Just Keep Swimming

Is Kinsler Gone?

(photo courtesy of rotoinfo.com)

The Rangers continue to have injury problems at the big league level. From Matt Harrison, Colby Lewis, Neftali Feliz, Alexi Ogando, to Lance Berkman and now Nick Tepesch, the Rangers just can’t seem to keep a full team on the field. But that has not stopped this team from competing for first place in the American League West. As the wise fish named Dori from the move Finding Nemo once said, “Just keep swimming.” The Rangers have gotten decent outings from Martin Perez, Ross Wolf and to a lesser extent Josh Lindbloom in the absence of Ogando and Harrison.

The Rangers starters ERA has suffered a bit, now sitting at 4.26, and their overall team ERA is 3.71, so obviously the pen is still doing a pretty good job. The Rangers as a team has found a way to keep winning, even with all of the injuries and bad starts that they have had. Justin Grimm and Nick Tepesch have not looked like they did at the start of the season, Yu Darvish is struggling, and Derek Holland is playing good cop/bad cop right now. Yet the Rangers sit at 52-37, only one half game behind the Oakland Athletics.

The offense seems to have come around, and it was nice to see them put up a six run inning last night in Baltimore. Everyone had been trash talking this team, but I am here to tell you that we should be encouraged! They are about the get a few days off during the All-Star Break, after they play three more against Baltimore and three against Detroit. And lets remember, the Rangers seem to be playing well against good teams. The Rangers are doing more than staying afloat right now, they are winning. At a surprising pace for the players they are putting on the field. I know it won’t last forever, but lets enjoy it while we can.