All cylinders

Going, gone

The Texas Rangers followed their 6-0 win last night with an 8-5 win tonight over the Oakland Athletics, a team getting buried quickly in the American League West.

The Rangers have suddenly won five straight and are playing the the best baseball since their 90 start to the season. Rangers are 6-2 in July and 11-6 in this home-heavy stretch before the break.

A review in six chapters:

Defense
The Rangers aren't merely playing good defense or improved defense. Frankly, for the last week, it's been phenomenal. The bullshit errors are gone, the outfielders are in the right spot and if they're not they're running balls down, and the infield's been at times spectacular. The coincidence of the Rangers running off wins and the defense -- night in, night out -- getting the job done is not serendipitious.

Derek Holland
Holland was great Thursday night tossing a complete game shutout. Allowing four hits, striking out seven. However, naysayers quick to point out that Holland shutout the offensively-flaccid Oakland A's. That's crap. You have to consider that most teams aren't good. Also, if you want Holland to pitch against only good teams, you'll need a different scheduling procedure in the MLB. Also, no one second guesses C.J. Wilson, Cliff Lee, Roy Halliday, Felix Hernandez or Justin Verlander when they face the A's, Royals, Dodgers or Astros. If Holland can beat the bad teams, we're set. Of his 19 starts, 12 have come against .500 teams or worse. He's 6-6 in those game.

The Night After
I attended tonight's game, a day after the tragedy. It was an odd feeling. I think everyone paid extra attention to every foul ball. It was not as well-attended as I thought it would be. There were 37K announced. I thought Friday night, fireworks, C.J. Wilson v. Gio Gonzalez and the game after would pull in 45K+. Not so much. Still, a nice crowd. They picked up Josh Hamilton with some nice ovations. It felt ... ordinary.

Hitting
The Rangers are doing a lot of it. Up and down the line-up card. Right now, you do not want to face them. Period.

Base Paths
I don't know this for a fact or anything, but I'm willing to put a sawbuck on the line to state that the Rangers are the best baserunning in Major League Baseball. They rarely make mistakes. They're healthily aggressive. They regularly go first-to-third and second-to-home on any hit. They're mostly quick and even the slowpokes are smart. For my money, baserunning's become this team's biggest weapon. It's the piano wire they wrap around the opponent's neck and pull.

Unis
Again, absolutely love the red caps with the bright whites with red/blue piping. Love it.

The fall

I don't know about everyone else, but I can't get the image of Shannon Stone, a Brownwood firefighter, leaning over and tumbling from the leftfield stands last night at the Ballpark.

He died, as we learned, later. By most accounts, he was conscious and talking as he was being taken to the hospital. He was with his son.

I don't know exactly what he died from. It wasn't immediate. The story notes that his head was bleeding badly and it was relatively obvious that he had fallen headfirst. I'm sure that's all concrete behind that scoreboard.

I don't know why this is getting to me. I have to admit, I'm not the most sensative of guys. Although personally mesmerized and terrified of death and all that, I have almost zero problem reading newspaper after newspaper of murders, riots, insurrections in foreign countries and wars. I see it as just one of those things that happen in life, that being death.

I go to a lot of Rangers games and my tickets are right next to a railing. If I take my daughter, the ushers always tell you to stay away from the railing and do not lean on it. I always imagine a foul ball being hit my way and how I would react. I know that if a ball came towards me and was in a downward trajectory I would reach over and attempt to get the ball.

No longer. It's sickening to think that a death of a man going to a cruddy ballgame with his kid has to remind us that there are so many more important things in this little life of ours. You can go to Academy or Dick's Sporting Goods and buy all the fucking baseballs you want. Nothing can replace what happened last night.

In my usual macabre fashion, I did think about all the variables that went into Stone and his son attending that game. The rain storm that washed out the game in order to make yesterday's make-up day happen. I think of possibly those pitchers working faster in order to get past the fifth inning and making that an official game and making last night fiction.

I think about that guy and his kid opting for different seats. I think of Conor Jackson fouling the ball off into the stands or to the ball girl in left field. Or maybe Jackson never making contact. Or hitting a home run.

I think of Josh Hamilton tossing the ball into the stands in foul territory.

I know it's ridiculous to think about all this shit. It certainly does nothing for that firefighter's son and the rest of the family. It doesn't help Hamilton or the Texas Rangers get over this. But I think that despite all of our outward manifestations and rhetoric, we are overwhelmingly terrified of death. We agonize over the small things that accumulate over a day, a week, a year or a lifetime without the ability to change them, and that, moreso, is the most terrifying thing of all.

Just don't feel like talking baseball

Shit. My stomach just sunk. I watched the TV report noting the death of the guy that fell from the left-field seats at the Ballpark in Arlington going for a baseball tonight.

