For the second day in a row the Rangers effort had the repugnant stench of a huge pile of dog excrement. Let's see a show of hands as to how many think this is a team destined for the playoffs.
OK...just as I thought. Lots of indecision, lots of hands going up halfway then being pulled back.
I understand that starting Feldman in place of Yu Darvish two days ago didn't inspire a lot of confidence and last night's collective dump on the mound was RWash's signal to the team that things were lost after the first and he wasn't going to burn the bullpen.
But even if Yu had pitched on Tuesday, the pathetic lack of effort from the so-called offense would have forced him to throw a no-hitter to win. Last night, the A's scored as many runs in two-thirds of an inning than the Rangers managed in the first two games combined.
And as its been pointed out in several other areas in BBTIA today, I'm just one of many fans who are sick and tired of Hamilton grinning after he swings at balls the other pitcher practically rolls to the plate. In one at bat, he sends the bat flying further than any ball he hit all night and he's grinning as if he's playing picnic softball.
Now it comes down today's game with Harrison having to at least throw a shut out for his team to win. Oh wait, that won't work because he held the Mighty Mariners to one run last weekend and the Rangers STILL LOST!!!!!
Think of it this way: If Adrian Beltre wasn't playing like he actually cares, Oakland would be going for the sweep today and a share of first place.
As it is, the A's will more than likely leave Arlington just two games back, forcing the Rangers to win two of three against the suddenly fired up Angels then win at least one in Oakland to have a chance at a playoff spot.
Playoff bound? Sure doesn't look like it. The Rangers are just a couple of more losses away from joining the Red Sox as a spectacular failure.
Looks like another less-talented team is going to end the Rangers season for the third year in a row.

I did not hesitate to raise my hand.

Well, there's one.

I'll even put money on it. When we win today, the magic number will be 3...and you will back away from the ledge.

Harrison goes angry-redneck and takes care of business.

Heck, even if we lose tonight, the Rangers would only have to win three of their last games and with Oakland just losing two in order for us to clinch, if my math is not mistaken. We got this.

@Adam: If ... if ... the Rangers find a way to win today I'll make sure I will be the first in line to admit I was wrong.
However, if the Rangers "offense'' can't solve a rookie-laden pitching staff it won't matter of Harrison pitches a no-hitter. Obviously if you don't score, you can't win. Again, look at the Seattle debacle for proof.
The A's are dangerous because they are playing with house money. They have nothing, absolutely nothing, to lose. The Rangers, for all their talent and skill level, seem to disappear at the worst possible time. This is one of those times.
If they don't have the mental toughness to hold off an overachieving team such as the A's, they don't deserve to be in the playoffs.

Well that's certainly the spirit!!

Oakland has a very good pitching staff and has been playing more than competitively since the All Stat game. Same with Seattle. But the Rangers also have a very good staff and have a much better lineup. The last 2 games were terrible but Harrison is pitching well. I am worried more about the Yankees and HFA.

Well??? No42, have you stepped away from the ledge yet? Or was that 2 game losing streak too much to handle?

Scott starting in place of Darvish ended up a wash... we managed to tie the game before the, normally phenominal, bullpen gave up a HR the offense couldn't cover.

It is a little curious how poorly our offense does some times... and how spectacular it is sometimes... seems a better hand on the wheel could make it a lot less chaotic and a lot more consistent... wait... consistent...

Gee... that sounds like a pretty good word, doesn't it?

The Rangers' magic number for the division is now 3 with 6 games left.

Barring an epic comeback by the Angels this afternoon, they are also going to bring the magic number for a playoff spot down to 1.

You can back away from the ledge, now.

The forum has truly benefitted from these tirade-posts.

-The ridiculous "players don't care" narratives?!!
-The endless negativity on every topic!?
-The spoiled school girl attitudes?!

Some of you...next time...you are near the ledge...do us a favor and step off.

here's a reminder of an important life lesson, Profar: You can't control others, you can only control your reaction.
You don't like the quality of posts here, so you respond by encouraging people to step off of ledges? That doesn't really do much to raise the level of discourse.

I agree with everything our buddy Elvis/Profar is saying. Let's all just breathe. None of this freaking out is adding a second to our lives. I learned to stop doing it with the Cowboys. Now it's time for me to top doing it over the Rangers. Or you can keep freaking out if you want. It's your prerogative.

