I know. I'm still pissed about that series. What an abortion it was.

Is Cole pitching tomorrow?

Espn said it was little Nicky last time I looked.

Cliff Pennington just hit a grand slam late to put the Angels up 10-8.

grapespda2525 said:

---

I know. I'm still pissed about that series. What an abortion it was.

Is Cole pitching tomorrow?

Espn said it was little Nicky last time I looked.

---

The Rangers gang last night said the same. Martinez v. McHugh.

DallasAg 94 said:

---

grapespda2525 said:

---

Sweep would be huge.

The Twinkies have been playing the double AA white Sox for the last 8 out of 11 games. Hopefully those guys start losing when they play some real teams.

---

In fairness... at least they are taking care of business.

We had a 3 game set against Oak and didn't win a single game.

---

Not to mention only splitting at home vs. CWS.

Sweep the leg!

I will say it would be classic 2017 Rangers season stuff to get swept by the A's and then rebound and sweep the Astros. Why must we be so weirdly inconsistent?

MooreTrucker said:

---

DallasAg 94 said:

---

Aggie_Eric98 said:

---

From the astros thread

"Astros really would have had no chance against anyone this series. They're so mentally checked out it's apparent on every play.

---

And that is ALL on Reid Ryan.

Dude could have had his coaches and players spending the day and night with their families. Instead, they got on a plane and flew to Tampa to spite JD.

---

Yep, and since they got painted as the villain by Reid Ryan, I'm glad they're living up to that billing by beating the dog**** outta the Astros.

---

Dave Raymond had some great comments on the radio (The Fan 105.3) this morning. Interesting my son last year was like... "105.3 for a sports radio? Lose?"

Anyway, IIRC the details... he said he lived about a mile from AJ Hinch, but sold his house a few months ago. He was talking with AJ and IIRC, they haven't been able to get to his house. He said AJ wasn't sure they'd be able to get to it this weekend and that AJ was planning to stay in a hotel near MMP.

Dave said the decision of where to play should have come from MLB, who had less at stake. He didn't point fingers and was very neutral in indicting either FO. My take away was that the decision should have been made to play in Arlington. He tried to stay neutral and so you didn't know if he thought it should have been in Arlington swapping series, or it should have been in Arlington regardless.

He mentioned when Ike came through he and Brocail were with Houston. He said their series with the Cubs was interesting. He said Randy Wolf had to carry his 2 bags of luggage down 15 flights of stairs while holding his flashlight between his shoulder and head, just to get out. Wolf was to be the SP and could only go 2-3 IP, not because he was getting hammered, but because he didn't have the stamina. They got no-hit and the next day was just as bad. He said the team just didn't have it to give.

He said neither team in Tampa talked about the fact they were in Tampa, but all were concerned for things back home. One of the Astros broadcasters lost contact with his family Tuesday night, so he got zero sleep, trying to make contact.

He mentioned that Kuechel had a great start and some were thinking he could throw a perfect game. So, the thought that nobody wanted to play can be dismissed. However... my opinion here... you have to think the distraction of home started to creep in during the 4th inning. Even Banny said your mind wanders during the game about what is going on and you have to dial it back in and stay focused. Not sure Kuechel's situation back home, but have to think mentally he wasn't able to stay at that level.

They basically let him talk for like 20 mins, with no commercial breaks. It was a much more enjoyable listen, than any Rangers' game I've heard him broadcast.

It put a face on the situation in Houston regarding the ties and connections. And it further pisses me off that Reid Ryan decided to drag everyone to Tampa. If the Astros get swept, this whole "equitable" position of Reid Ryan blows up in his face.

And yet all the fingers will continue to be pointed at JD and the Rangers.

MooreTrucker said:

---

And yet all the fingers will continue to be pointed at JD and the Rangers.

---

I think that narrative is changing.

DallasAg 94 said:

---

MooreTrucker said:

---

DallasAg 94 said:

---

Aggie_Eric98 said:

---

From the astros thread

"Astros really would have had no chance against anyone this series. They're so mentally checked out it's apparent on every play.

