ALDS: Texas Rangers at Tampa Bay Rays (Game 1)

The Rangers return to the post-season for the first time since 1999 and have pitching that can make them stay in the playoffs for many seasons to come. A couple of things should stay in place, with one of those starting in Game 1 against the Rays.

Cliff Lee was 4-0 with a 1.56 ERA in five playoff starts for the Phillies last year. He's the only one of the Rangers' four starters with postseason experience. He's 6-5 with a 2.87 ERA in 13 career starts vs. the Rays (3-2 with a 3.86 ERA at Tropicana).

David Price is a career 0-2 against the Rangers in four starts. He's given up a whopping 16 runs in 19.1 innings, giving him a 7.45 ERA against Texas. He's also walked 15 but has fanned 19. At home this year, he is 9-2 in 16 starts with a 1.92 ERA. He only started one game against the Rangers this season, a no decision, and tossed six solid innings giving up two runs.

Postseason for Price hasn't been bad, as he got some work in 2008 in the postseason. He is 1-0, but hasn't started in the postseason. He has five games, totaling 5.2 innings with work against the Phillies and Boston (his win was a World Series victory).

Forecast: First off, even though we are playing a really tough team in the Tampa Bay Rays, I still pick the Rangers to win this series in four games, and that is taking into account that we haven't done well against the Rays this season and we haven't play well in day games. What I am taking into account, the intangible difference, is this team is healthy and they have a new found zeal in being in the playoffs. The Rays have been there, done that, and I just don't feel the excitement from the Rays that the Rangers have right now. I like the Rangers in this one, and I think this one will be REALLY close, as Price is better than his numbers would suggest. Rangers win it 3-2. Neftali gets the save.

Texas Rangers (67-49) at Tampa Bay Rays (71-46)

The Rangers are playing good ball in spite of themselves. You gotta love that. I mean, they almost can't lose, and they really try hard. They really do. I loved the game yesterday, romping it out to the BoSox, who happens to be on my hate list, but I prefer them over the Yankees. Now, in the AL East, the Rays are my favorite, probably because I am a Ray. Wouldn't it be awesome if my last name was Ranger? Still, how many people do you know that has a baseball team named after them? Not too many. Even if my last name was Yankee, I just don't think I would like them...

Cliff Lee is 2-2 as a Ranger. His starts are beginning to scare me, not in what he does, but in what the Rangers as a batting order do not accomplish, mainly getting some runs on the scoreboard. This guy has pitched his heart out and has only two runs to show for it. YUCK! Lee has an ERA 2.57 this season, but as a Ranger it is 2.97, kinda what that Wilson kid is doing right now. For every walk he gives up, he gives up a HR and has only given up nine walks this year (yes, only nine HR). He's done about what he is doing this season to Tampa Bay, so look for a typically awesome game from Lee.

Price has resembled a piece of wood when it comes to the Rangers. Yes, that is correct, he gets hammered. 14 runs in 13.1 innings typically translates into a 0-2 record, which is what Price sports against Texas. He has fanned 11 while walked 10, so it really is a control issue against the Rangers, and with these numbers, you would think that Texas would be batting more than the .250 average, as I would have guessed it would be more in the .290 to .310 range... so, somehow Price hasn't done as bad as the numbers would indicate.

On a side note, I would think that Cliff Lee would have a great shot at a no-no in this one tonight, but maybe it isn't fair for me to pre-call that one, but it seems everybody else is throwing one, either for or against Tampa Bay this season, so why not Cliff Lee? It could happen.

Forecast: Obviously, I like the Rangers for this one. So much so, that I will predict Tampa Bay getting shutout. And the idea of a no-hitter or perfect game from Cliff Lee? I would say so only if Ian Kinsler is at second base, but he isn't going to be back tonight. Score: 5-0.

Boston Red Sox (66-50) at Texas Rangers (65-48)

The Rangers come into this show riding on their horse with the third best record in baseball, well the American League. As it is, the Padres and Braves sport better records in the National League. The Yankees and Rays have better records in the American League. So, is fifth in the Majors something to be ashamed about? Nope. I'll take it. Especially when you have starters like Cliff Lee on the staff, not to mention C.J. Wilson, Tommy Hunter, and Colby Lewis.

