Any recommendations

NorthTexasFan · April 10, 2006

I say someone needs to wake up the bottom of the lineup's bats!

untgirl04 · April 10, 2006

I say someone needs to wake up the bottom of the lineup's bats!
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They had a good game yesterday. As always with the Rangers, they need a solid 6-7 innings out of their starter, and then their relief pitching just needs to hold on (go CoCo!)

My theory is that the explanation for the quiet bats thus far is directly related to Rudy Jaramillo being out at the moment. Once he returns next week, I predict a sudden surge in Rangers' offense.

bigrobdsp · April 10, 2006

I dont know what everyone is getting jumpy about... they are only 4 games out of 1st....

NorthTexasFan · April 10, 2006

I dont know what everyone is getting jumpy about... they are only 4 games out of 1st....
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gksmith · April 10, 2006

RA Dickey is a disappointment. Rangers just sent him to Oklahoma City.

He could end up being a guy that is "4A." Great in the AAA minors but terrible in the Majors.

Right now, they are NOT mathematically eliminated.

Monkeypox · April 11, 2006

RA Dickey is a disappointment. Rangers just sent him to Oklahoma City.
He could end up being a guy that is "4A." Great in the AAA minors but terrible in the Majors.
Right now, they are NOT mathematically eliminated.
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RA pitched well today. Personally, I just think his knuckleball is still a work in progress, though it is somewhat telling that the last guy to have an outing as bad as his last was Tim Wakefield, in a season during which he still won 12 games.

A knuckleball is baffling when it's on, one of the most annoying pitches to deal with as a hitter. When it's not on, it's BP. And there's not much a pitcher can do to adjust it, no pitching coach that can help you with it. It either is or it isn't.

gksmith · April 12, 2006

I didn't know RA was working on a knuckleball.

When the knuckleball (for any pitcher) is working well, it is as unhitable as a high 90s fastball.

When the knuckleball is not working, it is like putting it on a tee for the hitter.

Monkeypox · April 13, 2006

I didn't know RA was working on a knuckleball.
When the knuckleball (for any pitcher) is working well, it is as unhitable as a high 90s fastball.
When the knuckleball is not working, it is like putting it on a tee for the hitter.
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Yeah, he started working on it last year. He's always thrown a variation of the pitch they caled the "Thing", which was an out pitch for him.

I think part of his problem is he throws the knuckler a little too hard, and mixes in too many of his other pitches. You've really got to throw the knuckler MOST of the time for it to be effective. He gets a handle on it and he'll be able to occasionally blow people away with that 89-90mph fastball, pancake-flat though it be.