How times change.
There’s an article on mlb.com rating the top pitching duos in baseball. Of course, the Rangers don’t make that list.
But it go me thinking about last season and the way the Rangers marketed Yu Darvish and Cole Hamels. They had a little film called Two Aces that they would show in the Ballpark before games, and often on TV, especially during rain delays.
It never really materialized. Hamels was out for a month with injury. Darvish was dealt at the end of July. And that one-two ace thing just never clicked.
Then this year happened and the Rangers are lucky to have two number fives, let alone two aces.
Not to put any undo pressure on him, but the Rangers really need Hamels to pitch like an ace this year if they are going to hold out any legitimate hope at all.
Because this is a hand with on ace and a whole bunch of low cards. Hard to bluff with that hand too often.