Tommy Hunter starts this three game set against the Red Sox. Lewis goes against Lester tomorrow, then concludes with Wilson against Matsuzaka. Now, I don't like the Red Sox, but there are worse teams on my radar than the BoSox. I hate me some Yankees and I hate me some Angels, although, with the fall of the halos, I have learned to control my attitude against the lowly Angels.


Basic numbers say the Rangers have this one in the bag, as Beckett has a 6.21 ERA and really hasn't been on target this season. He choked huge in April against Texas, coughing up seven runs in seven innings. His return in late July looked good until he choked again against the Yankees, spitting out seven runs in less than five innings. He has lowered his ERA by a full point since returning.

Tommy Hunter tossed 6.1 innings of shutout baseball to grab his ninth win. He's 9-1 right now with a 3.01 ERA. He pitched against Boston earlier this season, throwing 6.2 innings and gave up two runs on five hits, striking out one. The Rangers are 10-2 when he starts.

Forecast: I said it before and I will say it again, I don't pick against Hunter this year. He's been phenomenal at the very least, but I think the heat and long season are starting to wear him down a little. Just a little, but not enough to think he will do poorly tonight. The real question is 'when is Ian Kinsler coming back?' The offense just hasn't been the same without him. Rangers win this 5-3.

1st Half Cy Young Contenders

Every year, Major League Baseball gives out a Cy Young Award for the best pitcher in both the AL and NL, as voted on by members of the Baseball Writers Association of America. If a comparable award were given in fantasy baseball, the results likely would not match.

Many baseball pools focus primarily on wins, strikeouts and ERA, while others require the versatility and dominance of a flame-thrower who can pile up complete games and shutouts while eating innings.

Here's a look at the frontrunners for this year's Cy Young awards:

The NL contenders

Ubaldo Jimenez (COL - SP)

As discussed among baseball's first-half surprises, Ubaldo Jimenez has easily been the most improved pitcher from last season. He's gone from posting a 15-12 record in the 2008-09 campaign to having a 15-2 record this season through July 26. Jimenez has pitched three complete games, two shutouts and one no-hitter while striking out 120, but his ERA has dropped to 10th in the majors at 2.75 after two recent rough outings. Plus, he has walked 55 batters. Unlike the other NL Cy Young candidates, Jimenez isn't a perennial top draft choice, so he's brought some unexpected fantasy value to his owners as the current league-leader in wins.

Josh Johnson (FLA - SP)

Like Jimenez, Florida's Josh Johnson has been an all-around star pitcher this season, but has been exceptional in one particular category. Johnson leads the majors with a sparkling 1.61 ERA. The only other starter below 2.00 is St. Louis's Adam Wainwright at 1.94. At 10-3 with 141 strikeouts, which is good for second in the NL, just 29 walks allowed and a stellar 0.97 WHIP, Johnson likely has the edge over Jimenez at this point in the NL overall — and in terms of the best NL pitcher in fantasy baseball.

Roy Halladay (PHI - SP)

Roy Halladay doesn't seem to mind pitching in the National League. Although he spent his entire career up until this season in the AL with the Blue Jays, Halladay has shown little need for a learning curve and is still the same dominant pitcher. Case in point: he is first in complete games (seven), shutouts (three) and innings pitched (162). He's fourth in ERA (2.28), seventh in strikeouts (140) and tied for eighth in wins (11). What's even more impressive is that Halladay has allowed the second-fewest walks (20) of any of the top 70 strikeout leaders in the majors, behind Cliff Lee, although Doc also has eight losses.

Adam Wainwright (STL - SP)

You know that the crop of pitchers in the NL is phenomenal when we're talking about Adam Wainwright fourth on this list. He's actually been the best pitcher in the majors over the past month. He's gone 4-0 with a complete game, 29 K's and an unbelievable 0.25 ERA. On the season, Wainwright is second in wins with a record of 14-5, fourth with four complete games, fourth among pitchers with at least 100 innings pitched with a 1.00 WHIP and second with an enviable 1.94 ERA. He's also fifth in the NL with 136 strikeouts.