It was the second inning. The Oakland Athletics' Conor Jackson hits a foul ball down the left-field line and it winds up close to Josh Hamilton, who tosses the ball to the front row of the stands. The mans just leans too far over and falls awkwardly. You can tell that he landed on his head.

His kid was right there next to him.

Several things:

1. The Rangers will need to address the foul ball thing. Handing the ball to fan is one thing. Tossing it -- something that's relatively common -- seems real uncomfortable. What if the fan misses and it bonks them on the nose? Clearly, death is something they never think about.

2. This is two straight years of some guy falling over the partition. Expect those to go higher.

3. Can the fan's family sue? If the fan buys a ticket, do they accept all responsibility for their actions and any accident? Is there a difference between a foul ball conking you on the head and a player being a part of the accident?

4. Not to bring it back to the sports page, but this is some fucking bad mojo. Needless to say, the Rangers would never want someone dying in their ballpark. However, this has got the stench of bad vibes all around it for the remainder of the season. Not unlike the brawl with Frank Francisco in Oakland in 2004. That incident killed the Rangers' momentum that year.

Raking

Good to see Tiny E awake on defense

I feel bad for the Baltimore Orioles. Much like the Rangers a few weeks ago against the New York Mets, I think they ran into a team that just couldn't be stopped.

The Texas Rangers did it again. They ran the Orioles out of the Ballpark 13-5 last night putting on a hitting clinic.

For the series:

30 runs - 46 hits - 15 doubles.

I think the most extraordinary thing were the home runs. There were three. The Rangers scored 10 runs per game in a three-game set and they hit a meager three home runs. All of this reinforces my ascertion that the double is the most lethal hit in the game. Doubles turn ordinary innings into huge innings. Doubles strung together with a walk, a couple of singles and an error make it 0-0 to 4-0 in a hurry.

For instance, last night. The Rangers' first inning featured two doubles, two walks, a single and sac fly to put Alexi Ogando up 4-0 before the Orioles could catch their breath. It had to be ripping Orioles' fans apart inside. There was nothing they could do.

Thirty runs. Three home runs. That is remarkable.

Also astounding is how everyone was locked in this series. Nine different Rangers hit doubles. Six guys last night had multi-hit games (Michael Young, Adrian Beltre, Elvis Andrus, Ian Kinsler, Mitch Moreland, Endy Chavez). Pinch hitters went 2-3 last night.

Again, nothing Baltimore could do other than try to get those 27 outs at some point.

The Rangers are 4-2 in July and 9-6 in this home-heavy stretch before the All-Star break.

Notes:
1. Until I'm blue in the face, I'll apologize for all the mean things I said about Adrian Beltre. He now has 24 doubles and a jaw-dropping 67 RBI. No one's changed my opinion of them faster than Beltre.

2. Alexi Ogando put together his second straight fine start. Of course, now the spotlight is on Derek Holland. Before allowing two dingers last night, Ogando had allowed three home runs in his last 10 starts. He's officially at 104.2 innings pitched.

3. Ogando with Napoli catching: 37 IP - 21 hits - 8 ERs - 3 HRs - 9 BBs - 28 K.

4. Elvis Andrus got on base five times last night. A pair of doubles. If he's right at the plate, watch out.

5. Mike Young has three straight three-hit games. You can not convince me that moving him to designated hitter wasn't the best move.

6. Welcome back, Mike Napoli.

7. Loved what Darren O'Day was bringing in relief. Just think, right now he's not in the eighth inning save-situation picture.

8. Ian Kinsler has five multi-hit games in last 10. Included are seven extra-base hits.

9. It's fun to win.

Rangers lose rather inpercise art of gambling

A fine mess

Brandon Webb is out for the season and will likely require rotator cuff surgery. Sad news for a guy who was probably the best pitcher in Major League Baseball for a couple of years and who had certain unrefined expectations when the Rangers threw $3 million and incentives at him in the off-season.

This was a solid gamble and one I take over and over. Webb's time cost $3 million. That's chump change to the Rangers who just gave a 16-year-old Dominican outfielder $5 million. There was zero risk and high reward for the Rangers. Even if Webb would have met all of his incentives, it still would have been a bargain.

GM Jon Daniels likes investing. Relatively speaking, Webb was low cost and he was here for the immediate future. Giving Eric Gagne or Kenny Lofton $5 million -- considering where the Rangers were as an organization -- were rentals. If they succeeded they were going to be traded. If they flopped, it was still worth the risk.

Those gambles paid off. This one didn't. The only thing you can do is keep playing the game.

Better late than never

Endy rock: Doing those small things

Around the seventh inning, I was fuming. The night after absolutely clobbering the Baltmore Orioles, the Texas Rangers could barely tough some starting pitcher named "Mitch."

You should never get beat buy a guy named "Mitch." Ever. Even if it's Williams.

