Its time to admit that this is not the same team as last year; just mentally they are a completely different team. What do we blame? Can we really blame the pitching? Our bullpen has been awful, but with Hunter's injury causing Ogando into the lineup thats caused a major hiccup.

Colby Lewis and CJ have both been disappointing. Harrison has been a nice surprise, and Holland has been pretty much what we have come to expect.

That being said, the rangers will get Hunter back, Lewis and CJ could both make adjustments and regain form, and we can still make some kind of trade for a top of the rotation pitcher. We have one of the best pitching coaches in baseball and our pitchers can make the adjustments needed. And we have learned to never underestimate JD making a trade.

I think it comes down to this. Its time to admit this lineup is not working. And on top of that Thad Bosley needs to take alot of the blame for not working with, or well enough with our batters. Our batters have looked absolutely pathetic at the plate lately. How long can he coast off his relationship with Wash? When will a batter step up and admit that Thad has made a diff?

Hurdle made all the difference last year with our batters, and they were all willing to praise his ability to notice when adjustments needed to be made and fixing our batters swings. Even Josh credits Hurdle for turning his season around. Everyone forgets the awful April and early May he had until Hurdle worked with him to fix his swing. Very few of our batters struggled consistently for longer than a few games. Right now the MAJORITY of our batters are struggling.

Now to the lineup. Its time for Wash to admit he attempted to fix what wasn't broke. Andrus has been flat out awful in the 2 spot. He cant make the adjustments needed. Kins swings for the fences and could careless if he gets on base unless its a walk. Cruz cannot handle the pressure of being "the guy" the big bat. The lineup needs to be changed. I suggest:

Andrus - he was a dependable leadoff batter last year and i think that is his natural spot
Moreland - he has been the second most consistent batter in the lineup next to Young
Young - he has done well in the 3 spot
Beltre - he has worked out fairly well in the clean up spot
Kins - let him swing away
Cruz - i think a drop in the lineup and the pressure would be good for him.
Murphy - he has the power and hitting capability to cause batters to caution pitching around Cruz
Yorvit/Napoli - by default
Borbon - he's a perpetual 9 spot hitter, and when he and Andrus are both on good things happened last year

I know the season is early. I know its April. But i'm a die hard, and last year has shown the world what we're capable of, and its given the metroplex the hunger. This is the time for adjustments to be made. There's no pride in admitting youre wrong when you succeed in the end.

That's just my humble opinion, but what do you think needs to be done to keep this team a perrenial winner?

They have the best record in the American league, its not even a full month into the season, a bit early to be cutting the balls off a team who is doing all this despite two all stars and an mvp on the DL

We are out to run a marathon, not a sprint. Marathon runners have to be steady, even keel, not prone to overreaction if they fall behind or over confidence if they run ahead.

Do yourself a favor and don't get to low with the lows, or too high with the highs.

This is baseball, not half time. This is what makes it the best game ever, the uncertainty, the heroics, the slumps, the tenuous grasp on success, the walk off home run on both sides of the ball.

Baseball is life. Those who succeed in baseball are those who get back up after taking a few blows, those who don't try to last too long on a little success. Getting back to the business of baseball is getting back to the business of life. Grind it out and put yourself in a position to enjoy what could end up being the best team we have ever fielded. Its a steady climb, not a roller coaster, and the view from the top is Tabor if you have the eyes to see it.

You can't quantify baseball, you have to live it. You can't understand it fully, you have to live it fully. You can't master baseball, you have to respect it as something not entirely within your grasp, something you have to be true to, something that you shape but more than anything as that which shapes you. That is why failure is not an option because the field itself was built for us to play on, for our good. And one year that might just mean going the distance. This might be the year that we taste the promised land.

What with the record being better this year, the offense scoring more and the pitching/defense allowing the same as last year, I fail to see why this post was even made...especially the Hurdle nonsense.

Wait, it's April and they just dropped two in a row, that's why...

..if those were wins, there would inevitably be a post about how the team is a World Series lock riding a 5 game win streak and the best record in baseball...

Baseball is a wonderful game. Just enjoy it and do not try to figure it all out. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose and most of the time you could have won and lost.

I suggest trying Micheal Young as our closer.

Good Morning,

I swear sometimes i hate computers. Thank you for responding to my post i had written an earlier response however i guess it didnt take...

I fully understand baseball is loooong season and alot can happen between here an now. And i know its just April. Despite that, my point is I simple believe that this team as currently constructed is not playing well enough to win the West, much less repeat as AL Champs.

We are in a privelaged position right now to be in April overreaction mode. As rangers fans we've never been in this position before. We are AL Champs. We are winners. Why do you think the RSox and Yankees media are doing the same thing every April. Winning is an addiction and you do whatever it takes to keep winning.

I'm not trying to sound like a Debbie Downer, my simple point is that if you ignore the 9-1 start we are 5-8 and sliding. As opposed to the majority, though, I firmly belive that our lack of abilities at the plate are the main issue and some accountability needs to be made.

April is early in the season, but its the pefect time to make the needed adjustments to turn wins into losses. Pefect example is our main competition. The Angels looked pretty bad with Rodney closing. They saw it wasnt working out, and switched to Walden. Since then, theyve been on a tear. Simple things like that.

One final note to put things into perspective. If you catch cancer in a patient early enough, the chance eleminating it, and preventing further spreading increases. The chance of survival increases.

Same thing here. Make your adjustments early before its too late. The question is, will management take the responsibility to realize adjustments need to be made with the batting order and possibly the batting coach in general and do it now, or will it take more losses before these adjustments get made. Sooner or later though, if these Rangers want to be in the playoffs again... they cannot keep playing like they have been.

However, who knows... the answer might be as simple as getting Hambone back in the lineup. I didnt think losing him would make that big of a difference. We all knew he'd get injured, and Murph more than made up for it when Hamilton was out 25 games last year with the rib injury. But again this is a different team. And maybe his presence again will make all the difference.

Not me above. I seem to have contracted a troll virus.

This team is fine. The lineup will mash. The rotation looks good overall. The bullpen will get it together.

Hurdle was not magic. Nellie is in a slump. Oh well. He'll bust out. Beltre, Napoli, Young, Moreland all hitting well, Yorvit and Murphy alright. Julio seems to be getting out of his funk too. This team will score lots of runs. Don't worry.

I'm sorry, but Murphy does not more than make up for J. Hamilton. I don't think last year he more than made up for him either. I believe that Josh has the highest wins above replacement at 8.0 in the MLB. Last year was just that. The only road trip they have been on is one where they never play well. they were swept in N.Y. last spring. Last April Nillie was killing the ball before he got hurt. We were getting no production from 1st base. Just because the east Coast press complains doesn't make it right. Old Time Sox (Pre2004) fans can't stand the new Sox fan who acts like a Yankee fan.
I understand your concerns, but take a pill.