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Texas Rangers miss the playoffs in MLB The Show 17 simulation

By Stephen Francis

The MLB The Show 17 sim has forgotten one of the biggest assets the Texas Rangers have -- Jeff Banister. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
The MLB The Show 17 sim has forgotten one of the biggest assets the Texas Rangers have -- Jeff Banister. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports /
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The folks over at App Trigger have taken MLB The Show 17 and simulated the entire season with some facts about the Texas Rangers. How accurate will it be?

Now’s the time of year where the predictions pour in for the upcoming season, and it’s interesting to see what everyone says about the Texas Rangers. The consensus is a mixed bag as to whether they make a third straight postseason appearance. But there’s one prediction in particular that stands out above the rest.

The team over at App Trigger, for the second straight season, have taken this year’s MLB The Show game and simulated the upcoming season. They put the game in AI mode for all 162+ games for all 30 teams and posted the results. Now before you laugh at the concept, keep in mind that they got it right in 2016 by picking the Chicago Cubs.

What did the simulation say?

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So naturally, the biggest question we have to answer is how our beloved Rangers finished. Their simulation had Texas finishing with a respectable 84-77 record**, but finished third in the AL West and missing the playoffs.

**Editorial note — I realize that’s not 162 games, but 161. You’ll have to ask them why. I’m sure they have a logical explanation.**

The simulation paid respect to the power and efficiency of the Rangers offense. But with a rotation anchored by Yu Darvish and Cole Hamels, the pitching breakdown caused a few questions. Check out the following excerpt from the article:

"As always, it’s the pitching that just can’t get things together for the Rangers. Yes, you have Yu Darvish and Cole Hamels in your squad to lead the way, but with 4.50+ ERAs from the rest of the rotation isn’t going to get it done. Plus, when you combine it with a taxed bullpen and a closer in Sam Dyson that had nine saves sucked away, you get yourself in a situation where two winnable games were lost due to inefficiency."

Who were the other three starters?

Look, 84-78 (or 85-77, whichever adds up to an actual 162) is certainly within the realm of possibilities. As SportDFW has previously pointed out, there are still some glaring questions with this team. But, the pitching rotation might be their strongest asset this year.

Darvish and Hamels do, indeed combine for one of the MLB’s best one-two punches. Nick Martinez comes in right behind them as a very solid third starter and A.J. Griffin is serviceable. But what did the game do with Tyson Ross and Andrew Cashner?

There stands a chance that by mid-season, those guys take over the number four and five slots in the rotation and push Griffin to the bullpen. If they both overcome their injuries and play to at least a majority of their projected best, then they’re great back-of-the-rotation arms.

What about the strategic element?

The other aspect of baseball that the game likely overlooks is the cerebral, chess-playing part of the game. Texas Rangers manager Jeff Banister boasts one of the league’s best minds and if a guy like Dyson isn’t cutting it at closer, he’d make a change rather quickly. Perhaps if the game had moved someone like Matt Bush into the ninth inning role or even Jeremy Jeffress, things might look differently.

Next: Rangers five biggest questions from spring training

So while these kind of things are fun, they shouldn’t be taken as gospel. That doesn’t mean the Rangers can’t miss the playoffs this season. That could certainly happen. But if it does, it’ won’t go down this way.

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