Game 7: Rangers (4-2) vs. Mariners (4-3)

The final game of the series and homestand.

Vargas has started nine games against the Rangers over the past three years, going 3-4 with a 4.53 ERA, which means he gives up a run every other inning. Not good for the mariners. Vargas has a 1-0 record right now and has already started two games. He has a 2.31 ERA but a career 4.49 ERA... so I'm going to go with his career on this one and say that he did a good job against the A's in both of his starts.

Rangers vs. Vargas:

• Nelson Cruz hits .313 (5-16) with 3 homeruns and 4 RBIs
• Ian Kinsler hits .400 (8-20) with 4 doubles, a homerun, and 3 RBIs
• Michael Young hits .417 (10-24) with a double and 3 RBIs
• Mike Napoli hits .348 (8-23) with 2 doubles, 2 homeruns, and 2 RBIs

The Rangers see the ball well when Vargas pitches, batting .275 (current roster) with 9 homeruns and 18 RBIs (which really should be higher, but I think Vargas is holding a lot of solo homeruns in this mix).

Holland has a 4.50 ERA right now after one start, but I believe that this year he will finish with an ERA under 4.00, as last year he tossed a 3.95 ERA, I think this year will be better than that. Over the last three years, he has a 5-1 record against Seattle with a 3.17 ERA and has held the M's to a .226 batting average during that time.

Mariners vs. Holland:

• Chone Figgins bats .313 (5-16) with a double and 2 RBIs
• Frankling Gutierrez bats .286 (4-14) with a double
• Justin Smoak bats .364 (4-11) with a double and RBI
• Ichiro Suzuki bats .240 (6-25) with 2 doubles and 3 RBIs

Forecast: I like the Rangers in this one. I have to admit, Joe Nathan is starting to make me nervous, but I will try to keep the faith in our closer to do his job. Rangers take this one, 6-2.

Game 3: Rangers (1-1) vs. White Sox (1-1)

Rangers drop one in the ninth... gggrrrrr.

So, we have the third and final game of this three game series. The Sox send out Gavin Floyd, while the Rangers send out Matt Harrison to the mound.

Over the past three seasons, Floyd has a 5.06 ERA in April, but throws well against the Rangers with a 3.04 ERA and a 2-2 record... in his career six starts, he is 2-3 with a 4.73 ERA. His ERA has gone up in each of his last three seasons, and has a losing season in last two.

Rangers vs. Floyd:

• Adrian Beltre: .238 (5-21) with a double and 2 RBIs
• Nelson Cruz: .111 (1-9) with 3 strikeouts.
• Josh Hamilton: .600 (6-10) with 2 doubles and 4 RBIs
• Ian Kinsler: .231 (3-13) with a homerun and 2 RBIs.
• Michael Young: .267 (4-15) with two doubles and a RBI.

The current Rangers roster bats .265 (30-113) with 8 doubles, a triple (Julio Borbon), 3 homeruns (Kinsler, Murphy, and Napoli) and 13 RBIs.

The Rangers offense is struggling coming out of the gate, Cruz is 1-6, Napoli 1-7, Andrus 1-8 and Beltre 0-7... for a combined 3-28 or a .107 batting average. 

So, considering the current trend vs. historical trend... Cruz will continue to struggle tonight. And it doesn't look great for Beltre, Andrus, and Napoli. 

Harrison is a career 2-0 against the Sox in five starts. He has a 3.54 ERA against Chicago and is coming off a 3.39 ERA season where he pulled down a 14-9 record. 

Sox vs. Harrison:

• Paul Konerko: .091 (1-11) with a double and a RBI
• Brent Lillibridge: .300 (3-10) with a RBI
• Brent Morel: .500 (2-4) with a triple and a homerun. 3 RBIs.
• Alexi Ramirez: .333 (3-9) with a RBI
• Alex Rios: .429 (3-7) with a RBI

Forecast: Harrison is going to have to pitch one heck of a game to keep these Rangers in this one. He's the right pitcher for this job, but the main concern is will our hitting show up? I can't see those four staying in this opening slump for terribly long, but today is not going to be the day they break out of it. Look for a low scoring game, with the White Sox taking it away from the Rangers once again. Score 3-2.

Opening Day Roster 2012

RH Pitchers: 

• Mike Adams
• Yu Darvish (SP)
• Scott Feldman
• Neftali Feliz (SP)
• Colby Lewis (SP)
• Mark Lowe
• Joe Nathan (CP)
• Alexi Ogando
• Koji Uehara

LH Pitchers: 

• Matt Harrison (SP)
• Derek Holland (SP)
• Robbie Ross

Catchers: 

• Mike Napoli
• Yorvit Torrealba

Infielders: 

• Elvis Andrus (SS)
• Adrian Beltre (3B)
• Alberto Gonzalez
• Ian Kinsler (2B)
• Mitch Moreland (1B)
• Brandon Snyder
• Michael Young (DH)

Outfielders: 

• Nelson Cruz 
• Craig Gentry
• Josh Hamilton 
• David Murphy

Game 1: Rangers vs. White Sox

The season opener, Rangers Colby Lewis takes on a former Rangers prospect John Danks. Both are making their first career season opener starts, so NO PRESSURE! HA!

Danks is 1-4 with a 3.81 ERA in his career against the Rangers. He went 8-12 last season with a 4.33 ERA and has a career 54-56 mark with a 4.03 ERA.

Rangers against Danks:

• Ian Kinsler is batting .360 (9-25) with 2 doubles, 3 homeruns, and 4 RBIs. 
• Elvis Andrus is batting .455 (5-11) with a double and 2 RBIs.
• Adrian Beltre is batting .231 (6-26) with a double, 2 homeruns, and 5 RBIs.
• Josh Hamilton is batting .357 (5-14) with a double, a homerun, and 3 RBIs.
• Nelson Cruz is batting .353 (6-17) with 2 doubles, a homerun, and 2 RBIs.

In April of last year, Lewis didn't do so hot. he threw 30 innings of work and pitched a 5.70 ERA, so YUCK! I don't know if that will carry over to this season, but the last two years, he has a 4.16 ERA and a 5-3 record.  Against the White Sox, he has a 1-1 record and a 2.95 ERA over the last two years, so let's hope that is what continues and his weak April last year become what it already is: HISTORY.

Last season, Lewis tossed a 14-10 record while posting a 4.40 ERA. The current roster of the White Sox against Lewis bat .214 off him, and have only one homerun (Alex Rios) and five RBIs (led by Paul Konerko's 3, Rios has the other 2) in 70 at bats.

Forecast: I like the Rangers in this one. Lewis has the overall numbers I like to see. I think that he should continue his dominance over the ChiSox with the Rangers winning 6-3.