The Rangers now own the West.

Since my last post there has been a lot going on with the Rangers.  The off season aspirations finally took hold and the Rangers now are in sole possession of first place in the American League West.  They have the same amount of wins as the Oakland Athletics but they have one less loss giving them a .5 game lead.

This is because of off days not quite lining up and this could be the case until the end of the season depending on rain-outs causing future make-up games.  Some good things have happened with the Rangers over the first month of the season and also some bad things have happened.

Second baseman Ian Kinsler finally made his season debut this last Friday, the same night that 2008 Cy Young winner Cliff Lee made his debut for the Mariners.  It was a pitchers duel with Rangers starter Colby Lewis pitching 9 scoreless innings before the game was won on a wild pitch in the 12th inning.  Cliff Lee also impressed in his first start for the Mariners going 7 scoreless innings in his debut receiving a no-decision.

The month of April was mediocrefor the Rangers in 23 games they had a record of 11-12.  They lost Nelson Cruz who was leading the team with 7 home runs to the disabled list with a strained hamstring.  Closer Frank Francisco lost his role as the closer due to ineffectiveness, although as of late he is showing flashes of his potential. 11-12 is not a spectacular record but its one game under .500 baseball and it was good enough to set the Rangers up for the lead in the West in May after winning the first two games thus far.

Tonight the Rangers are at Oakland Coliseum playing against the Oakland Athletics.  Rich Harden is starting for the Rangers and the Athletics are sending Dallas Braden to the mound opposite of Harden.  Harden was actually drafted by the Athletics before being the highlight of a trade that sent him  to the Chicago Cubs.  After injuries plagued Harden’s season and a half during his tenure in Chicago his market value was low and he signed a one year deal with an option for 2011 with the Rangers to prove his health.

In the West the Rangers are first and the Athletics are second.  If the Rangers win tonight, the lead in the west expands, if they lose the Athletics regain their lead in the West and the Rangers drop to second.  The Rangers play a 3 game series against the Athletics, so even though it’s early in the season some implications of who will get the A.L. West crown at the end of the season might be foreseen after the three game series.

As far as my absence in blogging, I am glad to be back on here.  The surgery last Monday went quite well and I have spent the last week recovering.  My wrist was somewhat painful at first, but I was given some good pain killers and I utilized them.  This weekend my wrist began to hurt more and the incision site became red and looked possibly infected.  So I went back to the Doctor today and my wrist is indeed infected.

So I will be off work from my real job till Friday, but I have to return back to the Dr. on Thursday to have the stiches removed and hopefully the infection will be gone.  This last week I had a desire to blog, although I did not feel like doing much other than sleeping or just laying here.  At this point I should be almost back to blogging like normal, although there may be a few days of adjustment.  Other than the infection, the surgery has cured my previous wrist issues.