Rangers Post Successful Home Stand, Astros Await

Despite losing two of the three series on this ten-game home stand, the Texas Rangers managed to keep pace in their division.

It would have been nicer to get at least one more win in this stretch of games at home. A 7-3 mark looks much better than the actual 6-4 record. Granted, it’s hard to scoff at a .600 winning percentage, but you’re still looking at a five game deficit heading into today’s series opener in Houston. As early as it is, the Rangers are going to have to win at least three of four in order to make a dent in the lead.

Now the good news is that the Rangers have pretty much owned Houston lately. In fact, dating back to the 2015 season, Texas has a 28-10 edge over their American League West bunk mates. Are the teams that disparate in regards to their talent levels? No. Do they simply match up well against Houston? Yes. Are they in the Astros’ heads as a result? Up to now, one has believe they  absolutely are.

Of course, the last two years are water under the bridge. As “they” say, past performance isn’t an indicative of future results. But until Houston proves they can handle the pressure, you have to consider the Rangers the favorites. If nothing else, I would anticipate Houston being a bit tight starting off. I’m not saying the Rangers are destined to dominate. I’m simply saying that if there’s a good time to steal game, tonight’s is it.

The other concern lurking in the weeds is what happens if the Rangers lose the series. A five game deficit is one thing. But what if we’re looking at seven or eight games when this thing is over with? At some point in time, mediocrity will have to be the exception, not the rule. Save for a four-game sweep of the hapless Royals, mediocrity has been the only consistent dish on the menu.

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Granted, they haven’t lost the division. There’s a lot of truth to the axiom regarding the ability to lose a pennant in April. The Rangers certainly haven’t done that. Hovering around the neighborhood of .500 In the early going of an MLB grind is usually never a bad thing. Keep in mind, the 2015 squad started off 7-14 before finding their stride and slowly reeling the Astros in for the American League West crown. But if they tank in Houston this week, things would take a decided turn for the worse. Yes, it’s “early”, but the hole can’t become much deeper, especially given the lousy offensive production.

While we’re at it, let’s revisit the offense. Last week, they were trudging along at a .207 clip, which was good for next-to-last in the American League. The team batting average now sits at .223. So while they’re trending in the right direction, they’re still mired in the same spot. As a matter of fact, only two every-day starters–Elvis Andrus and Shin-Soo Choo–sport averages north of .250. Carlos Gomez (.242), Nomar Mazara (.229), Joey Gallo (.213), Rougned Odor (.198), and Mike Napoli (.148 ) are simply not producing. This cannot continue if they have designs on pulling themselves out of this malaise.

Will the Astros be the cure all for the Rangers’ problems, as they have been in seasons past? This year, the hard answer is “maybe”. We’ll know a lot more about this team after this series wraps up. A sweep is a pipe dream, given the way this bunch has played so far. Three of four would be ideal. Heck, even a split isn’t the end of the world. But if we’re looking at losing three of four–or getting swept–concerns regarding this team’s short and long term success would take a major blow.

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So bring on the hated rivals from Houston. Andrew Cashner gets the start against Lance McCullers Jr. The Astros bring their second-ranked American League team batting average (.271) while the Rangers send in their paltry attack. On paper, this looks like a severe mismatch in Houston’s favor. We all know, though, that that hasn’t meant much lately. This is about as good as it gets, in regards to a high-leverage, early-season tilt. Let’s hope the Texas Rangers show up and assert their dominance.