Take a good long look at Kyle Lohse’s last pitch ever thrown in a Texas Rangers uniform. In two starts he was 0-2 with an ERA of 12.54. Unfortunately, he was also the cream of the Rangers farm system crop.

September 1972: 3-23 record, a .115 winning percentage, team finished in last place.

August 1973: 6-24, .200, last place.

July 2014: 6-20, .231, last place.

June 2003: 7-20, .259, last place.

July 1976: 8-22, .267, fourth place

July 2016: 4-11, .267 winning percentage, ?.

How bad has it been lately?

Historically bad.

In the entire not so rosy history of the Texas Rangers, there have had some woefully pitiful seasons. And some woefully pitiful months that made up those woefully pitiful seasons.

But so far, this month of July is lining up to be their fifth worst month in franchise history. And that is saying something. Not something good. But something with a lot of words to bleep out.

Four of the previous five worst months were part of last place finishes. One was a fourth place finish out of six teams.

The Rangers are in first as of today. But they have seen their lead shrink four games this month, from 8.5 games to the current 4.5 games.

Last night they blew early leads of 3-0 and 5-4, after a game in which they blew an early lead of 4-0.

Like a drunken chainsaw juggler, the Rangers have no arms.

And with every starting pitcher that craters, and every loss that stings, and every game the lead evaporates, the price of pitching in the trade market goes up and up. The needle moves from Want, to Need, to Imperative, to Desperate.

The team known for monumental collapses in the Jon Daniels era is in danger of authoring its worst one yet.

Historically bad, in fact.

All because of a lack of pitching depth in the minor league system that is glaring, critical, and inexcusable.

*****
TODAY’S GAME:

Martin Perez (7-6, 4.05) vs. Hector Santiago (7-4 , 4.27)
Game time: 9:05 pm

How the Rangers hit against Santiago.
How the Angels hit against Perez.