No. 42 and Sparks go back and review your posts from this morning and look how fucking stupid they sound. Comments like

"Playoff bound? Sure doesn't look like it. The Rangers are just a couple of more losses away from joining the Red Sox as a spectacular failure."

"Looks like another less-talented team is going to end the Rangers season for the third year in a row."

"Now it comes down today's game with Harrison having to at least throw a shut out for his team to win"

I could go back and find more idiotic statements that look hopelessly foolish but Sparks / 42...why don't you just do us all a favor and keep your kneejerk, mis-informed, reactionary, outrageous, spoiled-brat entitled opinions to yourself? Save us all a lot of headaches and let this board return to the somewhat informative, good-natured banter it usually is. Think how stupid you'll look (again) when you call the offense "pathetic" right before it beats on up on some poor staff.

"A reasoned opinion" nice moniker. Maybe the 1-25 with RISP coming in to this series was what those guys were referring to when they were calling the Rangers offense suspect. Your attitude towards posts here is pretty much being an asshole. Fans can bitch, fans can gloat, fans can keep quiet; whatever. Who are you? The Ranger fan judge?

@Liver

First, they didn't say the offense was "suspect", they said it was "pathetic". It's obviously NOT pathetic to any reasoned observer. The very best offenses in the history of baseball go through slumps. Getting overly excited about a 2, or 6 or 10 game run is the action of fair-weather fans who don't really understand baseball.

Yes, fans can bitch, gloat, keep quiet, whatever. Historically, however, this site has enjoyed higher-minded posting than mindless bitching about one or two night's of uninspiring baseball. It's one of the reasons many here enjoy this site. If you enjoy mindless taunts and school-ground name-calling visit ESPN or any number of other sites where that seems to be the point.

And yes, poster have a "right" to post whatever they want and other posts have a "right" to call them idiots or assholes for being and idiot or an asshole.

Take it easy Francis. You are coming across, again, as being a dick. That's all. Nothing more. You have it all figured out as to how all fans are? Come on.

No. 42 and Sparks go back and review your posts from this morning and look how fucking stupid they sound. Comments like

"Playoff bound? Sure doesn't look like it. The Rangers are just a couple of more losses away from joining the Red Sox as a spectacular failure."

"Looks like another less-talented team is going to end the Rangers season for the third year in a row."

"Now it comes down today's game with Harrison having to at least throw a shut out for his team to win"

I could go back and find more idiotic statements that look hopelessly foolish but Sparks / 42...why don't you just do us all a favor and keep your kneejerk, mis-informed, reactionary, outrageous, spoiled-brat entitled opinions to yourself? Save us all a lot of headaches and let this board return to the somewhat informative, good-natured banter it usually is. Think how stupid you'll look (again) when you call the offense "pathetic" right before it beats on up on some poor staff.

Again, I'm gonna need some links to those comments, because I don't believe I've ever said anything like what you've quoted here. Then again, my screen name is not Sparks, so maybe you have me confused with someone else, even though you are following me from thread to thread to insult me.

Meanwhile, I do appreciate your attempt to bring the boards back to good-natured banter by calling us idiots, assholes, and kneejerk, mis-informed, reactionary, outrageous, spoiled brats. It's always good to lead by example.

Raise your hand if you think this clown should never be allowed to talk about baseball again?! What's that, everyone's hands are raised? No. 42, do you know how many outs are in an inning, or how many innings are in a game? Just trying to get a feel for how long ago it was that you realized baseball was a sport played in America and decided to jump on the bandwagon with the rest of the front-running Rangers fans that just realized the D/FW area had a baseball team within the last 2 years. I realize it was a Thursday and the Cowboys don't play for another 3 days, but next time you have a desire to open your mouth about the Rangers, go ahead and spare all of us, and most importantly yourself, and shut the hell up and find your way to a football blog.

Thanks, on behalf of all true Rangers fans.

