Who Are These Guys?
Scott Feldman got his 15th win last night. It was a club record 7th consecutive road win. He tied the Rangers' season record with his 11th victory away from Arlington.
Neftali Feliz got his second career save. His walk to strikeout ratio improved again. He has struckout 28 batters and thrown 4 balls to 1 batter since being called up to the majors. His ERA is 0.41 in 22 innings of work. The one run he has allowed was also the only extra base hit he has given up - a home run in Oakland a month ago.
Julio Borbon stole his 12th base.
Elvis Andrus went 2 for 3 with a walk batting second.
Chris Davis lined a two out double to the fence in left center field (the opposite field) following a Nelson Cruz walk.
Cruz's walk came after he fell behind in the count 0-2. I believe he fouled off 4 or 5 pitches. It was a thing of beauty.
Cruz also hit his 31st home run. He becomes only the third Texas Ranger to hit 30 homers in his first full season at the major league level. Pete Incaviglia (1986) & Reuben Sierra (1987) are the previous players to achieve this.
Rangers fans are having a blast at The Ballpark this year watching these guys mature. As Marlon Byrd said, "Our little boys have become big boys fast. They aren't scared. They're having fun."
Let's hope that higher expectations for next year don't change this. And let's hope for October baseball in 2009!
Neftali Feliz got his second career save. His walk to strikeout ratio improved again. He has struckout 28 batters and thrown 4 balls to 1 batter since being called up to the majors. His ERA is 0.41 in 22 innings of work. The one run he has allowed was also the only extra base hit he has given up - a home run in Oakland a month ago.
Julio Borbon stole his 12th base.
Elvis Andrus went 2 for 3 with a walk batting second.
Chris Davis lined a two out double to the fence in left center field (the opposite field) following a Nelson Cruz walk.
Cruz's walk came after he fell behind in the count 0-2. I believe he fouled off 4 or 5 pitches. It was a thing of beauty.
Cruz also hit his 31st home run. He becomes only the third Texas Ranger to hit 30 homers in his first full season at the major league level. Pete Incaviglia (1986) & Reuben Sierra (1987) are the previous players to achieve this.
Rangers fans are having a blast at The Ballpark this year watching these guys mature. As Marlon Byrd said, "Our little boys have become big boys fast. They aren't scared. They're having fun."
Let's hope that higher expectations for next year don't change this. And let's hope for October baseball in 2009!
posted by Kurt at 8:46 AM
4 Comments:
Incaviglia and Sierra both were expected to become real stars. Unfortunately Pete was not quite as good as the hype, and Reuben listened to it too often and too closely. Hopefully having players like Omar Vizquel and Marlon Byrd in the clubhouse will help the young guys keep their heads screwed on right. Add in someone like Pudge who has won it all to help push them and yes, this could be some magical years in Arlington. And the magic will not be in the Jerry Dome!
Don't get me started on Pudge... Hopefully the man has changed somewhat in the years away from Arlington. It looks like he has anyway. But some friends of mine with insider knowledge of the Rangers clubhouse of the 90s always asserted that Pudge was one of the largest horse's butts you could meet and that Juan Gonzalez was the true nice guy.
I wasn't suggesting Pudge was a nice guy, or even what you want in veteran clubhouse leadership. With this team I think that's more the role for Vizquel and Millwood and the like. What I-Rod gives them is the jerk whose been there and done it and who wants to get there again and can push the young guys -- a nasty version of the Red Sox Cowboy Up thing in 2004.
OOPS. I meant push the OLD guys.
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