Texas Rangers are a fun team to watch right now
A majority of Texas Rangers fans would have laughed at the idea of playoff contention just one month ago. Yet, here they stand just three games out with 37 games left and it looks like they still have plenty of fight left in them.
Believe it or not, the Texas Rangers have played the best baseball they’ve played all season this month. After starting the year 11-14 and a total of 50-55 through July, they went on a mild selling spree to bolster the farm system and regroup for next year.
To some fans that signaled a raising of the white flag. In fact, there are some of them out there that haven’t watched the Rangers since then. They say things like, “They gave up, so I’m giving up on them.” But don’t run away too fast, Texas fans. It looks like this team’s not done fighting.
They’re having fun
To those that have watched the Rangers play all season, there is a noticeable difference. At the beginning of the year, they almost seemed worn out and dragged down by what was happening.
Perhaps the fact that some of them played in the World Baseball Classic added an extra level of fatigue. Maybe they felt immense pressure to come back like a resurrecting heavyweight from last season’s playoff flop. But either way, this team merely went through the motions early on.
But just watch a few innings now and you’ll see a difference with the club. They have a looseness about them and will actually crack some smiles from time to time. The Texas Rangers look like a team that loves going to the ballpark and doing their job once again.
I’d love to say that it all started on July 26. Amidst this terrible 22-10 beating from the Marlins, third baseman Adrian Beltre brought some joy to everyone watching when he moved the on deck circle. The entire sports world, sans umpire Gerry Davis, found it hilarious. But the Rangers went on to lose four straight shortly thereafter.
They’ve trimmed the fat
No, the line of demarcation here is the trade deadline. However, the Yu Darvish trade wasn’t the one that made the difference. Instead, it had more to do with letting go of Jonathan Lucroy. The guy couldn’t hit his way out of a wet paper bag, but cried to the media after the trade about how the mean ol’ Rangers wouldn’t extend his contract. Yet, extending his bat to get more than four home runs and a .242 average would have sufficed.
Since the departure of Lucroy, the pitching has improved and hitting from the catcher position has drastically gotten better. In less than 10% of Lucroy’s number of plate appearances, backup Brett Nicholas has half the home runs that Lucroy did. He’s batting six points better and has an OPS that’s over 100 points better. Meanwhile, Robinson Chirinos stepped into the full-time catching slot and responded by raising his own average from .211 to .242.
On the other side of the plate, Chirinos has far outplayed Lucroy. With Chirinos behind the plate, the team ERA is 0.71 points lower and opponents have a batting average that’s 20 points lower. He calls a great game and is clearly the guy you’d rather have behind the plate in a crucial game. And as far as crucial games, this team has started to show that they can handle them.
They’ve started fighting
Just one year ago, this team was known for their ability to erase late deficits. Three and four run leads meant nothing to the 2016 Rangers team. But when the calendar turned to 2017, it looked like the constant battles of last year had worn them down.
Falling behind early and staying behind became the frequent pattern of this year’s Rangers. Their record of just 12-32 when trailing after the fourth inning pales in comparison to last year’s 23-39. While last year’s team almost desired to trail, this one needs to be ahead. But that changed on Saturday, August 19.
Earlier in the year, a 5-0 deficit in the bottom of the first inning would have done them in. They would have probably quietly faded away into the summer night and lost by a large amount. Instead, starting pitcher Martin Perez bore down and allowed just one run on two hits over the next five innings.
In response, the Texas lineup more than rewarded him with an onslaught of hits and runs. After 17 runs crossed the plate, the Rangers found themselves on top with a 17-7 victory.
Of course, it also helps that they’ve thrown the first punch several times this month. They’ve gotten ahead early more often in August than the rest of the season and it’s shown.
Next: Rangers still viable candidate in a weak field
So for those of you that have written this team off, you might want to reconsider. With 37 games remaining in the regular season, anything can happen. They’re playing well, they’re having fun and they’re playing with a fire in their bellies that comes out on the scoreboard. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to witness something special.