The Rangers offense came around. Scored four runs in the seventh inning, the Rangers bullpen held up and won the thing 4-2 to at least get the series win and a shot at sweep tomorrow.

By the numbers:

0
Walks by Matt Harrison, who went six innings allowing the two runs. He's not allowed a zero-walk game all season.

2
Home runs allowed by Harrison. His first multi-home run game of the year. And, yes, it's July.

1
Scoreless inning each for Tommy Hunter, Mark Lowe and Neftali Feliz. Will we look upon this trio differently in September? Do the Rangers have their bullpen situation figured out?

1
Extra-base hit by the Rangers, an Adrian Beltre double. The day after hitting 10 extra-base hits against the same Baltimore squad.

6
Base hits in two games from Michael Young, making him 42 hits short of 2,000.

7
Hits from Nelson Cruz in last three games. Nine RBI in last four games.

5
Runners left on base by Mark Reynolds. He went 0-4 with two strikeouts tonight.

The Texas Rangers own Latin America

Ronald Guzman: Mo' money, mo' problems

July 2 started the international signing period for Major League Baseball. Meaning, those studs in Venezuela, Dominican Republic, Mexico and the Far East can be signed by clubs.

The Rangers have absolutely knocked their international signings out of the park. From Guillermo Pimentel, David Perez, Jurickson Profar to Luis Salinas, Jorge Alfaro, Rougned Odor and Martin Perez, the restructuring of the Rangers as a first-class organization stemmed from this team's ability to go into Latin America and come out with some world-class athletes.

July 2, 2011 was no different.

The Rangers threw $5 million at 16-year-old Dominican outfielder Nomar Mazara, which eclipses the $4.25 million the Oakland Athletics gave Michael Ynoa several years ago. At the time, it seemed like an astronomical amount.

The Rangers also nabbed 16-year-old left fielder Ronald Guzman. He's from the Dominican Republic too. In the last three months alone, the Rangers have completely remade their minor league outfield situation. Adding Leonys Martin in addition to taking 11 outfielders in the 2011 Draft and, now, Guzman and Mazara changes everything. Once a point of weakness is now a strength.

Scouts and pundits are raving. Although the money is high, most see little difference in drafting above-slot guys who have just as much chances of making the bigs as these Latin American kids. Instead, the Rangers make reaches in the draft, take solid guys in the middle rounds and blow their load on the international market.

These kids could potentially be stateside in the next year or two playing professional baseball, whilst high school kids could very well opt for college. Already in Low-A Spokane, Alfaro, Odor, Pimentel and D. Perez are making a difference. M. Perez is barely in his 20s in Double A and Elvis Andrus made his MLB debut at 19.

The ceilings are just as high -- as are the price tags -- but there's a possibility of a quicker rise due to the way the Rangers push their prospects.

Voted least deserving

The Murph

The Texas Rangers beat the Baltimore Orioles last night, 13-4. They tallied the 13 runs on 18 hits. They'll be fucking lucky to get 13 runs and 18 hits between the next two games. The Rangers certainly know how to blow their load earlier.

Anyway, it's a win. (By the way, thumbs up on the red hat/white jersey look. Maybe they've done it before, but I've never noticed. Let's bring that back.)

The Rangers got good news yesterday as it was announced that they received four All-Star representatives in Arizona in another week: Mike Young, Josh Hamilton, Adrian Beltre and C.J. Wilson.

For my money, only Beltre was truly deserving. For American League, Beltre's numbers stack up to anyone and he's the better defensive third baseman.

It sorta bugs me that Mike Young was taken as a designated hitter because he's eligible and guys like Paul Konerko and Mark Teixeira are considered "first basemen." The DH should be your best hitter that has a quantifiable amount of times at that position. Young's having a fine year. But not as good as some other guys, who would easily go in before Young.

Josh Hamilton's inclusion is further proof that its a popularity contest. Honestly, I wish he'd not play and rest.

Wilson was picked by Ron Washington and is the only Rangers pitcher and, arguably, the only Rangers pitcher worth the trip.

Wilson's having a fine year. He's in or around the top 10 in most categories. Still, it's a homer pick. If the manager of the AL were from another team, a pitcher from that skipper's squad would have made the trip. There are probably a handful of other much-worthier picks, but I doubt anyone's going to nitpick on Wilson or Washington.

Error of their ways

Give 'em hell, Wash

The Texas Rangers lost yesterday 6-4 to complete an unbelievable series loss to the Florida Marlins at the Ballpark.

It's all pretty ridiculous. Mainly because after Friday night's 15-5 win as the offense went completely nuts against the Florida pitching, you got the feeling it'd be a good weekend, if not a great weekend.

Instead, the offense peaked Friday night. They lost 9-5 Saturday after Derek Holland allowed a first inning to forget and then Sunday.