Chris Carpenter (STL - SP)

The other half of St. Louis's one-two punch is also having a stellar season, as usual. Chris Carpenter is 11-3 with 122 strikeouts and a 3.09 ERA in 22 starts. The 2005 NL Cy Young Award winner has pitched 148.2 innings, good for third in the majors, but he has no complete games through July 26.

Tim Lincecum (SF - SP)

This list wouldn't be complete without two-time reigning Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum. Lincecum has a ways to go if he's to catch the aforementioned contenders or even match his stats from the past two seasons. San Francisco's ace is 10-4 with a 3.12 ERA in 21 starts. He leads the NL with 143 strikeouts, but has already surrendered 53 walks. By comparison, in 2009 Lincecum was 15-7 with a 2.48 ERA and just 68 walks, while in 2008 he went 18-5 with a 2.62 ERA.

The AL contenders

Cliff Lee (TEX - SP)

If you haven't been paying attention to Cliff Lee's stats, you may think he was shipped out of Seattle because he's been underperforming. It's quite the opposite. The Texas Rangers acquired one of the best pitchers in baseball. Yes, he's only 9-4, but that's in just 16 starts. The 2008 Cy Young winner leads the American League with a 2.56 ERA and six complete games. He has also walked a measly seven batters all season, which is the fewest walks allowed among pitchers in the top 70 in strikeouts. Throw in the fact that Lee has the best WHIP among starters at 0.92 to go along with 101 strikeouts and you have yourself a frontrunner for the AL Cy Young Award.

Carl Pavano (MIN - SP)

More than any other pitcher on this list, Carl Pavano is an excellent example of a pitcher who likely won't win the Cy Young, but probably would have won a fantasy baseball version if there was one. He doesn't lead any pitching categories after 20 starts with the Twins, but he's near the top in several of them. More important, though, he went largely undrafted or was a very late steal in Yahoo fantasy leagues. Pavano is tied for fourth in the majors in wins (12-6), tied for third in complete games (five), tied for second in shutouts (two) and is seventh in innings pitched (143.2). He has a respectable 3.26 ERA, 81 strikeouts and just 19 walks. Additionally, Pavano is fifth among pitchers with at least 100 innings pitched with a minuscule 1.01 WHIP and has pitched complete games in his previous two starts.

CC Sabathia (NYY - SP)

Baseball fans have become accustomed to the consistent dominance of CC Sabathia and again this year he's not disappointing. He's tied for first in the AL in wins with 13 and is third with 144.1 innings pitched. Sabathia also has three complete games, two shutouts, a 3.18 ERA, 119 K's and just three losses on the season. More important, he is 9-0 in his last 10 starts for New York.

David Price (TB - SP)

The American League's starter at the 81st all-star game has had an up-and-down month, but David Price is still squarely in the race for the top pitcher award. The Tampa Bay starter is tied for first in the AL in wins with a career-high 13 (to go along with five losses) and, despite being higher up the list until recently, Price finds himself in fifth with a 2.90 ERA. The 2007 first overall pick has also obtained new personal benchmarks in strikeouts (108), complete games (two) and shutouts (one) and will add games started and innings pitched to that list shortly. You couldn't ask for much more from a late-round pick in your draft.

Felix Hernandez (SEA - SP)

With Cliff Lee now in Texas, Felix Hernandez has resumed his role as the Mariners' ace. He's third in the majors in strikeouts with 145, second in innings pitched with 160.2 and tied for third with five complete games. Hernandez is also third in the AL with a 2.86 ERA, but has a record of just 7-7 in 22 starts. Like last year, it seems Hernandez could possibly be on pace for a better second half of the season though. In the past month, he's 2-2 with a 1.88 ERA, 40 strikeouts, three complete games and a shutout.

Jon Lester (BOS - SP)

One fairly surprising candidate for the award this season is Jon Lester. In a stacked Red Sox rotation, which includes another potential contender in Clay Buchholz, Lester has a record of 11-5 with two complete games. He's tied for fourth in the majors with 143 strikeouts and has a 2.92 ERA, which is good for sixth in the AL.

