Series Preview: Seattle Mariners @ Texas Rangers - Victorious

Series Preview? Who cares?

The Rangers are going to be playing a home game as American League West Champions. Everything from here until October 6th is delicious, delicious gravy. Sure, you might want 92 games while finally getting over that 19 games above .500 hump while building some momentum toward the playoffs. Or maybe you'd to see the Rangers make sure Vlad, Kinsler, Michael Young or Nellie gets a couple of days to rest before throwing themselves into the fray at 100% intensity again. You'd probably even see some novelty in getting to 11 games up in the division for the first time in franchise history. And I'm even willing to bet you'd love to see Josh Hamilton play a game or two before games mean something again. But ultimately, the Rangers are playing out the string and for the first time in 11 they are playing out the string as a victory lap and not a death march.

Gravy.

Monday, September 27 7:05: RHP David Pauley vs. LHP C.J. Wilson

Tuesday, September 28 7:05: RHP Felix Hernandez vs. RHP Scott Feldman

Wednesday, September 29 1:05: LHP Jason Vargas vs. RHP Rich "Dreamy" Harden

Here are the two things you need to know about this series:

1. The Rangers are starting Scott Feldman and Rich Harden in two of the three games.

2.

I think that sums it up pretty well.

Seattle Mariners (59-96, 4th place AL West)

Rangers' 2010 Record vs. Seattle: 11-5 (5-1 at The Ballpark)

Seattle's Recent Results: 1-2 Series loss against the Tampa Bay Rays

SBN Mariners Blog: Lookout Landing

Match-up: (as of 9/26)	Rangers	Mariners	Advantage
Batting (RAR)	30.5 (10th)	-146.3 (30th)	Rangers!
Starters (RAR)	118.2 (17th)	124.8 (15th)	Mariners
Bullpen (RAR)	46.1 (6th)	-2.3 (29th)	Rangers
Overall RAR	194.8	-23.8	Rangers!!
Defense Runs Saved	0	40	Mariners

Questions to Ponder:

• Did you know that in the past 20 years, since 1990, that no team has had a team wOBA of below .289--which the 1992 California Angels had--until this year's Seattle Mariners with their team wOBA of .286? Seattle's offense has truly been historically terrible.
• Are you at all concerned that the Rangers are now DRS neutral?
• Over/Under: 2.5 home runs that Franklin Gutierrez robs from the Rangers while making us all super horny in our sex doin' parts?
  
• Do you care that I made a crazy prediction back in May that still has a (small) possibility of being semi-correct in about two weeks?
  
• How excited are you for Rich Harden's last regular season start? Super excited, right? I still love you, Rich Harden.