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Series Schedule:
Monday, August 26 9:10: LHP Joe Saunders vs. LHP Travis Blackley
Tuesday, August 27 9:10: RHP Hisashi Iwakuma vs. LHP Derek Holland
Wednesday, August 28 2:40: RHP Felix Hernandez vs. LHP Martin Perez
The Official Things Currently More Villainous Than Kyle Seager list:
- Ryan Braun's thoughts on Jewish Chicago Cubs fans, urine handlers, and your gullibility
- The Internet's current obsession with Miley Cyrus
- The toxic pariah that is the Dana DeMuth, Angel Hernandez, Paul Nauert, and Doug Eddings umpiring crew
- Warner Bros thinking Rudy Duncan from Reindeer Games will make a fine Batman
- Walter White's ability to lie
- Twitter turning otherwise upstanding human beings into 140 character-limited weirdos
- Bud Selig
- The Westboro Baptist Church
- Riley Cooper's alcohol tolerance, vocabulary, and appreciation of the working class
- Spiders
That's it. The above list is the complete work of the things in this world that are more villainous than Kyle Duerr Seager. Seager, as you may remember, was virtually single-handedly responsible for two Ranger losses just over a week ago. Seager hit a go-ahead home run off of Neal Cotts in the 8th inning of a game the Rangers were leading 1-0 on Aug 16. He followed that up by hitting the go-ahead RBI double off of Joe Nathan in the 9th inning of a tied game two days later.
Since that series, spanning six games, Seager has two total hits in 23 at-bats. Before the series with the Rangers, Seager had only seven hits total for the month, and only one of those was an extra base hit. For the season, Seager is hitting .409 with four homers and 11 doubles versus Texas. Seager's 55 career hits against Texas is 14 more than against any other team.
Knock it off, Kyle Seager.
Here's a breakdown of the pitching match-ups against the Kyle Seager and the Silver Slugger Band:
- Travis Blackley: 1-1, 7.15 K/9, 4.85 BB/9, .214 BABIP, 85.9% LOB, 6.80 FIP, 4.62 xFIP, -1.2 WAR - Last three appearancess: 3 runs allowed in 6.1 innings
- Joe Saunders: 10-12, 5.09 K/9, 2.99 BB/9, .324 BABIP, 70.6% LOB, 4.77 FIP, 4.34 xFIP, 0.2 WAR - Last three starts: 13 runs allowed in 14.2 innings
Advantage: (Presented in lyrics from Britpop songs)
This is a low
But it won't hurt you
When you are alone it will be there with you
Finding ways to stay solo
Yeah, I've been hung in a bad place
Had no sun over my face
I've been hung in a bad place
For too long, for too long, for too long
- Derek Holland: 9-6, 8.38 K/9, 2.69 BB/9, .303 BABIP, 77.2% LOB, 3.05 FIP, 3.51 xFIP, 4.8 WAR - Last three starts: 5 runs allowed in 19.0 innings
- Hisashi Iwakuma: 12-6, 7.58 K/9, 1.67 BB/9, .248 BABIP, 80.2% LOB, 3.69 FIP, 3.37 xFIP, 2.8 WAR - Last three starts: 10 runs allowed in 20.2 innings
Advantage:
Don't flake out on me,
Oh you promised you'd write before Easter,
And now you damn well know that it's Autumn,
and I missed you through those summer months
You're OK
You're OK
You're OK
So OK
- Martin Perez: 7-3, 6.04 K/9, 2.63 BB/9, .286 BABIP, 73.7% LOB, 4.07 FIP, 3.95 xFIP, 1.2 WAR - Last three starts: 8 runs allowed in 23.0 innings
- Felix Hernandez: 12-7, 9.36 K/9, 1.90 BB/9, .307 BABIP, 78.5% LOB, 2.53 FIP, 2.66 xFIP, 5.5 WAR - Last three starts: 7 runs allowed in 19.0 innings
Advantage:
Do you remember the first time?
I can't remember a worse time.
But you know that we've changed so much since then,
Oh yeah,
We've grown
Let me put you in the picture
Let me show you what I mean
The messiah is my sister
Ain't no king, man, she's my queen
Seattle Mariners (59-70, 3rd Place in AL West)
Rangers' Record vs. Seattle: 9-7 (4-3 at Safeco Field)
Seattle's Recent Results: 0-3 swept at home by the Anaheim Angels
Seattle's 2013 Home Record: 31-35
Safeco Field Park Factors (LHB/RHB): HR: 86/74 - Runs: 83/84
SB Nation Mariners Blog: Lookout Landing
| Match-up: (as of 08/26) | Rangers | Mariners | Advantage |
| Batting (RAR) | -15.7 (12th) | -24.2 (13th) | Order restored: Rangers hit better than the Mariners |
| Base Running (RAR) | -6.7 (23rd) | -11.9 (29th) | Justin Smoak is not a fast man |
| Starters (RAR) | 42.2 | 76.6 | Travis Blackley: The American League's worst pitcher |
| Bullpen (RAR) | 52.3 (2nd) | 26.2 (15th) | What's a Farquhar? |
| Defense (UZR) | 25.3 (6th) | -63.5 (30th) | The M's outfield is truly horrible |
| Overall (UZR + RAR) | 97.4 | 3.2 |
If only they didn't have Kyle Seager |
Questions to Answer:
- True or False: You secretly hope John Rhadigan goofs up and drops a fish tossed at him at Pike Place Fish Market? (Bonus: He catches it, winks and says, "It's a caught!")
- Who is your Return of the McLemore Approved Player to Watch in this series? (Adrian Beltre drives in at least half of the Rangers' runs in this series.)
- Over/Under: 1.5 game-winning hits by Kyle Seager in this series?
- What's your guess for line (IP/H/K/BB/ER) by Travis Blackley tonight as he goes up against Hokie Joe Saunders?
- Yea or Nay: The Rangers atone for their series lost to the Mariners a week ago by winning this series in Seattle?