Seattle: 53-83
Rangers: 67-71
GAMES
Game 1: Carlos Silva vs Matt Harrison*
Game 2: Ryan Feierabend vs Brandon McCarthy
Game 3: Felix Hernandez vs Dustin Nippert
Matt Harrison had been terrible so far in 2008 when we last faced off against the Rangers and he lived up to the billing allowing six runs in 4.2 innings with five walks and just two strikeouts. He checks in at a 5.43 tRA. Of course, that's better than Carlos Silva and his 5.65.
Brandon McCarthy hasn't had much of a season with just 10 big league innings thrown (poorly) so far and just a handful more thrown down in the minors. Feierabend only has 15 innings thrown but his have been ok, thanks in large part to a so far low homerun on ball in air ratio and a really low walk rate. I'm sure that being a flyball pitcher in Arlington, his homerun rate will manage to stay depressed.
Dustin Nippert becomes our third consecutive small sample size pitcher so I'll just take the time to note that going by tRA, the Rangers have had just two starting pitchers play above average for them this season. One of them is Warner Madrigal who threw four innings for them in one start. The other one was Sidney Ponson. Huh?
Likely Starters:
C Jarrod Saltalamacchia^/Gerald Laird
1 Hank Blalock
2 Joaquin Arias
3 Chris Davis*
S Michael Young
L Marlon Byrd
C Josh Hamilton*
R Nelson Cruz
D Milton Bradley^
The Rangers boast four hitters who have been worth more than ten runs above average with their bats. Of course, the Rangers have a league worst .675 DER, so...
Defense matters.
CONTEXT
The last time we played the Rangers was right before the trade deadline. It was the last time I actually cared about the day to day ongoings of this team.
And so begins September and in the next few days, some call ups from Tacoma to rekindle at least a passing interest in me about this team. I'm not optimistic, but interested to watch Brandon Morrow start. I'm very afraid of Matt Tuiasosopo on the big league roster because I cannot see how the Mariners could ever get rid of a guy with that last name in Seattle.
Sorry for the short content, but as previously mentioned, I've been in SoCal all weekend and am only traveling back in a few hours. Enjoy the day off (if you have it).
THIS SERIES BROUGHT TO YOU BY:
Speedway Stout
AleSmith Brewing. San Diego, CA
Yummy.