Errors ain't helping. I get that the Rangers are a good defensive team and that they get to balls that other teams dream about getting to. I totally get it and if you watch enough Rangers baseball, it's pretty clear that they are solid defensively. In theory.

However, if you get to it, you've got to make a play on it. You've GOT to get the ordinary plays done and you've got to finish off those toughies that come around.

Yesterday in the eighth inning, C.J. Wilson left the game with a runner on third base, one out and a one-run game. Mark Lowe comes in and induces a groundout to Omar Infante. Another out and it goes to the ninth. He walks Gaby Sanchez (who'd killed the Rangers all game) and gets to Hanley Ramirez.

He grounds toward Elvis Andrus, a bounding try that spends way more time in the air than the ground. Andrus charges and can't get the glove on it. Inning continues. Runners at first and second and a tied game.

That was your game. Not Darren Oliver's two-run double he'd allow or the fourth run that would cross off Neftali Feliz. Three unnecessary runs scored because Andrus couldn't make -- mind you, a difficult -- play.

Remember last season when Andrus and others were making difficult play after difficult play? The Rangers lead the world in unearned runs. It's not just the difficult plays that are seeping through the cracks. There are little league plays getting missed. It's an epidemic and if anything needs to improve, it's that. Now.

Notes:
1. C.J. Wilson was brilliant and deserved a much better fate. One earned run and a walk next to nine strikeouts. Just beat the shit out of the strike zone all night.

2. Josh Hamilton and Mike Young, yesterday: 1-8. Six runners left on base. Young, the king of the worthless 1-4 day.

3. Adrian Beltre loves the Marlins: 7-11 - 2 doubles - 1 home run - 5 RBI.

4. Nelson Cruz: 5-12 - 1 double - 1 triple - 2 home runs - 7 RBI.

5. Symbolic of the Rangers offense, Ian Kinsler got on base four times in three games (not including his home run) and stole three bases and scored one run.

Wipeout

Ogando, in action

The Texas Rangers are slowly getting deeper and deeper into some problems that will need to be figured out sooner or later. Probably sooner.

Alexi Ogando had his best outing in a long time taking a perfect game into the fifth inning and winding up going 6.2 innings, allowing five hits, two hits and striking out a career-high of eight Florida Marlins in the 15-5 win last night.

It's July 2 and the trade deadline is a mere 29 days away. The Rangers need help. It's anyone's guess where they actually need it.

If Ogando is your No. 4 starter the rest of the way, you target bullpen help. If Ogando isn't in the rotation, you might eye a starter. Ogando's the lynchpin. His insertion into the bullpen -- in addition to Tommy Hunter's, Scott Feldman's and Darren O'Day's -- gives you a relatively safe feeling about your seventh, eighth and ninth innings.

It also gives you a glut of pitching. I don't know where it all fits. Particularly, within the next year and a half, the Rangers will need to make some more decisions regarding the pitching staff. There are guys knocking on the door in Frisco and Oklahoma City. They can't stay there forever as you try to figure out where Ogando and Neftali Feliz go.

As for the offense, well, if Taylor Teagarden's knocking RBI doubles into the gap, all is well at least for one day.

Notes:
1. For my money, Mike Kirkman is a starter. And I don't think he's very good.

2. Adrian Beltre went opposite field on all three hits, including a huge RBI double down the first-base line after the Marlins walked Josh Hamilton to load the bases. The guy's on pace for 120+ RBI.

3. Josh Hamilton got on base all four times.

4. Andres Blanco's eighth-inning bomb was absolutely cracked. The guy contributes whenever, wherever.

5. Happy birthday, Nelson Cruz. Six RBI including a base-clearing triple and a three-run bomb. I think he has been given the perpetual green light at every at-bat. He's a base hit or an out at this point.

First the NBA Title, now the Silver Boot

Andy White with the lumber

Dallas-Fort Worth is cleaning up in 2010-11.

We never believed the high after winning the NBA title could get any higher. We never thought there was another plateau above nirvana.

Here we go.

The Texas Rangers won 3-2 in Houston last night winning not only the series, but the season series and, thus, the vaunted Silver Boot. It is staying exactly where its at.

I'm sure Neftali Feliz drank champagne out of it. I'm sure Nolan Ryan took a piss with it. I know that Michael Young left the field right after the final out to cry in the clubhouse.

I know that overemphasizing the importance of winning the Silver Boot, a trophy no one cares about, is fun and all, but there is a hint of seriousness. Although we may not necessarily care about the Houston Astros, I care a whole lot about beating the shit out of any team from Houston.

I hate Houston. Most notably, I hate the Rockets. But I have zero love for the Texans and Astros. Maybe there's not a rivalry, but I'd rather see those teams lose than most other teams. It is what it is.

Yesterday, Nolan Ryan said that he'd like to see the Houston Astros brought to the American League West as realignment talks have gotten hot over the weeks. Ryan, of course, talks about the television market and being able to stay in state. This is true.

