Rangers have a softer schedule.

Rangers have a softer schedule.

KLaw was just on ESPN News, and said that the Red Sox are the better team on paper when talking about the Wild Card. However, he gave the above reason as to why the Rangers are still in the race.

over 2 years ago Excel Hearts Choi 14 comments 0 recs |

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Lazy

We are 5-1 this season against Boston and 16-12 against the East. Boston is 10-18 against the West. The West is 67-52 against the East.
In reality, it looks like Boston has the softer schedule playing in the East. If we switched divisions or were placed in the same division, Boston may be out of the playoff hunt altogether.

by Jack Nicholson 1974 on Aug 10, 2009 2:12 PM CDT reply actions

Do you really think...

…that the West is better than the East?

I don’t.

by Adam J. Morris on Aug 10, 2009 2:36 PM CDT up reply actions

I don't know

I don’t know which division is better, and I didn’t know what the results would be when I started to look at the records. It literally took 2 minutes on mlb.com to find the head-to-head results, though. It just strikes me as lazy that someone would automatically conclude that a team in the West has a softer schedule than a team in the East without checking the most basic of facts. So far this season, the head-to-head results seem to indicate that the West is better than the East.

by Jack Nicholson 1974 on Aug 10, 2009 2:54 PM CDT up reply actions

Clarify

I should have written the rest of what Law said. The Red Sox have a tougher rest of August than the Rangers. The Rangers and the Red Sox play each other, and the both play the Yankees again. The Rangers get the Twins and the Indians from the central, while the Red Sox get the White Sox and Tigers.

by Excel Hearts Choi on Aug 10, 2009 3:02 PM CDT up reply actions

Thanks

Thanks for the clarification. That makes much more sense.

by Jack Nicholson 1974 on Aug 10, 2009 5:58 PM CDT up reply actions

x

It just strikes me as lazy that someone would automatically conclude that a team in the West has a softer schedule than a team in the East without checking the most basic of facts. So far this season, the head-to-head results seem to indicate that the West is better than the East.

I suspect he said Texas has the softer schedule based on the winning percentages of the teams they are left to face. This is KLaw we’re talking about, not Joe Mogan.

by Adam J. Morris on Aug 10, 2009 4:09 PM CDT up reply actions

Looking at the context of the quote, I see his point. I thought he was saying the only reason the Rangers are currently in contention is due to their softer schedule (in the past). I see now he was saying the Rangers’ upcoming schedule is softer than Boston’s. Let’s hope that works out for us.

by Jack Nicholson 1974 on Aug 10, 2009 5:58 PM CDT up reply actions

"On paper"?

WTF does “on paper” mean? Does it mean “if everyone is healthy”?
Hamilton and Ortiz have had crappy years. Matsuzaka’s arm finally went seppuku and Padilla is out of here. Brad Penny has been victimized by some bad luck but he certainly ain’t no savior. Smoltz, Kotsay, and Baldelli are flops. Their young SS is injured and the overpaid mediocre guy whom Lowrie replaced was traded. So now the have to throw out Nick Effin Green everyday. Papelbon is clearly struggling this year. And is that Casey Kotchman in a Red Sox uniform?
Bay and Martinez are to be feared but so is Face’s newfound (again) power stroke and Elvis Andrus mastery with the glove.
We will take the Wild Card if the pitching holds up and Kins and Cruz come back and start hitting some balls.

Alma para conquistarte, corazón para quererte, y vida para vivirla junto a ti.

by chrisR on Aug 10, 2009 2:38 PM CDT reply actions

Ranger Equivalents

Give me the Ranger equivalents to Beckett, Lester, Youk, Bay, and Martinez. Like Law said, the Sox look better on paper. Doesn’t mean the WC will go to them, though.

by Excel Hearts Choi on Aug 10, 2009 2:55 PM CDT up reply actions

Beckett and Lester cannot be matched. But, just two outstanding pitchers alone isn’t going to get it done.
The Rangers and Red Sox play different styles of baseball. The Rangers are winning with consistent pitching and spectacular defense. Whereas the Red Sox are simpling doing what they’ve always done. Good pitching and quite a few mashers in their lineup. But unlike years before, David Ortiz isn’t getting it done. Varitek’s hitting, as expected, has deteriorated. And Papelbon, isn’t as dominant as he’s been. Like I said, Bay and Martinez (and I forgot Youk and Ellsbury, to an extent) are to be respected. But this isn’t the same Red Sox team that won it all in 2007, or got the ALCS last year.
I didn’t say we’re better. But if we can just get Kinsler to hit leadoff close to how he did last year, and have Cruz healthy to provide some power in the middle of the lineup, we will surpass them.

Alma para conquistarte, corazón para quererte, y vida para vivirla junto a ti.

by chrisR on Aug 10, 2009 3:10 PM CDT up reply actions

x

The Rangers are winning with consistent pitching

Consistently mediocre pitching.

by Adam J. Morris on Aug 10, 2009 4:11 PM CDT up reply actions

Consistently mediocre

that has been getting results. Results that have been inflated by the defense but acceptable results nonetheless.
How many times this year has one of our starters gone less than 3 innings? I don’t have the numbers at hand, but I’m betting is probably less than 10

Alma para conquistarte, corazón para quererte, y vida para vivirla junto a ti.

by chrisR on Aug 10, 2009 9:53 PM CDT up reply actions

x

WTF does "on paper" mean?

It usually means, based on the likely/expected performance of the players in place.

Boston is the better team on paper, fwiw. I don’t know that that is really that controversial a statement.

by Adam J. Morris on Aug 10, 2009 4:10 PM CDT up reply actions

All in all

The points I was trying to get across were:
1. Not always does the better team (on paper) win.
2. The Red Sox are not as good as they’ve been in the past.
But I do agree that Boston is better (on paper).

Alma para conquistarte, corazón para quererte, y vida para vivirla junto a ti.

by chrisR on Aug 10, 2009 11:19 PM CDT up reply actions