---

And that is ALL on Reid Ryan.

Dude could have had his coaches and players spending the day and night with their families. Instead, they got on a plane and flew to Tampa to spite JD.

---

Yep, and since they got painted as the villain by Reid Ryan, I'm glad they're living up to that billing by beating the dog**** outta the Astros.

---

He mentioned that Kuechel had a great start and some were thinking he could throw a perfect game. So, the thought that nobody wanted to play can be dismissed. However... my opinion here... you have to think the distraction of home started to creep in during the 4th inning. Even Banny said your mind wanders during the game about what is going on and you have to dial it back in and stay focused. Not sure Kuechel's situation back home, but have to think mentally he wasn't able to stay at that level.

---

I can see trying to regain focus being especially difficult. Being focused at the start is probably simple enough, the pregame routine probably gets you pretty locked in.

But when Keuchel missed on Ball 4 to Gallo, you could tell immediately it was going downhill from there. The Astros weren't doing particularly well before Harvey (looking at the last 40 games or so), and all these effects just accumulate.

Fortunately from the Astros perspective, they got off to so hot a start that their division fate doesn't matter. But with the way they're playing and with a weak rotation, they'll be looking at a quick exit from the post-season. All it takes though is getting hot again for a couple of weeks. I just don't see it happening for them after the extended slide they've been on.

Starting hot for the first half and then sputtering to a mediocre finish. Maybe the person who linked the Aggie failures to being made up largely of Houston fans was on to something.

By not trading for Gray or Darvish, the Astros are betting on their prospects. If that works, they'll be really good for a while. If it doesn't work out, then they will have blown an opportunity to go all in when they had a great shot at being the best team in baseball. Instead, that is now the Dodgers by a decent margin. Anything can happen in the playoffs, so maybe they get to a WS anyways. But if they get bounced at really any point before that it's a huge disappointment for their team

Lt. Joe Bookman said:

---

DallasAg 94 said:

---

MooreTrucker said:

---

And yet all the fingers will continue to be pointed at JD and the Rangers.

---

I think that narrative is changing.

---

Yes. The "PR hit" that kept getting talked about, was nothing more than it usually is in this situation... Faux outrage by reading a crazy news headline, followed by not really caring at all.

---

This is an actual email I received this morning

Quote:

---

I am very disappointed in the ranger organization concerning the way you treated the Astros. Never call me with tickets again, I'm finished with the Rangers.

---

I have a friend who's opinion I respect a lot that basically said the same thing. Done with the Rangers as long as JD is still there.

FTR, I do not agree with this opinion.

jtstanley4621 said:

---

By not trading for Gray or Darvish, the Astros are betting on their prospects. If that works, they'll be really good for a while. If it doesn't work out, then they will have blown an opportunity to go all in when they had a great shot at being the best team in baseball. Instead, that is now the Dodgers by a decent margin. Anything can happen in the playoffs, so maybe they get to a WS anyways. But if they get bounced at really any point before that it's a huge disappointment for their team

---

Kershaw is due back this weekend, if I heard correctly.

The Astros have had pitching injuries all season, so it really makes you wonder what they were thinking.

I don't want to sound fatalistic, but I'm not so sure the Astros can be written in pen into the playoffs\Division. They get home tonight and get tomorrow off, but you can't tell me once they see the actual situation, that they're ready to play a DH on Saturday. They lose today and get swept by the Mets this weekend, and they're looking at a 7-8 game lead.

Then, they have to jump right back on a plane for a 10 Game West coast tour through Sea (3), Oak (4) and LAAA (3).

There couldn't have been a worse decision by Reid Ryan, than to take his baseball to Tampa.

Wow.

Has that been a common occurrence for all salesmen?

Do you think the backlash from those with tickets to the September series would have been greater? I think yes, not that it really matters I guess.

