FYI.... another early start today, 12:35 pm in Boston.

Was this series disappointing? Heck yeah. You want to get out of the funk that you have been in for the last few weeks (10-15 in our last 25) and what better time to do that than against your rival that is behind you in the standings, and then you fall flat on your face. Disappointing. However and once again, this team is still a very good team. They have one of the best lineups man to man in the league and we have pieces in the pitching staff that continue to be very solid.

This series was a great barometer of what end of the season and playoff baseball will be like, and it provided us an opportunity to learn things about individuals and this team. For starters, we still need another bullpen arm, because Will Smith isn't a closer in playoff like environments (he's an 8th inning or 7th inning in a tight game pitcher), and we are continuing to figure out the order in which to bring those guys out. Secondly, I think we finally put the nail in the coffin for the idea that we don't need another SP. Eovaldi and Heaney were great, but Gray and Perez were hit around well, and you need another surefire guy to go behind or before Eovaldi to make you feel comfortable in a playoff type of series. Lastly, this team has strikeout issues that need to be solved either by splitting the middle of the order up or trading for someone to better fill it out.

This team is still good, but this series made our flaws more prevalent and gave us a taste of what it's going to take to win the division and win in the playoffs.

A loss like yesterday could have 2 different effects on the team.

1) they are deflated and we limp into the all star break

Or

2) they're pissed off and take out their frustrations on inferior opponents. I think we will see #2 play out. Look for a 4-2 or 5-1 road trip to close out the first part of the schedule.

Angels have lost 5 of 6 and Trout was removed from the game last night with a wrist injury. Think these guys fall of and eventually Shohei will hit the IL with the use he's getting

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/37957131/angels-mike-trout-exits-8th-inning-apparent-injury

Tksymm7 said:

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Was this series disappointing? Heck yeah. You want to get out of the funk that you have been in for the last few weeks (10-15 in our last 25) and what better time to do that than against your rival that is behind you in the standings, and then you fall flat on your face. Disappointing. However and once again, this team is still a very good team. They have one of the best lineups man to man in the league and we have pieces in the pitching staff that continue to be very solid.

This series was a great barometer of what end of the season and playoff baseball will be like, and it provided us an opportunity to learn things about individuals and this team. For starters, we still need another bullpen arm, because Will Smith isn't a closer in playoff like environments (he's an 8th inning or 7th inning in a tight game pitcher), and we are continuing to figure out the order in which to bring those guys out. Secondly, I think we finally put the nail in the coffin for the idea that we don't need another SP. Eovaldi and Heaney were great, but Gray and Perez were hit around well, and you need another surefire guy to go behind or before Eovaldi to make you feel comfortable in a playoff type of series. Lastly, this team has strikeout issues that need to be solved either by splitting the middle of the order up or trading for someone to better fill it out.

This team is still good, but this series made our flaws more prevalent and gave us a taste of what it's going to take to win the division and win in the playoffs.

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This is spot on. We're not going to be able to rely on Perez or Heaney as much as we've got away with and need another reliable arm out of the bullpen. I'm hoping the bats figure it out and we don't necessarily need to add another piece, but the current trend is troubling.

Do you think Chapman ultimately moves back to be the bona fide closer?

Chapman is probably the best bet at closer right now, but, I personally don't want or think he should be in that role heading into the playoffs.

gigem1223 said:

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Looks like we're getting Johnny Wholestaff from Boston today. I fully expect us to get blanked now.

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Dunning got scratched? He was listed for today.

Boston

Need to take care of Boston

Not sure how you could sit Janko right now but Boch gonna Boch. Looks like Boch will swap Jung and Lowe based on pitching matchup. He's done that a few times already.

Semien 2B
Seager SS
Jung 3B
Garcia RF
Lowe 1B
Duran DH
Garver C
Grossman LF
Taveras CF

KT 90 said:

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gigem1223 said:

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Looks like we're getting Johnny Wholestaff from Boston today. I fully expect us to get blanked now.

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Dunning got scratched? He was listed for today.

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Where are y'all seeing this? I am still seeing Dunning for today and Gray tomorrow.

The Fourth from Fenway. #StraightUpTX pic.twitter.com/2qYUbQ4W6d

— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) July 4, 2023

BTW - Fenway is my favorite old stadium to go to. Old Yankee Stadium was a dump. Wrigley is too.

The third and fourth oldest stadia in MLB right now are Dodger and Angels Stadiums. While Dodger Stadium is kinda cool, it is old and the Dodger Dog was highly overrated.

While I like the consistency in the lineup I think that they should put Zeke in the 3 hole. He is imo, more of a 3 hole hitter than Lowe.

Jimtim1216 said:

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While I like the consistency in the lineup I think that they should put Zeke in the 3 hole. He is imo, more of a 3 hole hitter than Lowe.

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I'd rather see Janko move up to 1 or 2 (at least while he's hot). The dude just finds a way to get on base.

1.Semien
2. Janko
3. Seager
4. Garcia
5. Duran
6. Jung
7. Lowe
8. Heim
9. Taveras

I'd like to spread our Jung, Zeke and Garcia. Put someone between them that is willing to see more pitches and just get the bat on the ball.

I think Lowe should be 6th. As for 7th I'm not sure if I'd go Jung or Jankowski.

I think I agree with everything you've said, here.

I really like what you've added to the Forum the last couple years.

I mentioned it somewhere last night, but don't remember if it was here. I think this season feels like 2015 in reverse when we snatched the division from the Astros late in the year. I feel like they're on the downswing at this point. That's not to say they're suddenly going to be terrible or anything, but I do feel like they're starting to reach that point in the curve where they may need to rebuild. It also doesn't mean that will make them terrible like we've been for the last seven years, but I do think the time is coming that the remainder of their core guys are getting past their peak. They've managed to develop their minor league system better than we certainly were, but even that will depend on if they start dumping prospects to try and make another run.

We'll see, but this year is definitely ahead of what I thought we'd be doing. I was pretty much hoping to have a shot at the playoffs in September and then start really pushing in 2024. I am leery of going all in on this year though.

Agree with the Stros starting the downswing. We are ahead of where I'd think for this year. Having said that this team with a couple of moves that see hit on, could and should compete for a championship

I read that post, even if it doesn't still exist.

The problem with that scenario is the state of the teams. I don't know that they have the SP to make a run on the division.

The reality is that there will be 3 teams that make the WC, no matter how bad the WC teams are.

I've gone a couple times to see who the SP was during the series. I have no other reason... except when I find out they commented on something I posted.

It is why I never visited the Rivalry thread.

I would also like to point out how much of a factor I think fatigue is, especially for this team. Essentially, the bottom third or so of the Rangers lineup is all Rookies in the sense that none of them have played a full season or even close to as much baseball as they have to this point. I think they are mentally and physically gassed because they have never done this before.

Guys like Semien, Seager, Adolis, Heim, and Lowe have done this before, and it shows, as they have more or less maintained their production levels. While on the other hand Jung, Duran, and Leody have experienced some more serious fluctuations in the past 2-3 weeks.