Jered Weaver (LAA - SP)

Though his record and ERA are not leading the league through 21 starts (9-6, 3.22 ERA), Jered Weaver is one of the MLB's top flame-throwers in 2010. Weaver is second in the majors in strikeouts, just two behind his new teammate Dan Haren, with 147 and he has walked just 30 batters. Not bad for a guy who had a career-high 174 punch-outs last season in 33 starts.

Trivia: Who was the last Ranger pitcher to get a Cy Young award?

Rangers acquire Guzman from Nationals

The Rangers have acquired infielder Cristian Guzman from the Washington Nationals in exchange for Minor League pitchers Ryan Tatusko and Tanner Roark.

Guzman, a shortstop for most of his career, has played 63 games at second base this season, while making 20 appearances at shortstop. The 32-year-old switch-hitter is batting .282 with two homers and 25 RBIs. He has a .327 on-base percentage and a .361 slugging percentage. The 11-year veteran, who spent his first six seasons with the Minnesota Twins and last five with the Nationals, has a .272 lifetime batting average.

The Rangers also announced today that they have acquired righthanded pitcher Roman Mendez, first baseman Chris McGuiness, a player to be named later and cash considerations from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia.

Newberg Report Update: Saltalamacchia traded?

According to tweets from at least 13 different sources, including WEEI Sports in Boston, the Red Sox have acquired catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia from the Rangers.  No confirmation, and no further details yet.

Haren Says He'll Start Saturday for Angels

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Newly acquired Angels pitcher Dan Haren expects to make his next start as scheduled despite a bruised forearm.

The three-time All-Star plans to make his second start for Los Angeles on Saturday against the AL West-leading Texas Rangers. The right-hander was acquired Sunday in a trade that sent lefty Joe Saunders and three minor league prospects to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

He was drilled on his pitching arm by a line drive off the bat of Boston's Kevin Youkilis in the fifth inning of his Angels debut on Monday night. X-rays were negative.

"As of now, barring any setbacks, I should be good to go," Haren said Wednesday. "It's obviously still bruised and a little tight, but I don't see it being a problem. I'm staying on top of it and getting treatment before, during and after the games. And I'm doing my best to be out there. My arm feels great. I only threw 62 pitches Monday, so I feel real fresh, so I'll have plenty in the tank on Saturday."

Haren returned to the clubhouse Wednesday morning after spending a day in Arizona to pick up some personal belongings at his home and get in a workout at the team's Tempe training facility.

"I didn't know if there would be any restrictions or anything, so I was a little cautious at first. But I was able to pretty much just let it go," Haren said. "I threw all of my pitches, and by the end, I had no restrictions. So I'm definitely encouraged."

Manager Mike Scioscia shared Haren's optimism. But he had very little choice with a rotation already showing signs of cracks. Scott Kazmir is on the disabled list with shoulder fatigue. Joel Pineiro was a last-minute scratch before Wednesday's matinee against the Red Sox due to an oblique strain while he was warming up, and is expected to miss six to eight weeks.

"We'll look at Dan again the next couple of days and make sure he's still progressing," Scioscia said. "But it looks like he had no problem manipulating the ball and making all his pitches. So he should be good to go on Saturday."

The eight-year veteran has made 190 consecutive starts without missing a turn since 2005.

"It's scary. You don't really even have time to react," he said. "It's just kind of instinct. I kind of moved my arm up into the ball. I've had some close ones, but that was about as hard as I've ever been hit. I've gotten hit below the waist quite a few times, but never above. It got me good. Someone said the bat might have been broken — but it didn't feel like it."

Postgame Alert for the Angels

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Postgame Alert
July 27, 2010

Boston 4, LA Angels 2 at Angel Stadium of Anaheim
Boston Record: (57-44)
LA Angels Record: (52-51)

Winning pitcher - John Lackey (10-5)
Losing pitcher - Jered Weaver (9-7)
SV - Jonathan Papelbon (24)

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
BOS	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	1	1		4	9	1
LAA	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	0		2	7	1

GAME LINKS:
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Next LA Angels Game: July 28, 2010 12:35 PM PT vs. Boston Red Sox

Upcoming LA Angels Home Games:
vs. Boston Red Sox, July 28, 2010 12:35 PM PT Purchase Tickets
vs. Texas Rangers, July 30, 2010 07:05 PM PT Purchase Tickets
vs. Texas Rangers, July 31, 2010 06:05 PM PT Purchase Tickets

*****
Angels set to fade away into the sunset, maybe finish third in the division with current state of play.

7-27 Newberg Report

Boston 6, Los Angeles 3. 

