Ian wasn't too happy about Emily mentioning his 0-9 streak coming into the game haha

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I just knew Perez' luck would run out, if he kept throw pitches. Playing with fire.

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Is that for me, you bloviating flesh bag?

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If Desmond keeps this up just pay him whatever for an extension.

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This.

I'd like to see how his pre-Rangers spray chart compares to 2016.

Me thinks Odor needs to take a day off.

He's just taking indiscriminate hacks hoping he lucks into enough contact for a home run.

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Me thinks Odor needs to take a day off.

He's just taking indiscriminate hacks hoping he lucks into enough contact for a home run.

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Odor is 0 for his last 9 ABs, with 6 SO.

Before that was a 7 game hit streak, where he went 8-29.

I agree he probably needs a day off. <OMG we agreed>

I think hitting 4th and having a few HRs in that spot has him swinging for HRs. Needs to reset.

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If Desmond keeps this up just pay him whatever for an extension.

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This.

I'd like to see how his pre-Rangers spray chart compares to 2016.

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While a spray chart would be interesting, I think it could have more to do with where he bats in the lineup.

For Wash, last year:
#2 / 123 AB / .293 / 3 HR / 0 SB / .341 OBP
#6 / 260 AB / .242 / 12 HR / 8 SB / .293 OBP
#7 / 127 AB / .173 / 1 HR / 4 SB / .213 OBP

73 other AB / 3 HR / 1 SB

When he was batting 2nd, Bryce Harper (.330/42HR) was mostly hittting after him.
When he was batting 6th, Wilson Ramos (.229/15HR) was hitting after him.
When he was batting 7th, Michael Taylor (.229/14HR) was hitting after him.
You are going to get much better pitches, but you aren't going to steal, when Harper is batting after you. The NL has the Pitcher batting, as well, so the further back you get in the lineup, the less protection. Batting 7th with 2 Outs and nobody on, and you have a guy hitting .229 and what .150 behind you?!

For Texas:
#2 / 192 AB / .365 / 10 HR / 9 SB / .406 OBP
#5 / 77 AB / .299 / 3 HR / 4 SB / .375 OBP
#6 / 38 AB / .158 / 1 HR / 1 SB / .238 OBP

Batting after him is a little tricky with Texas, because Banny has moved guys around, but Beltre, Mazara and Fielder are probably the bulk of hitting 3rd.
Beltre: .283/12 HR
Mazara: .285/ 11 HR
Fielder: .216 / 7 HR

Even in Texas, the less protection he has, the lower his BA and OBP. I think Texas runs more, and if Fielder is up, you are running... LOL.

He is having a fantastic season, though. I'm guessing the Rangers aren't talking extension, until after the trade deadline. I think what they do there, will have an impact on whether or not Desmond has a future in Texas. Also, his desire to remain in CF. If he wants to go back to SS, he isn't interested in signing with Texas.

Brinson could be 1 more year away. I would think a Darvish extension is probably a higher priority, but getting someone like Sale or Gray could change everything.

Today begins the International signing year.

The Rangers have $2,157,400.

Teams with a $300K cap: Dodger, Giants, Cubs, Royals, Blue Jays, Diamondbacks, Angels, Rays & Yankees.

Boston is banned and had 5 contracts from 2015-2016 (last year) voided.

Padres are rumored to have signed 6 for about $11M ($2,247,600 Pool) - #2, 4, 6, 22, 28, 34 prospects
Braves are rumored to have signed 5 for about $10.5M ($4.766M Pool) - #1, 8, 15, 16, 41 prospects
Rangers are rumored to have signed David Garcia (C-Vz) - #8 prospect

Lots being signed. BA tracker.

It will be interesting to see how today plays out for the Rangers.

Rangers could trade some of their slot money as part of a trade-deadline player deal. Some think they will be aggressive, especially with several big market teams limited. I'm not sure how the 5 players from Boston count, but their first $300K doesn't count towards pool money.

It would also seem if the Rangers go hard on the International market, they have more chips to trade.

If they got the 5 from Boston and signed additional Top picks this year, that could be huge.

Another tracker ordered by rank.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/international/top-50-july-2-international-prospects-signed/#3Tu3MhOWjIPgRrXA.97

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AL West

Leader: Texas Rangers

How they got there: Smoke and mirrors. I jest, but really it's unbelievable that with starters Yu Darvish, Derek Holland and Colby Lewis all on the disabled list, the Rangers somehow went 20-8 in June (could've been 22-6 were it not for back-to-back bullpen implosions the past two days) and boast a .637 winning percentage that's the best in the American League. While Rookie of the Year candidate Nomar Mazara has cooled off, Comeback Player of the Year candidate Ian Desmond -- whose 39 hits in June were tied for the second most in baseball -- has helped carry the offense.

