The flu edition. The Rangers are apparently waiting until tomorrow morning to travel to Kansas City, rather than going today as planned, so that the players can spend a full day away from each other in the hopes of not getting anyone else sick.
Jeff (the writer) Miller writes that this was a bizarre game, with Dustin Nippert making a spot start, Doug Mathis getting a not-cheap 3+ inning save, a suicide squeeze, bunches of steals, and Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz hugging inadvertantly after a play in the outfield.
Jeff Wilson says that efficiency and throwing strikes was key to Mathis being able to finish out the game, needing just 44 pitches to go the last 3 1/3 innings.
Jon Daniels isn't happy with the offense:
"I’m not going to beat around the bush, I’m concerned about our offense," Daniels said. "We’ve been spoiled in the past, but we need to perform at a higher level. Right now, we’re too easy to pitch to.
"We can definitely improve on the quality of our at-bats. It needs to improve if we’re going to have a chance not just to contend, but to win."
Also in the story, Daniels has some quotes that makes it sound like the Rangers aren't adding salary.
There's also an update on four of the Rangers unsigned higher draft picks...the Rangers' third and fifth rounders are unsigned, but Daniels expects deals to be done by August 17. Little progress has been made on talks with Matt Purke and Tanner Scheppers, but that's to be expected. MLB has ruled that players who pitched in the independent leagues last year aren't subject to the August 17 deadline, so Scheppers' situation could drag on into the fall and winter.
Jim Reeves says that Josh Hamilton is struggling to get his swing back after surgery.