The Rangers’ division lead over the Angels is now 7.5 games, nine in the loss column.  But that’s not all.

The Angels (52-50) have actually slipped into third place, a hair behind Oakland (50-48), which is also 7.5 games back.

And Dan Haren made his Angels debut tonight in that loss to the Red Sox, getting knocked out in the fifth when he took a Kevin Youkilis line drive off his pitching forearm.  Early diagnosis: Just a bruise.

Haren’s next scheduled start is Sunday afternoon, against Cliff Lee, in Anaheim.

Haren’s career against Texas: 3-5, 4.29 in 10 starts.

Lee’s career against Los Angeles: 7-3, 3.07 in 10 starts.  As we mentioned when The Trade was made, the Angels are hitting .136 as a team against Lee since 2008.

But first things first.  Lee tonight at home, against Oakland lefthander Gio Gonzalez, in what has suddenly become the Rangers’ fifth straight game against the second-place team in the division.

Postgame Alert for the Angels

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Postgame Alert
July 26, 2010

Boston 6, LA Angels 3 at Angel Stadium of Anaheim
Boston Record: (56-44)
LA Angels Record: (52-50)

Winning pitcher - Clay Buchholz (11-5)
Losing pitcher - Dan Haren (7-9)
SV - Jonathan Papelbon (23)

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
BOS	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	2	2		6	11	0
LAA	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0		3	8	0

GAME LINKS:
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Next LA Angels Game: July 27, 2010 07:05 PM PT vs. Boston Red Sox

Upcoming LA Angels Home Games:
vs. Boston Red Sox, July 27, 2010 07:05 PM PT Purchase Tickets
vs. Boston Red Sox, July 28, 2010 12:35 PM PT Purchase Tickets
vs. Texas Rangers, July 30, 2010 07:05 PM PT Purchase Tickets

Cabrera, Hamilton, Votto Aim to Make Second Half Run at History

By John Schlegel / MLB.com

More than four decades A.Y. -- After Yaz -- and still no Triple Crown in the barn.

Could 2010 finally be the year? Well, at least there is the right number of early contenders: three.

As the years continue to mount since Red Sox legend Carl Yastrzemski registered baseball's 13th and last Triple Crown in 1967, a trio of viable candidates enters the second half of the 2010 season with a swing at history.

For the moment at least, none of them is named Albert Pujols, who quietly made a run just last year at the precious -- and elusive -- three-pronged jewel for hitters.

The Tigers' Miguel Cabrera and the Rangers' Josh Hamilton both have situated themselves statistically within reach of the American League lead in all three categories traditionally celebrated as the Triple Crown: batting average, home runs and RBIs.

In the National League, it's the Reds' Joey Votto who's in the running in all three categories, having helped push his club ahead of Pujols' Cardinals in the NL Central to this point.

In the current era, the Triple Crown is a feat many would associate with Pujols, who epitomizes the complete hitter. Last year, he finished third in batting average (.327 to .342 by the Marlins' Hanley Ramirez) while leading in homers (47) and finishing third in RBIs (135).

Even one of this year's early candidates hears Triple Crown and thinks Pujols.

"The only guy I can see hit 40 home runs, hit .330 and drive in 130," Cabrera said earlier this season, "is Pujols. He's done it for a lot of years."

Yet it's Cabrera who's in position this year, and a good one given his own history of delivering in all facets of the hitting game. He's neck and neck with Hamilton in average with a Majors-leading .346 -- but with four others within 16 points -- and in homers with 22, two behind Toronto's Jose Bautista. Cabrera has the edge in RBIs, leading the Majors with 77, or 13 more than Hamilton in fourth place in the league.

They have about the same attitude about the Triple Crown at this point: Let's wait till September to really see where things stand.