It also wouldn't hurt having the Astros on your schedule 15 times a year.

Notes:
1. If nothing else, Colby Lewis is going to be well-rested for his next start. Lewis was cruising the entire game until the seventh inning. He was pulled after giving up two runs and three hits. He'd thrown 74 pitches. What I don't get is that Lewis absolutely wipes out the Astros for six innings and gets the yank at the first tilt of the boat, but C.J. Wilson can throw 130 pitches so you can avoid the bullpen? What happened to "one more inning?" It worked, so there's little to actually bitch about. Still, it's two straight nights for Neftali Feliz and Mark Lowe because of Tuesday night.

2. All of this, of course, is based on my idea that Lewis was alright. He did look extremely sweaty out there and the Houston smog might have gotten to him.

3. Ian Kinsler continues to kill it. Two home runs. Average up to .243.

4. No problem with Mark Lowe as of late. Funny, his ERA drops from 6.10 to 2.45 in his road/home splits. Him getting outs on the road is huge.

5. In his last 20.1 innings, Colby Lewis: 4 ER, 3 HR, 4 BBs. He's officially at 100 innings pitched.

6. Love the strike-them-out-throw-them-out to end a game. By the way, why was Carlos Lee on the bases, why was he stealing? This is why you want to play Houston 15 times a year.

7. If Colby Lewis and Andres Blanco are your big hitters, you're in trouble. Two straight starts for Brett Myers against the Rangers and he's handled them pretty well despite a 6.00 career ERA against them. Love of off-speed junk.

MVPs

Kins

I don't think I considered Ian Kinsler the Least Valuable Player for the Texas Rangers at any point this season. I sure didn't consider him the Most Valuable Player.

After some thought, it's an idea I can get behind. Although, Joltin' C.J. Wilson might have something to say about that.

Both were stellar last night as the Rangers guaranteed a tie in the battle for the Silver Boot in a 7-3 win in Houston.

Kinsler tallied a home run, triple and two walks. Just that pesky single and double short of the cycle.

Wilson was a single-home run-double short of a cycle as he had his first Major League hit. He also went seven innings of two-run ball.

Kinsler, arguably, has been the most consistent Ranger in the line-up. That might be definied as "consistently bad" but it's consistent nonetheless. Of course, his issue has been his road splits where he was hitting .123 a couple of weeks ago. That average on the road is up to .171 now after a seven-game stretch where he's gone 11-32 with two doubles, two homers and a triple.

Most notably, his presence is felt in the lead-off spot. In 103 games a year ago (his health this year should also be noted), he walked 56 times. In 75 games this year, he's walked 49 times. He's getting on base 36 percent of the time despite hitting .240. He's already matched his totals in stolen bases, homers, triples in 25 less games.

If Kinsler isn't this team's MVP, it's Wilson. When he takes the pill, he brings it. He hasn't gone less than six innings since May. He hasn't allowed a home run in 36 innings. He's not Cliff Lee. He allows some runs. Opponents are hitting .246 off of him. But at the end of this season, I expect the Rangers to do something for Wilson they weren't willing to do for Lee: Do whatever it takes to sign him to a longterm contract.

What I love best about those two guys is that they've gone half the season under the radar. If something's said about them, it's typically negative. Otherwise, they work. Others may get the press, but at the end of this year we might be looking back having underrated C.J. Wilson and Ian Kinsler.

Notes:
1. Neftali Feliz's game-saving pitch: An unhittable slider.

2. I love Yorvit Torrealba. Have I said that already?

3. Darren O'Day pitched again for Round Rock last night: 1.1 IP - 1 hit - 0 runs - 2 Ks.

4. The Rangers bullpen is screwed up or Ron Washington knows either more or less than I do. Why are your only reliable right-handed pitchers getting used in a 7-2 game? I'm no proponent of Dave Bush, but isn't that when you bring a guy like him in? By Thursday, Yoshi Tateyama and Mark Lowe will be unusable and they'll find themselves with Bush in the eighth of a close game. Haven't we seen this movie already?

5. Very satisfying night at the plate. Every Ranger starter got a hit. Twelve total. Two doubles, three homers, two triples mixed with two strikeouts and two walks.

6. Mike Young at 101 hits, on pace for more than 200. Fifty-one short of 2,000 for his career.

7. Josh Hamilton and Mitch Moreland's homers? Opposite field. Torrealba's double? Kinsler's triple? Opposite field.

8. The Houston Astros are fun to play six times a year.

9. There might be a better utility infielder in the league. I wouldn't trade Andres Blanco for that person.

Rangers take weekend series loss to do some scouting, apparently

Charles Beltran, Esq.

The Texas Rangers lost a series to the New York Mets.

And, yes, the umpires did screw them. Royally. I hate blaming officials for everything, but that was atrocious. You shouldn't have to make that pitch when you've already made it.

