Friday a.m. Rangers stuff

Derek Holland is leading the American League in shutouts.  Only Cliff Lee has more shutouts this season among major league pitchers.

Amazing, isn't it?

T.R. Sullivan's game story talks about Holland's terrific performance, with Holland acknowledging he got caught looking at the scoreboard and the "0" under the hits column and let a couple of pitches get away from him.

Jeff Wilson writes in his game story about Holland's turnaround since his 2/3 IP, 5 run outing against the Marlins.

Evan Grant has his post-game reactions up at the DMN Rangers blog.

Richard Durrett has his post-game reactions up.

Grant writes that Holland has talked to, among others, Nolan Ryan (for 45 minutes) and Michael Young in the last couple of weeks, and seems to be using the lessons he's learning to improve.

Joey Matches talks about Derek Holland as trade bait, and the struggles of determining if Holland has really turned the corner or is just showing flashes like he did in 2009.

Jeff Sullivan is unhappy with how yesterday's game went for the M's:

The Mariners get into a lot of pillow fights. It's been a part of their 2011 identity.

And a lot of times, it's worked out. A lot of times, the Mariners have won those pillow fights. But because they always go in expecting a regular pillow fight, they're never prepared for anything more. They're never prepared for somebody deciding to escalate things, like the Rangers did tonight. Tonight, the Mariners showed up in their footie pajamas, clutching goose down pillows in their hands, like they always do. But the Rangers showed up swinging nunchucks over their heads, and the Mariners didn't have an answer. The Mariners only have the pillows they have, and too often those pillows have proven insufficient.

(And this should go without saying, but a link to another team's site on SBN is not an invitation to go over there and troll or trash-talk.  Don't go to other team's sites to stir up problems.)

Sullivan's notes talk about the possibility of surgery for Julio Borbon on his ankle, which would put him out of action for pretty much the rest of the minor league season, and the bullpen situation.

The injuries to Borbon and Mike Olt complicate the Rangers' trade situation this summer...both guys are, when healthy, valuable trade chips who probably have more value in a trade than to the Ranger organization, given the dynamics of the major league team.  Both were playing well at the time of their injuries, and they've gone from valuable pieces that could be used in a deal for pitching help to guys who no team will likely be interested in acquiring until 2012.

The S-T's notes talk about Martin Perez's promotion and Michael Young's hit totals.

Wilson has a story about Scott Feldman refusing to waive his right to declare free agency if he's outrighted, and thus being put on the active roster.