Sandler: Rangers Win Another Series, Prince Heating Up
By: Jared Sandler
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The Leadoff
*Friday night's loss to Boston was not a pleasant one, but for people who entered panic mode, here's the deal: If any team with World Series aspirations can't bounce back from a regular season loss, no matter how deflating, than they weren't getting to the World Series anyway.
*Ryan Rua chatted about his beloved Cavaliers winning the Championship:
*Mike Bacsik and I discussed the Rangers' rotation and how to work around recent injuries.
Stats of the Week
*Opposing hitters are batting just .069 (2-for-29) vs. A.J. Griffin's curveball this year.
*Rougned Odor leads MLB with 7 bunt hits.
*Prince has an 8-game hitting streak and since getting unplugged, he's slashing .284/.355/.493/.848.
*The Rangers are 11-0-1 in their last 12 series. The last time they lost a series was when they got swept by the Athletics.
Quote of the Week
"It just [stinks] because even though I was giving up runs, the pitch count was down and I could have saved the bullpen for at least three more innings." -Colby Lewis, who, in Colby Lewis fashion, wanted to stay in the game despite having suffered what we know now is a grade 2 lat strain which will keep him sidelined for over a month.
Covering the Bases
*Both Yu Darvish and Keone Kela had bullpen sessions on Sunday as they continue to take steps towards their returns. My guess is both are back right after the All-Star Break.
*You can't teach this type of athleticism and savvy.
*It's funny how a spot of depth thins out with injuries. Thankfully the Rangers have a number of internal options to fill temporary voids. Will they want those options to fill longer term holes? I guess we'll find out. My thought, though, is that the Rangers have added a depth starter to their trade-season wish list, which already included a front line starter.
*A lot of people have wondered aloud why Kyle Lohse has gotten an opportunity to start. For me, Lohse is the backup quarterback whose the subject of everyone's intrigue, only to serve a quick reminder of why he was in that position to begin with when getting a chance. His 5.00+ ERA in Triple-A just doesn't excite me. Nor does his 5.00+ ERA last season in the bigs. I'd much prefer the first crack go to guys like Chi Chi Gonzalez or even Connor Sadzeck to join Nick Martinez
*Speaking of Nick Martinez, I don't know if he's ever a fixture in a good starting rotation, but I have no issue with this guy ever pitching. He typically pounds the zone, but what I like most about him is the conviction with which he pitches and his willingness to attack inside. He doesn't have what you'd call great "stuff," but he's that friend of yours who does everything with confidence and, because of that, tends to be successful in his pursuits.
*Don't look now, but Prince Fielder is really hitting well of late. Since getting unplugged, his .848 OPS is more than 100 points better than league average. I'm not suggesting he keeps this pace up the rest of the way, but it is encouraging to see him kick it into a gear way above his lowly gear over the first two months. They don't need him to be an All-Star, but if he can become a productive player, that makes this lineup even more dangerous.
*Lost in the team's success of late are the struggles of Nomar Mazara at the plate. He's 7-for-his-last-50 (.140) with just 1 extra base hit over his last 13 games. I'm not concerned and I think he'll bounce back fine--he's just 21 years old!--but it is worth pointing out that he's hit a rough stretch, for sure.
*The injuries to the Rangers' rotation not only add to the importance of Cole Hamels, but Martin Perez as well. Batman needs Robin, and with two rotation spots dedicated to guys probably better served as spot starters and not mainstays, Robin, aka Martin Perez, needs to step up, too.
The Walkoff
I've made it very clear that I'm rooting for the White Sox to lose so that they consider making Chris Sale available. It's more likely a pipe dream than a possibility, but a kid can dream, right? If he's made available, I dare you to get me to say no to a package for him.
By the way, don't sleep on the Astros...they've started to really figure things out.
Until tomorrow, Peace Be the Journey
