Detroit (9-8) at Texas (7-9)

little Clip from the Newberg Report:

Six straight losses, the Texas Rangers longest skid of this season put the Rangers at 5-9.

In four seasons under Ron Washington, Texas is 22-34 in the first 14 games each year, a .393 win percentage. Extrapolated over a full season, that translates to 64-98.

In games 15 through 162, Washington’s Rangers are 224-220, a .505 clip, translating to 82-80.

For two games since reading that, the Rangers have knocked down two wins.
 

Dontrelle Willis (0-1, 4.24 ERA) hasn’t won since posting a victory over Texas last May. The way he’s been pitching this season, there’s a good chance his next win could come against the Rangers as well. The Rangers will hand the ball to their opening-day starter Scott Feldman (1-1, 4.41 ERA), who struggled against the New York Yankees last Saturday, giving up four runs and seven hits in 2 1-3 innings of a 7-3 loss. Feldman was originally scheduled to start Friday night, but Texas gave him the day off to recover from a stomach virus. The right-hander is 0-1 with an 8.82 ERA in seven career games - two starts - against the Tigers. The loss came at home July 29, when he was tagged for six runs and 10 hits in 2 1-3 innings of a 13-5 defeat.

Forecast: Well, this is the first Ranger game I will be in attendance this season. I am really looking forward to snagging the only bobblehead that they will be offering this season, too. Here are the variables that concern me... Feldman's history vs. the Rangers, Feldman coming off an illness, Willis' success against the Rangers. And yet, despite all that, my brain is screaming the Rangers are gonna win. I don't know why, I just FEEL it. I am thinking of a score of 6-3, although, Feldman will toss a lot of baseballs and not pitch past the sixth inning. Smoak hits his first out of the park tonight. Johnny Out.