"I think that's too soon," Cabrera said. "I don't think about that. It's going to be two more months. I want to focus on winning games. If it happens, it happens. You have to not put pressure on yourself. You have to be yourself and go out there and play every day hard."

Said Hamilton: "If I said it wouldn't be nice, obviously, I would be lying. If it happens, it happens. If not, I'll just settle for a strong year and a winning year. Those are the two things that are foremost on my mind."

It is heady stuff, to be sure. All 11 Triple Crown winners since 1901 are in the Hall of Fame, including twice-crowned Ted Williams and Honus Wagner. No Hank Aaron, no Babe Ruth, no Willie Mays. Stan Musial's not one of them, either, having lost what would have been the crucial homer to a rainout in 1948.

It takes a remarkable -- and full -- season to get there. In 1967, Yastrzemski hit .324 with 19 home runs and 56 RBIs in 79 games before the All-Star break, and went .329/25/65 afterward. The year before, Frank Robinson won the AL Triple Crown going .312/.321, 21/28 and 56/66.

So, clearly, the current candidates' work is far from complete. In fact, they really need to pick it up a notch.

Cabrera's past performance shows in remarkable similarity that he doesn't do much differently in either half of the season. Entering this season he had batted .311 before the break and .311 after it. He had 108 homers before, 101 after. And 364 RBIs before, 389 after.

Hamilton's a little harder to gauge. There was his breakout season in 2008, in which he hit 21 homers in the first half and 11 in the second, while driving in 95 runs in the first half and 35 in the second. Last year, Hamilton's first half was marred by injury, but he had a big August at the plate, batting .342 with 17 RBIs but just one home run. So, hard to tell what that all means for this year.

Besides, there's always the chance for a spoiler, and each league has an excellent candidate or two at this juncture. In the AL, Bautista leads in homers and is showing few signs of slowing down, and Martin Prado of the Braves is 11 points ahead of Votto, with four others in between.

Votto's candidacy is the most precarious of the three largely because of that stat -- his 1.011 on-base plus slugging percentage, tops in the NL and second only to Cabrera in the Majors -- can't help him there. While he's knotted at the top in homers with Adam Dunn at 22, he's also got a lot of traffic in the RBIs race, standing at 60 with leaders Corey Hart, Ryan Howard and David Wright, plus three others standing in his way. While the Rockies' Carlos Gonzalez is also lurking in all three categories and Pujols is an average-boosting streak away from joining the fun, it's clearly a tough environment to become the first NL'er to win it since Joe Medwick in 1937.

Like the others, though, it's not really about chasing an elusive crown for Votto. It's about performing at a high level, hoping to help the team advance. It's about becoming the best hitter he can be, and that might just be enough.

"I'm just like everybody else. I want to succeed. I want to play well and be meaningful to the team," Votto said as he awaited an All-Star nod, eventually given in the Final Vote. "Good things come with that and they will."

Added Reds right fielder Jay Bruce: "It's getting hard to ignore him. He's arguably one of the top three hitters in the game."

And right now, he's among three who look like they could make a run at joining an even more exclusive club: Triple Crown winners.

Postgame Alert for the Mariners

Seattle Mariners Postgame Alert
July 25, 2010

Boston 2, Seattle 4 at Safeco Field
Boston Record: (55-44)
Seattle Record: (39-60)

Winning pitcher - Brandon League (8-6)
Losing pitcher - Hideki Okajima (3-3)
SV - David Aardsma (18)

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
BOS	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0		2	7	0
SEA	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	3	X		4	11	0

GAME LINKS:
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Next Seattle Game: July 26, 2010 07:10 PM CT vs. Chicago White Sox

Upcoming Seattle Home Games:
vs. Texas Rangers, August 3, 2010 07:10 PM PT Purchase Tickets
vs. Texas Rangers, August 4, 2010 07:10 PM PT Purchase Tickets
vs. Texas Rangers, August 5, 2010 07:10 PM PT Purchase Tickets

Postgame Alert for the Mariners

Seattle Mariners Postgame Alert
July 24, 2010

Boston 1, Seattle 5 at Safeco Field
Boston Record: (55-43)
Seattle Record: (38-60)