Well, well, well. It seems as if the best way to get the "real'' Ranger fans stirred up is to point out some of the team's shortcomings and express an opinion on those shortcomings.
First of all, as I said in a reply to my original post, I am more than willing to admit I was wrong about the Rangers winning on Thursday. A win is a win, regardless of how ugly it got in the later innings.
Additionally, some of the later comments, such as Drew's ("how many outs in an inning,'' suggesting that I'm just now arriving on the scene as a Ranger fan, etc., or from "a reasoned opinion'' who suggests I was wrong in saying the Rangers' offense was "pathetic'') are almost comical.
The simple fact of the matter is that in the previous 10 games, the Rangers' offense was pathetic. It averaged 3 runs a game. That's not a championship offense.
And finally, in response to this shining bit of prose from good old Drew: "Just trying to get a feel for how long ago it was that you realized baseball was a sport played in America and decided to jump on the bandwagon with the rest of the front-running Rangers fans that just realized the D/FW area had a baseball team within the last 2 years.''
It's probably safe for me to say I've been a Ranger fan longer than you've been alive. I've seen some incredible things from this franchise, some wonderful and some so hideous it made my eyes hurt.
I would trade every world championship the Metroplex has ever experienced for just one World Series title.
Don't be so righteous as to suggest that no one cares about this team more than you.
One of the great things about BBTIA is it allows all of us -- all of us -- to have opinions.
Even you, Drew.

Wow is Drew filled with insecurities about his place in the Ranger fan base enough to call out somebody for having an opinion? Pathetic man. Going around accusing people of being bandwagoners is an ignorant way to start unnecessary beef. Go to Halo Heaven if you want to start jawing about fans.

Everyone has had days where they've been frustrated with this team. Even Washington, if you've ever seen a post game conference after a loss like Martin Perez's. Are you calling Ron Washington a bandwagoner for being frustrated with his team? Didn't think so.

"Playoff bound? Sure doesn't look like it. The Rangers are just a couple of more losses away from joining the Red Sox as a spectacular failure.
Looks like another less-talented team is going to end the Rangers season for the third year in a row."

Yeah, everyone is entitled to opinions. I went the bandwagon route because I couldn't actually believe someone that has been a Rangers fan "longer than I've been alive" would have the brains to write something like what was just quoted above. If you can't see the difference between being frustrated.. and THAT.. then you aren't very smart either. Of course, yall are probably the same ones who boo Joe Nathan and Koji and 21 year old rookies.. because if this team doesn't win every game they suck, right? Have an opinion, formulate an argument, disagree until you get sick of it. Great. But understand there's a difference than that and rambling on about how they suck and are a "spectacular failure" despite holding the AL's best record. And if you've been a Rangers fan for so long, maybe you'd be suited to remember back to the days when they were sniffing around 66 wins rather than 96. Complaining about this team, with a post titled "Playoff Bound?" is the definition of front-running and bandwagoning. Sorry if that's offensive.

"Looks like another less-talented team is going to end the Rangers season for the third year in a row."

I mean please just read that to yourself. Please. You are BITCHING because the Rangers lost the World Series... in back-to-back years. You are calling them failures. The same team who had barely sniffed the playoffs before 2010. And now they suck because they lost to some "shitty" teams in the World Series? But you're the greatest fan in the metroplex. Get a clue.

Call him an asshole if you'd like, he probably is an arrogant bastard, but A reasoned opinion is totally, completely, fully 100 percent right on this.

I get accused of being an arrogant asshole on this site all the time, but I will generally always contend that it's not arrogance if it's right. After all, the truth hurts way more than bullshit does.

I've been part of a small BBTiA contingency that all year has remained on an even keel when the Rangers met rough patches. Oh yeah, and a "rough patch" for the Rangers is basically playing .500 ball. Really bad, right? So while other people have freaked out over little baby stretches where the Rangers have lost 3 out of 4 or whatever, I've been one of the guys that says, "Everything is fine, chill out," which prompts the reactionaries to tell me I'm blind and don't get it and yada yada yada ad nauseam. Well, who is right and who is wrong?

The simple fact of the matter is that in the previous 10 games, the Rangers' offense was pathetic. It averaged 3 runs a game. That's not a championship offense.

And it's comments like this that really chafe my ass. How can you possibly judge an offense based on a 10-game sample? These are the same fans who say the offense is in a mammoth "slump" after being shutout, or that the pitching staff is "broken" after allowing 10 runs in a game. Get real. Seriously. Please get real with yourselves.

The Rangers have led the Majors in runs for pretty much the entire season. That's not the mark of a offense not fit for a championship. That's the best offense in baseball. And it's not particularly close.

If you'd like to make judgements based on the entire 156-game sample, and find a way to sound a little rational, then by all means, I'm here to listen and discuss. But you can't cherry pick the numbers to satisfy your own pessimistic agenda and expect any sort of objective discourse, because it's just dumb. If you've watched the complete body of work, you should understand that the Rangers are the best team in baseball. And that's really all there is to that.

Next.