I still think they win the division pretty handily. I don't recall the prognosis of Correa's injury, but I feel like they'll get him back soon, which will make the lineup more potent. Them losing the lead they have would take a pretty pronounced streak of losing.

MooreTrucker said:

---

I have a friend who's opinion I respect a lot that basically said the same thing. Done with the Rangers as long as JD is still there.

FTR, I do not agree with this opinion.

---

So the Rangers having a top 5 winning record over the last decade does nothing for them? What is their grudge against JD?

Has not been a common occurrence. There may be people that are upset with what's going on, but only maybe 3 people have been upset enough to actually send us a nastygram. Two of those were my clients, and one of those reached out to me before all they had heard all the facts. Once I told them everything, they changed their opinion on the matter

MooreTrucker said:

---

I have a friend who's opinion I respect a lot that basically said the same thing. Done with the Rangers as long as JD is still there.

FTR, I do not agree with this opinion.

---

I know lots of Rangers fans who don't like JD.

"Someone" consistently would call Randy Galloway, minutes after meetings of just a few people (described as 3-4) that included Nolan and JD as 2 participants and within 20 mins of the meeting being over, Galloway would be on the radio discussing it. Usually negative against JD.

So, Nolan has certainly infected a negative sentiment towards JD and that will never go away. They lurk waiting for every down fall of JD to jump in and tear him down.

I'm not a cheerleader for JD by any means, but what Reid Ryan did is exactly what his poppa was known to do. Win a PR battle just to look good.

Maybe Nolan wanted Reid to be the Rangers' GM and JD squashed that idea. But the Ryan's just don't look good once you get past the HoF title Nolan wears.

AccidentProne said:

---

MooreTrucker said:

---

I have a friend who's opinion I respect a lot that basically said the same thing. Done with the Rangers as long as JD is still there.

FTR, I do not agree with this opinion.

---

So the Rangers having a top 5 winning record over the last decade does nothing for them? What is their grudge against JD?

---

My initial assumption is that they're part of the Nolan fan club.



Could be wrong though.

jtstanley4621 said:

---

I still think they win the division pretty handily. I don't recall the prognosis of Correa's injury, but I feel like they'll get him back soon, which will make the lineup more potent. Them losing the lead they have would take a pretty pronounced streak of losing.

---

I think Correa is back on Sunday.

AccidentProne said:

---

Lt. Joe Bookman said:

---

DallasAg 94 said:

---

MooreTrucker said:

---

And yet all the fingers will continue to be pointed at JD and the Rangers.

---

I think that narrative is changing.

---

Yes. The "PR hit" that kept getting talked about, was nothing more than it usually is in this situation... Faux outrage by reading a crazy news headline, followed by not really caring at all.

---

This is an actual email I received this morning

Quote:

---

I am very disappointed in the ranger organization concerning the way you treated the Astros. Never call me with tickets again, I'm finished with the Rangers.

---

---

Holy ***** People are ****ing stupid. Social media brainwashed

Robinson over DD?

By the way, I meant to say this last night but it is an absolute shame that Elvis wasn't an all-star this season. This is by far his best year ever. He has been the Rangers' most consistent player this year.

gigem1223 said:

---

Robinson over DD?

---

DD hasn't played at all this series. Gomez returning has something to do with that, but DD had been getting on base and playing well.

Hinch got tossed in the first

I was about to say. That was about as clear inference as there is. Bregman was standing in the middle of the plate.

Wow, Altuve blasted that one. Might be one of those days for Martinez.

As long as they're solo shots, we'll be alright.

gigem1223 said:

---

I was about to say. That was about as clear inference as there is. Bregman was standing in the middle of the plate.

---

Or not according to the baseball savants on the other thread. It's just mean old Joe West.

I drove bus said:

---

Hinch got tossed in the first

---

I think he was planning to get tossed in the first call he could. Probably hoping to fire up his guys.

Because that's the only logical reason for arguing that call.

I'd say that was a purposeful beanning of Gomez