Winning pitcher - Chris Seddon (1-0)
Losing pitcher - Jon Lester (11-5)
SV - Garrett Olson (1)

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
BOS	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0		1	5	1
SEA	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	3	X		5	4	1

GAME LINKS:
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Next Seattle Game: July 25, 2010 01:10 PM PT vs. Boston Red Sox

Upcoming Seattle Home Games:
vs. Boston Red Sox, July 25, 2010 01:10 PM PT Purchase Tickets
vs. Texas Rangers, August 3, 2010 07:10 PM PT Purchase Tickets
vs. Texas Rangers, August 4, 2010 07:10 PM PT Purchase Tickets

My goodness, when Boston decides to fade, they take it seriously! So, how many loses for the Mariners this season? 100-105 when it is all done, I would have to say.

Postgame Alert for the Mariners

Seattle Mariners Postgame Alert
July 23, 2010

Boston 2, Seattle 1 at Safeco Field
Boston Record: (55-42)
Seattle Record: (37-60)

Winning pitcher - Scott Atchison (2-1)
Losing pitcher - Jason Vargas (6-5)
SV - Jonathan Papelbon (22)

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
BOS	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	0	0		2	9	0
SEA	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0		1	6	2

GAME LINKS:
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Next Seattle Game: July 24, 2010 07:10 PM PT vs. Boston Red Sox

Upcoming Seattle Home Games:
vs. Boston Red Sox, July 24, 2010 07:10 PM PT Purchase Tickets
vs. Boston Red Sox, July 25, 2010 01:10 PM PT Purchase Tickets
vs. Texas Rangers, August 3, 2010 07:10 PM PT Purchase Tickets

Postgame Alert for the Mariners

Seattle Mariners Postgame Alert
July 22, 2010

Boston 8, Seattle 6 at Safeco Field
Boston Record: (54-42)
Seattle Record: (37-59)

Winning pitcher - Hideki Okajima (3-2)
Losing pitcher - Garrett Olson (0-3)
SV - Ramon Ramirez (2)

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
BOS	0	0	3	0	0	2	1	0	0		8	13	3
SEA	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	5		6	7	1
	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18		R	H	E
BOS	0	0	0	2	X	X	X	X	X		8	13	3
SEA	0	0	0	0	X	X	X	X	X		6	7	1

GAME LINKS:
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Visit mariners.com for more information »
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Next Seattle Game: July 23, 2010 07:10 PM PT vs. Boston Red Sox

Upcoming Seattle Home Games:
vs. Boston Red Sox, July 23, 2010 07:10 PM PT Purchase Tickets
vs. Boston Red Sox, July 24, 2010 07:10 PM PT Purchase Tickets
vs. Boston Red Sox, July 25, 2010 01:10 PM PT Purchase Tickets

Postgame Alert for the A's

Oakland Athletics Postgame Alert
July 21, 2010

Boston 4, Oakland 6 at Oakland Coliseum
Boston Record: (53-42)
Oakland Record: (48-47)

Winning pitcher - Gio Gonzalez (9-6)
Losing pitcher - Clay Buchholz (10-5)
SV - Michael Wuertz (2)

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	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
BOS	1	0	0	0	1	2	0	0	0		4	8	2
OAK	0	1	2	0	3	0	0	0	X		6	12	0

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Next Oakland Game: July 23, 2010 07:05 PM PT vs. Chicago White Sox

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7-21 Newberg Report

The entirety of last Thursday’s report read:

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Since 2008, Texas has a 3-10 record in Boston. 

And an 0-9 record in Detroit.

Time to see what this Rangers team is made of.

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Answer: Two series wins, and five wins in six games at the moment, the lone loss coming on a night when Cliff Lee gave up two runs on six hits and one walk (remember that it was intentional when his season walk numbers are referenced) in nine innings and was one out away from a victory.

Unbelievable. 

But getting closer, each series, to believable.

