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The Rangers are getting ready to face the Angels in a 4 game set that may decide the winner of the AL West, depending on what the Rangers can do. With the bull pen being as good as it has been since the trade deadline, the rotation still being very good, and hitters that have just scored a lot of runs against a team that is praised for their pitching, the Rangers are in a position to put the Angels away (technically) for the rest of the season. I believe that the Rangers have a good chance to do that, they have a 4 game lead now, and with a sweep of the Halo’s, they will have an 8 game lead. Do I believe they will sweep the Halo’s? No, but I think that they can. We here at TRR think the Rangers will win the West, and we think they will do it this week for all practical purposes.
Monday, August 15, 2011 – Alexi Ogando (11-5, 3.22 ERA) vs. Garrett Richards (0-1, 10.80 ERA)
Richards debuted against the Yankees at Yankees stadium for his first major league start, and it did not go real well. He was facing the no. 1 homerun hitting team in all of baseball, and now, for his second start, he is facing the no. 2 homerun hitting team in all of baseball. This will be a tough assignment for Richards, and I think it will be too tough for him. The Rangers win this one by 4 or 5 runs.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011 – Derek Holland (10-4, 4.31 ERA) vs. Tyler Chatwood (6-8, 4.07 ERA)
Derek is 3-3 with a 5.81 ERA in his career against the Angels, and this lineup averages .268 against him. But, Derek is not the same pitcher that he has been in his career, and he has much better command of his stuff, and he pitches out of jams way better than he used to. Chatwood is winless in his last 3 starts and most of the Rangers have never faced him. This lineup seems to have trouble when they have never faced a guy before early, but look for the Rangers to put up some runs on Chatwood the second and third time through the lneup. I think Derek and the Rangers take this game by a 3 run margin or so.
Wednesday August 17, 2011 – C.J. Wilson (11-5, 3.28 ERA) vs. Ervin Santana (9-8, 3.10 ERA)
Ervin has pitched out of his mind in the last few starts he has had, and it is time for him to come down. He is 3-0 with a 1.03 ERA in his last 3 starts, including a no hitter. The Rangers have hit around .270 against him in his career, and I look for this to be a very low scoring game. C.J. pitched really good against the A’s in his last start, but he is 1-1 with a 4.41 in his last 3 starts. I look for the game to be 2-1 or maybe 3-1, and I am not sure who wins it.
Thursday August 18, 2011 – Colby Lewis (11-8, 4.01 ERA) vs. Jared Weaver (14-6, 2.13 ERA)
Weaver is having a great season, but he is 0-2 with a 4.87 ERA in his last 3 starts. Lewis, on the other hand is 1-0 with a 4.08 in his last 3 starts. Weaver and Lewis both seemed to get amped up for matchups like this one, and this will be a fun game to watch in my opinion. This game could wind up being the nail in the Angels coffin if the Rangers have already won 2 of the first 3 games, because it would make the lead in the division 7 games with only about 5 weeks to go. I am not saying it could not be overcome, but with the Rangers pen and the Rangers bats, it would be very hard for the Angels to overcome it. I look for the Rangers to beat the big whiner Weaver and take the series 3-1 and put some serious distance between them and the Angels.
The Rangers are batting .287 with runners in scoring position, the best in the majors. It is time for them to be considered as one of the best teams in the majors. They are only 4 games behind the Red Sox for the best record in the AL. and only 3 games behind ESPN’s crowned best team ever in the Yankees. I really look forward to the next four games, and I know all of you do too!
