Getting clarity. 286 comments


Yu Darvish pitched eight strong innings in what was the strongest start of the year for a Rangers pitcher.

 

Baseball is a 162-game season. But, really, it’s a series of mini-seasons where teams evolve through different ecosystems to see what they are all about.

So far what we know about this Rangers team is Dyson isn’t the closer, the offense isn’t clicking yet, and, yesterday aside, it’s a team that struggles to manufacture runs.

But a few other specific points have come clear.

One, Joey Gallo is here to stay. He is the Rangers third baseman. In the event Adrian Beltre is able to make it back to the team this year, Gallo will be the Rangers left fielder. The history of baseball is filled with players like Gallo who do one thing offensively well, and that is hit home runs. You put up with the record number of strikeouts. You put up with the low batting average. You hope he can take a few walks. But he is the classic three-outcome player. Home run, strikeout, walk.

Two, for the first time in a week, since Sam Dyson’s final implosion a week ago yesterday in Seattle, the Rangers had a save situation. Their new closer is Matt Bush. He will be a good one. Until he isn’t. Then another one will emerge. Such is bullpenning.

Three, the Rangers starting rotation has been very good. After yesterday’s eight inning and two earned runs from Darvish, the Rangers now have the second best team ERA in MLB at 3.05, behind only Kansas City at 2.48. And, the Rangers staff is now tied (with Detroit) for second-most quality starts in the American league with 11. Kansas City has 12. Yet, because of major bullpen issues, their starters are just 6-5.

As poorly as the Rangers have played, a win tonight against the Twins at the Ballpark can put them back to even. They can his reset after twenty games.

And they can start another mini-season and try to learn a bit more about what kind of team they are, and how to get wins out of that teams.

*****
TODAY’S GAME:

Phil Hughes (2-1, 5.40) vs. Martin Perez (1-2, 3.60)
Game time: 7:05

How the Twins hit against Perez.
How the Rangers hit against Hughes.