Game 97: Rangers vs. Tigers

This game may not be played today. A lot of rainy weather in the area... Detroit has a two game lead over the second place White Sox, which means that in the Wild Card standings, the Tigers are five games back behind the Red Sox, or two and a half behind the Rangers, who have the fourth best record in the American League.

On 7/17/09, the Rangers were 48-39 and have gone 6-3 since. The Angels have gone 8-2 during that same period of time. 6-3 is good. 8-2 is better.

I haven't posted the wildcard standing this season. In fact, I am not even sure if I have ever posted the WC standings. Whatever. The Royals were once first place in their division... boy, have they gone south. A trade for Zack Grienke? I would sure hope the Rangers could pry him away.


If Ben Sheets is a Class A Free Agent, even though it is after the draft, will the Rangers still have to give up picks? Anyone know?

Scouting Report:

Tigers: Galarraga lowered his ERA by more than a quarter of a run in his last outing, thanks to 7 1/3 innings of one-hit, one-run ball. He had a shutout going into the eighth before walking Jack Hannahan ahead of Russell Branyan's two-run homer off Bobby Seay. He has pitched at least 6 1/3 innings with one run allowed in three of his past four outings to revitalize his season, but the Tigers have won only one of those games. He would no doubt love to earn a victory against his old team in Texas, which he has beaten twice since the Rangers traded him to Detroit last year.

Rangers to Watch:

• Marlon Byrd is 3-6 against Galarraga.
• Chris Davis (currently in AAA) is 2-6 with one HR and three RBIs.
• Josh Hamilton is 2-5 off Galarraga.
• Hank Blalock is 1-3 with an RBI.

Rangers: Hunter pitched six innings and allowed one earned run on Tuesday against the Red Sox for his second Major League win. It was his third quality start of the season. He has gone 2-1 with a 1.52 ERA over his last four starts to lower his ERA to 2.16 from 5.06. Hunter produced 10 consecutive batters from the second out of the third inning to the second out of the sixth. This is his debut against the Tigers. In his career at home, Hunter has a 5.01 ERA with a 2-2 record, but a 2.74 ERA with a 2-1 record this season.

Forecast: I have to start this one out like this...

Loser (noun):

• A person, team, nation, etc., that loses.
• A person who has failed at a particular activity.
• Someone or something that is marked by consistently or thoroughly bad quality, performance, etc.
• A misfit, esp. someone who has never or seldom been successful at a job, personal relationship, etc.
• One that fails to win.

Why do I put this in this particular part of the post? Because the Rangers are 0-6 this season against Detroit. The Rangers, as the definition would claim, fails to win against the Tigers. Last season, the Rangers went 3-6 against the striped cats. You have to go back to the 2006 season when the Rangers didn't have a losing record against the Tiggers, when they split the series 5-5. I do not understand the hex against the Rangers, but I am at a point to where the Rangers need to prove something to me when it comes to Detroit. Tigers win this one, 5-2.

Home Plate