Moving on.

Some good did come out of that. Other than Lucas Duda's slugging percentage, the Rangers were eyeing outfielder Carlos Beltran and reliever Francisco Rodriguez.

Rodriguez pitched once -- Sunday -- over the weekend and was roughed up for two runs. He's got a 3.65 ERA and a .271 BAA. Still, he's converted 20 saves and struck a batter out per inning. And, he beats up his father-in-law. Cheerful!

Beltran's been the bane of the New York Mets faithful (outside of Bernie Madoff, of course) since signing that seven-year, $119 million deal in 2005. He hasn't played 100 games in two years. He's having a fine year now batting .278 with 49 RBI (five against the Rangers).

This is Beltran's final year of that contract and Mets are in semi-retreat already double-digit games out of the division lead, which is going to go to the Philadelphia Phillies, sooner or later.

Rodriguez is just 29, but he's been beaten up (so to speak) on the field and off. He's in the final year of a three-year, $37 million deal with a team option for 2012 totaling ... wait for it ... $17.5 million (!!!), which automatically vests if Rodriguez "finishes" 100 games between 2010-11 or 55 games in 2011 (there is a $3.5 million buyout). By "finished," I assume they mean saved. With 55 saves this season and the unliklihood of him getting 55 this year, that year won't vest.

Rodriguez would go into the eighth or ninth inning role, depending on Neftali Feliz' ability to get outs. He's be a big, ballsy arm in the bullpen, exactly what the Rangers need.

Beltran, I would assume, would be the everyday centerfielder with Josh Hamilton in left and Nelson Cruz in right. This leaves Dave Murphy, Julio Borbon, Craig Gentry and Endy Chavez on the bench or stuck in the minors. Beltran's also a handy switch hitter, although he's better from the left side of the plate. That's a lot of tools in the outfield if this should come down.

Love the Rangers being in the rumor mill. It's quality stuff.

Minor Threat 6.0: The Spokane Indians

Unattainable Minka Kelly

A somewhat weekly look at the Texas Rangers farm system. And an unattainable female.

The minor league season is in full swing, post-MLB Draft. The Rangers have signed 22 of their 51 draft picks (by my count ... which is less-than-official), seven of the top 11 and 14 of the top 21 picks.

Also, Scott Feldman, Brandon Webb, Eric Hurley, Leonys Martin and Darren O'Day are all amid their respective rehab assignments. Webb and Hurley are far from close. O'Day is really close and Feldman is probably ready in a pinch.

Joe Wieland was finally bumped to Double A-Frisco.

Enough of that. The Spokane Indians started their season, so let's take a look at who's on the roster.

Guillermo Pimentel
The outfield prospect was the Rangers' major coup in Latin American signings a few years back. Spent most of 2010 in Low-A Hickory and struggled. Probably why he's back in the Northwest again to start this season. Ripping it up, so far. Posting a .387 average and seeming more patient with six walks and seven strikeouts in 31 at-bats, a ratio more in tune with progress.

Zach Cone
The compensatory round pick for the Rangers a couple of years ago. Considered a reach, although he is hitting .357 in the early goings. Currently, taking advantage of lefties at a .625 clip.

Rougned Odor
Odor is become a name of great interest. He's a 17-year-old shortstop prospect getting high praise already and his last name isn't "Sardinas," "Profar" or "Andrus." Right now, he's hitting .325 with a triple, home run and three stolen bases. As raw as a 17-year-old professional baseball player should be.

Ruben Sierra
Entering his third professional season hitting .313 as things have started up. Already posted a five-RBI game. Time will tell. Has struck out 14 times and walked none.

Jorge Alfaro
In 2018, I would bet the Rangers would love Alfaro, Sierra and Odor up the middle in Arlington. Or something like it. Alfaro's 18 and is still maturing. He's projected to be a solid catcher with a really good arm. He's tall (6-2) and considered very athletic. He's projected to have plus-power at the plate. Right now in Spokane, hitting .212 with a triple and homer.

Juan Grullon
Nothing special, just funny that he's 3-0 in four relief appearances. Posting a 0.00 ERA.

David Perez
Considered by most as the Rangers' most promising prospect in the lower levels of the system. Has 14 strikeouts and two walks in eight Spokane innings.

Will Lamb
The Rangers' second-round pick has struck out three in his first two professional innings. Three hits, too.

Matt West/Leonel de los Santos
De los Santos is a 5-10, 21-year-old Dominican righty. West is a 6-1 righty 22-year-old kid from Houston. Both are significant -- in a way -- because both are transitioning from an infield position to pitching. De los Santos was a catcher with a bazooka arm and West was a high draft pick several years ago out of high school, who was busted for steroids early on and couldn't hit (or field, so it seems). Early on, West is having a better go of it striking out six and walking no one. Both are interesting projects.

