premature.
*Ian Desmond smacked a HR to left-center. He's swung it well in March, but since he isn't competing for a job and is an established Major Leaguer, I'm not sure that this is too much of a footnote.
*Joey Gallo continues to show improved plate discipline. He's worked more counts this Spring, even though he's still struck out six times in 18 plate appearances, he's also walked six times. Progress.
*...The reality is, everyone is hitting for the Rangers, who lead all MLB teams in both batting average and on-base percentage in March.
In the Field
*Ian Desmond has played four partial games in LF and he has still yet to receive a fly ball hit his way.
*Jurickson Profar made his second error of the Spring. After ranging towards the middle to field a ground ball.
Stat of the Day
*Through seven games this spring, Texas is hitting .358, with an OBP of .415. The next closest teams are the Chicago White Sox (.329 batting average) and Atlanta Braves (.384 on base percentage).
Quote of the Day
"I've written some good songs, but nobody has heard them yet." -Jeff Banister, joking about how he does some of his best thinking in the middle of the night.
Housekeeping
*Prince Fielder is headed back to Texas to undergo a sleep study after reporting trouble sleeping. Here's more from Stefan Stevenson (FWST).
*Rougned Odor, who was scratched from Tuesday's game because of a "tweaked side," progressed nicely today, though the team will remain conservative with him so as to avoid any setbacks. As such, he did not swing the bat today. No one in the organization foresees concern.
*Jeff Banister acknowledged that would like to give the guys competing for a bullpen spot and those who have a spot locked down to go more than an inning at some point this Spring. While a majority of their regular season outings will likely last an inning, the Rangers bullpen might not include a traditional long guy, so it is necessary that they have a group of them capable of extending themselves when the situation calls for it.
Bracketology
Today's Results
Yu Darvish d. Francisco Mendoza
Bobby Wilson d. Tony Barnette
Chi Chi Gonzalez d. Josh Boyd
Andrew Faulkner d. Luke Jackson
A.J. Griffin d. Nick Tepesch
Kellin Deglan d. Jose LeClerc
Winners: Kivlehan, Guthrie, Hamilton, Jaye, Gallo, Diekman, Cordell, Robinson, Gimenez, Desmond, Sadzeck, Ruggiano, Rua, Mazara, Beltre, Stubbs, Jones, Alberto, Claudio, Nicholas, Ranaudo, Ciriaco, DeShields, Ramos, Darvish, Wilson, Gonzalez, Faulkner, Griffin, Deglan
Losers: Moreland, Odor, Brinson, Dyson, Fielder, Johnson, Chirinos, Lewis, Choo, Hamels, Williams, Davis, Tolleson, Klein, Mendez, Andrus, Freeman, Holland, Perez, McKenry, Kela, Martinez, Profar, Wilhelmsen, Mendoza, Barnette, Boyd, Jackson, Tepesch, LeClerc
The Walkoff
The Rangers are now 5-1-1 in Spring Training. What can be drawn from that? Not a ton. The Rangers were awful last year and won the division. However, I think it is a demonstration of how deep this organization is. Whether or not it continues to reflect with the team's record, the talent the Rangers have on the field in the second half of game, when the starters are out and young guys are in typically, has almost always been noticeably better than their opponents. Whether we are talking about depth candidates with Major League experience or young talents emerging down on the farm, the Rangers have more depth in more spots than in any year I can remember.
Until tomorrow, Peace Be the Journey