Game 120: Rangers vs. Red Sox

Wow. There has been a lot going on with the Rangers. And at the same time, not a dog-gone thing going on. First off... the four game losing streak. The Rangers score 4 runs in 4 games, being shutout twice. OUCH. But what really brings the sting is the 26 runs given up in the same four games. A loss is a loss, true, so it doesn't matter if it is 2 runs or 20 runs, you still lose. But it goes to show how out of sink the entire team is... and they still gave up another 7 runs in a win. It is nice to see the offense back on track. I would love everyone's thoughts on who will take the wildcard spots. Vote to the right. Here are my quick picks on this series.

This series:

• Game 1: Scott Feldman (4-5; 4.82 ERA) vs. Tim Wakefield (7-8; 3.67 ERA)
• Game 2: Luis Mendoza (3-5; 7.50 ERA) vs. Jon Lester (10-4; 3.23 ERA)
• Game 3: Vicente Padilla (12-6; 4.85 ERA) vs. Daisuke Matsuzaka (13-2; 2.90 ERA)

I know this series is about as huge as huge can get for the Rangers. They could gain some MASSIVE ground in the wildcard hunt. So, they need their pitchers to pitch like they have never before and the hitting as to be at the best that it has been this season... In fact, if the Rangers sweep (which hasn't happened for them this season), they could knock Boston out of the wildcard lead and in goes the Twins. I didn't put the QP's down because I actually look at these numbers and immediately think of a sweep, alright. But it would the home team with the brooms. And I just hate that thought.

Per MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan and other sources (including the injured party himself), C.J. Wilson will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his elbow and miss the remainder of the season. Wilson has 24 saves in 28 chances despite a 6.02 ERA.

Hank Blalock might return on Thursday.

Marlon Byrd is the AL Player of the Week after hitting .571/.625/.929 with four doubles, two homers, and eight RBI.

Chris Davis was named AL Rookie of the Month. Davis batted .303/.337/.646 with eight homers and 16 RBI in 25 games.

So, as I have learned time and time again, the record and ERA should not be the only things considered. I thought that was a brilliant picture of Wakefield. It shows him throwing that nasty knuckle ball. Now, just off the top of my mind, Wakefield has ripped the Rangers apart.

Unfortunately, Wakefield will not be starting. Charlie Zink is a knuckle-baller replacing Wakefield in the rotation. So, here's the scoop on Zink. He's been pitching in AAA Pawtucket Red Sox (you'd think they'd come up with their own name, but I guess they aren't known for creativity) going 13-4 with a 2.89 ERA in 25 starts. He has 2 complete games and 1 shutout. His WHIP was 1.13, so he doesn't let runners get on base. Zink has never pitched in the Major Leagues.

Scott Feldman has four games against the BoSox, all relief appearances, and has held them to a .095 batting average. The BoSox has two hits and a walk in 6.2 Feldman innings, and still manages to score a run on Feldman. Feldman has a 1.35 ERA against the BoSox. Now, will Feldman look like a 1.35 ERA pitcher tonight? I don't think so. He's never had a start on the BoSox. Relief appearances are very different from starts. What I do like about Feldman is that he does step up to the challenge that the Rangers give each time. Against the Yankees, he got a quality start. He also got the loss, due to a lack of run support.

The current Boston roster is 3-18 (.167 batting average) against Feldman. Sean Casey leads the way with a 2-3 mark, but none of the current guys on the Boston roster has an RBI off of Feldman.

Forecast: So, what does this all say when we put it all together? It says that the Rangers have the better odds in this game. What the numbers do not say is that the Rangers stink against knuckle-ballers. That's just a little known fact about Ranger hitting. I do not know if Rudy Jaramillo doesn't know how to coach a hit in that department or what... but the Rangers normally do not do well in that area. I think that levels the playing field a little more, but my gut does say "Rangers", so the score will be 10-4, Rangers. Johnny Out.

Home Plate