The first two weeks of the season are in the books and there’s one question on everyone’s mind: What if nobody wins the A.L. West?
Every day there is a new leader. Win two games in a row and you are running away with the division. Lose two in a row and you are in dead last place.
But the good news is, while the Rangers are only 7-6, they head into their three-game series with the Astros sitting, at least for now, atop the American League West, which has all the security of being the leader of a South American puppet government.
After two weeks the Rangers have won two series, split one series and lost one series. No sweeps. No dust bins.
And while the prevailing thinking is the Rangers offense is struggling, the reality is that it’s not, certainly when you compare it to the rest of the American League. It is true, though, that the fireworks guy has now replaced the Maytag repairman as the loneliest man in America. In six home games, the Rangers have two home runs. They are on pace for forty home runs at home.
The offensive numbers may surprise you, though.
Leading the American League in runs scores is: the Texas Ranger.
Second in the league in hits is: the Texas Rangers.
Second in the league in doubles is: the Texas Rangers.
Even with their lack of home run power, the Rangers are fourth in the A.L. in total bases, and lead the league in RBIs.
They are fifth in on-base percentage, tenth in slugging percentage and, surprisingly, not dead last in home runs (Minnesota and the Los Angeles Angels of Mike Trout have fewer).
This is with six of the nine regulars still lost in a fog. Ian Desmond is hitting .109, Prince Fielder is hitting .167, the Rangers catchers are at .214, Rougned Odor is at .229, and Mitch Moreland is at .233.
And still this team has scored more runs than anyone else in the American League (five National League teams have scored more).
The rotation is even more impressive, with a 3.26 ERA, good for fourth-best in the American League.
The bullpen is another story. A sob story. The Rangers bullpen is fifteenth out of fifteen in ERA: 5.77.
Two thirds of the plan is clicking. The other third is killing the Rangers.
It could be worse. It could be 2015.
Or 2014.
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NO GAME TODAY