Interleague play starts with a loss.

The Rangers were unable to overcome a shaky start by Rich Harden and dropped the first game of a three game series against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park.  The Rangers started a three game series tonight against the Brewers, Monday is an off day before the Ranger begin a 3 game series at the Florida Marlins.

They will then head to Houston for the final 3 game series to finish off the road trip before heading back to Arlington.  The Rangers then have May 21 off again before facing the Pittsburgh Pirates for a three game series at Arlington and then finishing interleague play that weekend facing the Astros one more time.

So far in June the Ranger are 7-4 in 11 games and are 33-28 in 61 game this season leading the division by one game over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.  In tonight’s start, Harden pitched 6 innings, giving up 6 runs, seven hits and 3 walks.  Four out of the seven hits were home runs, which is a career high for Harden.  Chris Ray and Darren O’Day pitched the final two innings giving up no more runs, since the Brewers were leading after the top of the ninth, there was no need for a Rangers reliever to pitch the ninth.

Harden’s season is feast or famine in 13 starts this season he has 3 quality starts, all three of his quality starts are his 3 wins.  So when he pitches well he wins, when he doesn’t pitch well he either gets a no-decision or takes the loss.  So 3 of his 13 starts are wins leaving ten more starts.  Four of those ten starts he did not pitch enough innings (5) to qualify for the win so he automatically took a no decision.

Out of the remaining 6 starts, four of those he took a no decision, with three of those four no decisions ending in wins.  The final two starts he took the loss.  So out of his 13 starts, only four of them have ended in a loss.  So 9 out of his 13 starts ended in wins which is a .692 win percentage.  Every time one of your starting pitchers steps to the mound and  there is more than a 50% chance that he will win, that is something to look forward to, every pitcher has rough outings, but he overall does good.

Basically what I am getting at is that Harden is a decent pitcher and the Rangers fans need to give him a break.  Every start is not going to be perfect, but overall he is doing decent and I believe the main goal for a team is for them to play above .500 baseball, if you can do that, the postseason should come to you.  I don’t believe a team should ever focus on the postseason, you need to try to win every game and break it down game to game and if you win or lose there is another a game tomorrow.