Rangers' position on Monday -

Only need to win 1 game out of 4, to get to the Division Series
or
Only need to win 1 game out of 3, to get to the Division Series with home-field advantage

If they can't win that 1 game, just 1, are they as prepared and skilled as expected? It's not luck, or a hot opponent, or anything other than a test of skill and preparation, at this point.

They lost 1 ...but still have 2 or 3 more opportunities to show how ready they are.

Are the Rangers good enough?

Hm . . .

Obviously the answer is no and it's all because of
a) Ron Washington
b) Michael Young
c) a because of b

Since a normal manager is worth 13.3 WAR (fWAR mind you) with an xFIT of 32 and wrc+ of 5, Ron accounts for roughly -50 WAR (and not being able to "win a single game").

So to sum up:
Fire Wash
Cut Young
Win World Series
...
Profit

Young certainly kept us from clinching last night...thats for sure.

David D, if you are going to mock WAR and continue on your Michael Young love crusade you've been shoving down everyone's throat all year, you could at least do everyone the decency as to look up and inquire about the metrics you so adamantly refuse. You're only making yourself look like a closed-minded fool.

If the rangers don't win tonight, they won't be able to drive a nail up thier butt tomorrow. Figure that in WAR

It would be a sad day if the Rangers fail to win either of these last 2 days. I'm almost certain they will win one of these games tho, at least my fingers are crossed

Yeah....I've gone from intellectually concerned that the Rangers might not hold off the A's to legitimately, emotionally scared. It would be an epic collapse that, for me, would be more painful than Game 6.

If the Rangers can't win one game in the next 3, they don't deserve to be in the ALDS.

Tic toc, tic toc, tic toc, you know how I feel. We have the skilled players to win. But 'baseball' is making us wait. Sound familiar? The WASH's lame ass theory of baseball, 'thats the way baseball be,' is about to be tested if they don't win tonight.

WASH was so OUT managed (hitting match ups) last night it is no longer funny or debatable. Perez shook off the pitches. A 21 year old shook of pitches from Naps and Naps goes with this 21 year old, 92mph slurve thrower who cant find the strike zone? Hamilton had a hit but showed his ugly side a couple of times flallling wildly at pitches again. "Something" aint right with him folks it may take awhile to find out 'what' but when this season is over we will learn whats going on with him. And then there is the threat of losing Dutch for the next series with his girlfriends twitter shenanigans. These guys are beyond tired. I know they want it but I believe Oakland wants it more. In fact they remind me with their enthusiasm and sense of urgency of the Rangers from 2010 at the end of the season.

There is blood is in the water saber nerds how does that factor in to your numbers non-sense?

The goal should be 2 for 2 to vie for HFA.

It would be nice if one of Hamilton, Cruz or Kinsler show up tonight. 0-12 with 6 K's probably provided a negative WPA last night.

@Fajita
He sure did, the bastard.I can't believe he didn't listen when all of BBTiA told him a few months ago he'd never hit another home run again.

@Eric
What do you want me to look up? I'm familiar with all of the stats, as is obvious from my assessment of Wash's performance. Do you actually watch the games? Have you been a fan for more than 3 years?

@Wingshot
not being "able to drive a nail up thier butt" is worth -2 bWAR

@mmurphf
"There is blood is in the water" factors as -5.3 WAR (park adjusted of course).

@JW
Don't be ridiculous. This loss was 100% on Michael Young. Didn't you hear him yell at Perez right before the balk?

The Yankees won the season series against the Rangers. If they tie, Yankees get HFA.

C'mon Orioles and Red Sox!

This team should have swagger. It doesn't. Instead, for the most part, players look tight or like they don't give a shit. That's on the manager. How often lately has this team put its foot on the throat of the other team and won a game comfortably? Or swept a series? That's on the manager.

My question to all of the Wash apologists is this - if the Rangers don't win another game this season (which I think is a real possibility) and given the way they have limped to the finish line and generally underachieved (IMO) - why on earth do you want him back next year? What does he add?

Yes, they have a great record, but it should be even BETTER and they are blowing it when it counts.

God, I hope I'm wrong and I have to eat crow but I think 8-7 over Angels was their last win of 2012 (which means their last 10 would be 2-8) and that lies at the feet of Wash.

Al, Do you honestly think the Rangers....any Ranger players... "don't give a shit"

Can you imagine playing a sport in front of 50,000 fans, millions on TV, with a divisional title within grasp, contract money looming...

And not giving a shit?! Are you really going to try to run that narrative out there? Really!?

@ProfarMVP - They definitely give a shit; no doubt. The Rangers are the most resilient ballclub going right now; absolutely. My take is this; they are tired. Like someone else has said, no other team has played as much ball as the Rangers have the past (2) years.

Add: When the A's players; Orioles players, last year and the year before, were out hunting, fishing, moping around the house, mowing the grass, chasing tail, waiting for a team to call; the Texas Rangers were kicking physical and mental ass in post season baseball.

Yes, some of these guys don't care whether they win or lose. If you think all athletes live and die with wins and losses like us fans, you're seriously fooling yourself. We want them to care as much as we do, but I guarantee you, some of them don't because its just a job and their lives are not going to be much different whether their season is done Friday night or November 1. Not that the fans' lives will be much different either, but we're fans so, by definition we do give a shit.

And I agree that they are likely very tired mentally and physically. All of which makes it easier to not grind out every moment of every game like they have done the previous 2 years. And all the more reason why you need a manager that can motivate guys in different ways and maybe, just maybe, give some guys some days off during the season (MY, IK) and let some youngers guys take up the slack and build some confidence.

I have a good feeling that we are going to get swept... Ever since Josh went out with that weird eye injury we've been struggling