Biggest threat: Houston Astros. Jose Altuve has nudged his way into the MVP dialogue, and George Springer has been a difference-maker at the top of the order: Since A.J. Hinch moved him into the leadoff spot, Houston's 25-9 record is the second-best mark in the majors.

Odds of winning division: 79.9 percent (Astros are second at 12.8 percent)

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Can anyone catch the six division leaders?

Thought this was an entertaining read. Took a look at the articles source - Baseball Prospectus - and was surprised to see their estimate for a WS win was so high for the Indians (20.1%) and so low for the Rangers (7.4%). Even with the current Cleveland hot streak, I don't quite know what to make of that. Cleveland is a bigger favorite for a WS win than the Cubs (18.4%).

SIAP.

Cleveland's starting rotation is the difference maker. In the playoffs, being able to roll out 3 elite SPs is a game changer.

Salazar, Carrasco, Kluber is a nasty combination to have to find a way to hit.

Even with a healthy Darvish, I'm still iffy on wether the Rangers have a good enough staff to win. A lot falls down to luck, but I (and a lot of others, from my experience) tend to err on the side of pitching over hitting in the postseason.

No idea why they are higher than the Cubs though. Might be an AL vs NL thing though.

I did not watch the game last night. Can someone tell me what happened in the bot 9? I phone buzzed and said MN hit a HR on first pitch to win 3-2. I threw my phone. 15 mins later I picked it up to check something else and noticed the game was still playing at 2-2. It could simply be a mistake but am wondering if there was a challenge or something else.

It must have been a mistake. It was just a standard inning.

I guess my myscore app assumed what was about to happen. Thankfully, they were wrong.

There was a long fly ball out to center field in the 9th. Dead Center. Caught on the warning track. Maybe somebody jumped the gun and thought it was gone.

Anyone interested in getting a ticket plan for the last 30 games of the season?

It's a little strange that the UT hat is completely different from the A&M and UTA hats. Not a big fan of the gray, wish we had the same style.

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It's a little strange that the UT hat is completely different from the A&M and UTA hats. Not a big fan of the gray, wish we had the same style.

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That's because UT was a late addition, and that is the design from a couple years ago

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While a spray chart would be interesting, I think it could have more to do with where he bats in the lineup.

For Wash, last year:
#2 / 123 AB / .293 / 3 HR / 0 SB / .341 OBP
#6 / 260 AB / .242 / 12 HR / 8 SB / .293 OBP
#7 / 127 AB / .173 / 1 HR / 4 SB / .213 OBP

73 other AB / 3 HR / 1 SB

When he was batting 2nd, Bryce Harper (.330/42HR) was mostly hittting after him.
When he was batting 6th, Wilson Ramos (.229/15HR) was hitting after him.
When he was batting 7th, Michael Taylor (.229/14HR) was hitting after him.
You are going to get much better pitches, but you aren't going to steal, when Harper is batting after you. The NL has the Pitcher batting, as well, so the further back you get in the lineup, the less protection. Batting 7th with 2 Outs and nobody on, and you have a guy hitting .229 and what .150 behind you?!

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As the resident Nats fan, I wouldn't say that's the whole of the story.

He never hit with Harper behind him. Maybe a few games but when he hit 2nd, Escobar was hitting 3rd. Harper was in there at clean-up in that lineup.

There were some stretches when he sucked in the 2 hole, as well. He flamed out late May/early June hitting in the 2-spot.

And he could never hit right-handers worth a darn and often was kept out of the 2-hole against right-handers.

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Me thinks Odor needs to take a day off.

He's just taking indiscriminate hacks hoping he lucks into enough contact for a home run.

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Odor is 0 for his last 9 ABs, with 6 SO.

Before that was a 7 game hit streak, where he went 8-29.

I agree he probably needs a day off. <OMG we agreed>

I think hitting 4th and having a few HRs in that spot has him swinging for HRs. Needs to reset.

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He did have the hit streak. He hit .275 with no walks.

He actually hasn't walked in over 2 weeks. OBP down to .289. Those pitchers yesterday didn't even worry about throwing him strikes.

No Profar again today

Is there an ace we can get at deadline?

Chi Chi is not very good.

Can Profar pitch?

Gray/ Teheran

May be able to throw Sale in there if Chisox continue to suck.

Defense has been **** this inning too. Odor and Moreland making bad mistakes

What is this, amateur hour???

Yikes, hideous defense.

This is game 5 defense!

What the ****?

Ironically enough it involves the same positions

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Can Profar pitch?

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IIRC, he was as highly regarded as a P, as much as a SS. Most clubs were interested in him as a SP, but went with the Rangers because he preferred SS and they gave him that option.

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This is game 5 defense!

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Too soon

send this guy back to double A