A few quick things:

1.      Tommy Hunter is now 7-0, the first Rangers starting pitcher to begin a season with that record.

a.       Only twice in Hunter’s starts did he not win.  On June 16, he left in third with a strained hip flexor, having allowed one run (which actually didn’t come across until he’d already exited).  In fact, it’s the only one of Hunter’s nine appearances that wasn’t a quality start (though Texas ended up winning the game).  And on July 8, he went six-plus innings against Baltimore, leaving a 4-2 lead in the hands of the bullpen (one of Hunter’s runners came across with Alexi Ogando on the mound).

b.      Only twice in Hunter’s nine starts has Josh Hamilton not homered: (1) on July 3, a 3-1 Rangers win over the White Sox in which no Texas hitter managed an extra-base hit off John Danks and three Chicago relievers; and (2) on July 15, a 7-2 Rangers win over Boston in which Hamilton doubled three times.

c.       Almost as freaky: Since Hunter has joined the active roster, Hamilton has 13 home runs . . . seven coming in Hunter starts. 

d.      Hunter’s next start: Newberg Report Night, this Sunday.

2.      Two interesting AAA role changes in the last week: (1) righthander Tanner Scheppers has moved from the Oklahoma City rotation back to the bullpen and (2) hitter Mitch Moreland has moved from the outfield back to first base. 

Said Assistant GM Thad Levine of the Scheppers transition: “With our current pitching depth and our goal for Tanner for innings pitched this year, we feel that he can make the most impact as bullpen depth for the major league team as we try to best position ourselves for playing meaningful games in September and beyond.”  Scheppers, who struggled in six RedHawks starts (5.84 ERA, .330 opponents’ average, 19 strikeouts and eight walks in 24.2 innings), gave up two runs on three hits and a walk in two relief innings last night, fanning none.  His arrival in Texas isn’t imminent, but it’s clearly in the plans.

Just don’t expect it to be as soon as Newberg Report Night, like last year’s surprise call-up of Neftali Feliz that was announced just as Jon Daniels completed his Q&A with us.

As for Moreland, who played his first 82 games of the season in left or right field, we speculated even before Chris Davis’s return struggles that the trade of Justin Smoak could prompt a Moreland move back to first base.  It has.  In his five games since the transition, Moerland is hitting .294/.391/.471, right in line with his overall .286/.369/.475 line.  (Of course, Davis hit .354/.403/.555 in Oklahoma City this season.)  Moreland’s monthly OPS numbers: .668, .824, .880, .989.  And since April, he has almost as many walks (38) as strikeouts (39).

Last night’s solid Davis game notwithstanding, I expect another first baseman added to the roster in the next 10 days, but it won’t be Moreland, a fellow left-handed hitter.  The Rangers are going to get another right-handed bat in here, and it will be a veteran who can play first (Ty Wigginton, Mike Lowell, Jorge Cantu, Wes Helms, Xavier Nady).  If Davis can build off last night’s effort, he won’t necessarily be replaced in the lineup, but he’ll likely give up some meaningful at-bats.

Still, Moreland is on the radar.

3.      Baltimore Sun reporter Jeff Zrebiec speculates that the Orioles could accept a middle infielder like Joaquin Arias or Leury Garcia or Luis Sardinas for Wigginton.  I doubt the Rangers would make Sardinas available in a deal like that.  Texas is also on the hunt for a left-handed reliever, according to Ed Price of AOL FanHouse.

4.      An addition to the auction list for our event on Sunday: A visit to Chuck Morgan’s control room and booth during that night’s game.

5.      Justin Smoak (.267/.267/.500) has struck out in nearly half his Seattle at-bats (14 of 30).  Maybe more astounding: zero walks.

6.      Josh Lueke has made two relief appearances for Seattle’s AA West Tenn club: 3.1 scoreless innings, two hits, no walks, six strikeouts.  Thirty of his 36 pitches have gone for strikes.  Blake Beavan’s first start for the same club: five runs on six hits and one walk in four innings, three strikeouts.  Michael Main has a 7.84 ERA in three AA starts for the Giants, with seven walks and four strikeouts in 10.1 innings.

7.      Jarrod Saltalamacchia has thrown out six of 51 would-be AAA base-stealers. 

8.      Dear Cowboys Fan:  Save me a spot.  I’m gonna be running late this year.

And feel free to stay a while.