Matty Ice

Dirk and 6-7 Mike Pelfrey played one-on-one later

Matt Harrison's changing perceptions around here. Stringing together quality stars was expected. Rolling into June healthy and dealing was another.

Harrison notched his sixth win tonight, beating the New York Mets 8-1 in front of 46,000 fans at the Ballpark.

It's becoming the norm. Over his past 37 innings, he's allowed just six earned runs. His ERA has dipped to 3.00. In his last two starts -- 13 innings -- he's struck out 10 and walked just two.

Harrison has also learned to keep the ball in the yard. He's allowed just six homer runs this season. Just one in his last 37 innings.

At 77 innings, he's matched his workload from his nine-win rookie season in 2008. Let's see:

2008
83.2 IP - 100 hits - 57 runs - 31 BBs - 42 Ks - 1.57 WHIP - 5.49 ERA - .300 BAA

2011
84 IP - 72 hits - 34 runs - 34 BBs - 52 Ks - 1.26 WHIP - 3.00 ERA - .238 BAA

Now is the tough part. The weather's getting hotter, teams are getting familiar and Harrison's never pitched this much as a Major Leaguer.

The Rangers are now 3-1 in this 18-game stretch before the All-Star break, all at home.

Notes:
1. Elvis Andrus sprained his wrist. No word on his injury or how severe it is. Mike Young at shortstop? Andres Blanco? Promote Jurickson Profar from Low-A Hickory? Hoping it's not serious, but if Andrus had to sit for a little while, I don't think it'd be all that bad.

2. Dirk Nowitzki threw out the first pitch. He should stick to basketball.

3. Speaking of, why wasn't Gary Pettis out there catching Nowitzki like he does when some third grader from an elementary school or the principal from South Grand Prairie throws out the first pitch? Dirk got Mike Young.

4. The Rangers have something in Mark Lowe. They just need to be patient with it. He's allowed just two baserunners in last four outings, striking out five. Strikeout tonight came on an 88-mph change-up.

5. Couldn't feel better for Yorvit Torrealba. Three hits gives him 13 in last 10 games. His average is up to .267. A fourth hit just missed from getting out of the park.

6. Really nice to see Josh Hamilton and Adrian Beltre hitting. Each had two-run knocks. Beltre added a pair of opposite-field doubles. Things are good.

Friday afternoon Texas Rangers tidbits

Mr. Met

The New York Metropolitans are in tonight.

****
Dirk Nowitzki is throwing out a good pitch. Finally, a decent closer on the mound. Ha.

****
Josh Hamilton said his day-night splits are due to his blue eyes. And he has a optometrist backing him up:

"Because of the lack of pigment in lighter color eyes -- like blue or green eyes as opposed to brown -- you get a lot more unwanted light and that can create glare problems."

The solution: Sunglasses.

****
Jon Daniels is not in town if you're trying to reach him to go out for drinks. I know I have. He's in the Far East. Scouting.

One specific player he's looking at is Japanese hurler Yu Darvish, the dude that's been teasing to come to the United States for two years. He's dominating, of course.

****
Eric Hurley was taken off the disabled list from his concussion after getting knocked in the head earlier this season. He's at Triple A Round Rock. The 40-man roster is full.

Meltdown

Can't Feliz it

Colby Lewis put together a brilliant performance last night for the Texas Rangers.

Some of his numbers as he gets back from an awful stretch:

Two Starts Before
4.2 IP - 17 hits - 15 runs - 4 homers - 3 BBs - 4 Ks

Last Two Starts
13.2 IP - 8 hits - 2 runs - 2 homers - 4 BBs - 18 Ks

Lewis went seven strong last night. Unfortunately, there were still six outs still to get. And the Rangers, apparently, had no one that could get them. They lost 5-3, all five Houston Astro runs coming in the final two frames.

Ron Washington takes more heat for the handling of the bullpen than anything else. He could DH Arthur Rhodes, and he still wouldn't take as much criticism than pitching Darren Oliver four times in five days.

Last night, up 2-0, Dave Bush was your eighth inning guy. Wash bypassed Rhodes and Mike Kirkman as the only reasonably rested guys. Bush allowed a run before inducing a double play to end the inning.

Then Neftali Feliz -- who'd pitched two innings the night before -- gave up four runs on a passed ball and a three-run home run by someone I'd never heard of.

Consider that one run was scored on a passed ball and Bush pitching in the game, it's a tied game if you eliminate shit that should never happen.

Maybe Feliz was the best option there. Maybe not. Mark Lowe, Darren Oliver and Yoshi Tateyama were not available for extensive work.

But it would make you wonder if over-pitching Lowe, Oliver and Tateyama the last five days was the best idea. Lowe pitched two-thirds of an inning and Oliver an inning Monday night in a 8-3 win. Would you not have loved to have Lowe and Oliver Tuesday night in extra innings and again last night.

