Small ball. 519 comments


Two.

So far this year, the Rangers have two home runs at home. In six games.

They are so rare we can start naming them.

The Rangers are on pace to hit twenty-seven home runs in Arlington this season.

Remember when the Ballpark was considered a hitter’s park? A lot of that was chemically induced but some of it was architecture. The Ballpark used to have a jet stream. That phenomenon is gone with the wind.

The Rangers home field advantage isn’t the long ball anymore. In fact, if you look at the numbers, you see a curious case of the shrinking home run ball in Arlington by the home team.

Sure, you can chalk it up to PED testing. Rafael Palmeiro and Alex Rodriguez and Juan Gonzalez and Nelson Cruz and their ilk aren’t here anymore playing home run derby on Nintendo.

But what has happened to the home run ball?

Is it the changes at the Ballpark? Or are Rangers hitters just devoid of power?

Here are the Rangers home run totals in Arlington the past 15 full seasons.

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On the bright side, the Rangers are saving a ton of money on fireworks.

*****
TONIGHT’S GAME

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Scott Feldman (0-1, 3.48) vs Derek Holland (1-0, 2.31)
Game time: 7:05 pm

How the Rangers hit against Feldman.
How the Astros hit against Holland.