As the bullpen turns.

Remember, though, this is probably the highlight of the Astros' season.

Ugly, but effective

Error of judgement

How bad are the Houston Astros?

On a night when nothing is going right with the Texas Rangers and their rookie starter is going seven inning keeping the Rangers at bay (on the road) they lose 5-4 in 11 innings.

Ridiculous. C.J. Wilson was not sharp. The Rangers line-up could muster very little outside of some solo home runs and Taylor Teagarden. And they committed ridiculous errors.

Nothing was going right. But give credit to Wilson. He powered through seven innings and put together a couple of scoreless innings allowing the Rangers to claw their way back.

It wasn't easy, but it was worth it. The theatrics have avoided the Rangers all season. Outside of a walk-off affair against the Kansas City Royals (I think), the Rangers have been the victim of late-inning high jinks more than they've been the perpetrators.

Keeping it close allowed Josh Hamilton to crush a game-tying solo bomb and keeping it tied allowed Mitch Moreland to bash his second home run in as many days.

The Rangers are 2-0 in this very important 18-game stretch. With the Seattle Mariners losing to Washington, the Rangers are up two games in the AL West.

Notes:
1. With four strikeouts and no walks, Wilson's K/BB ratio went up to 2.58. An improvement from 1.83 a year ago. In 14 innings with Taylor Teagarden as catcher, Wilson's walked three.

2. Wilson hasn't allowed a home run in 29.1 innings. His longest streak of the season.

3. Neftali Feliz, the last three games: 4 IP - 1 hit - 0 runs - 0 BBs - 6 Ks.

4. Ian Kinsler has 42 walks, 32 strikeouts. His on-base percentage is on par for his career total (.354) despite his average being 40 points below his career average (.276).

5. Yoshi Tateyama walked his first batter as a Major Leaguer. It took 15.1 innings.

6. Mike Young has 91 hits. He is 64 short of 2,000.

Make hay

Defense is all about throwing and catching

OK, so the Texas Rangers suck on the road. Or at the very least a .500 road club.

That makes the next 18 ... I mean, 17 games even more important. As the first half winds down, the Rangers now have 14 of 17 at home including last night's 8-3 win over the AWFUL Houston Astros.

In fact, the Rangers have the Astros twice, the New York Mets, the Florida Marlins (whose coach quit), the Baltimore Orioles and Oakland Athletics going into the All-Star game. The Rangers need 80 percent of these games. Now is the time the Rangers make hay and put a stranglehold on the American League West.

Last night was a super start. Thoughts:

Derek Holland
I think The Ticket's Sean Bass had it right on Twitter last night: Holland's done just enough to keep him in the rotation. Yes, he's uneven and can get rattled. However, he's also your fifth starter, and I love Tommy Hunter and all, but Holland is your best bet moving forward. In fact, as an organization, I give Holland the entire season, sink or swim. Six of his last 10 starts have been good to great. In 2012, if you want to go a different direction, fine. I think you'd have a great trade chip. However, for right now, Holland is the guy. Unless he walks a No. 9 hitter. Then you can trade him.

Josh Hamilton
Feels like he's about to turn it on. RBIs in five of his last six despite going hitless in three of those games. He still gets runners home. A MVP-like Hamilton makes all the difference for that line-up.

Nelson Cruz
The same with Cruz as it is with Hamilton. He's got seven hits in his last four games, five of them doubles. Still, he's striking out at a torrid pace and not walking. Doesn't seem to be the same guy at the plate most nights.

Defense
The defense this season has been a trainwreck, I don't care what kind of fielding statistic you throw at me. Yes, I agree that they are very talented and deep defensively. They make plays many others at their position won't make (see Ian Kinsler's DP yesterday). If Dave Murphy is your worst defensive outfielder, then you have far worse problems elsewhere. However, unearned runs still count. It probably cost them a sweep in Atlanta. You can still be great while still being just good. On some plays, good is enough.

Craig Gentry
Has he made Murphy tradeable? The knock on the guy -- who's done all he can in Triple A -- is he can't hit in the Majors. Well, he's hitting .271 with a .377 OBP. He doesn't strike out a lot. He has no home run power, but can hit the gaps. Love his brains and hustle. One of the better baserunners (along with speed) on the roster.

Rangers ink top picks

Will. i. Lamb

No waiting around until August for the Texas Rangers' top picks.

I guess it's a perk of picking so late in the first round. And also picking guys most weren't going to take in the first around.

The Rangers signed first rounder Kevin Matthews for $936K and compensatory pick Zach Cone for $873K.

The Rangers have signed 17 of their 51 picks. This comes a day after signing second rounder Will Lamb. The Rangers have, obviously, signed their top three picks and six of their top 11.

Matthews is going to Arizona. Cone is going to Spokane. I assume Lamb will go there too.