Series Preview: Minnesota Twins @ Texas Rangers - Eight is Enough

Series Schedule:

Friday, June 27 7:05: RHP Kevin Correia vs. RHP Nick Tepesch

Saturday, June 28 3:05: RHP Phil Hughes vs. RHP Yu Darvish

Sunday, June 29 2:05: RHP Kyle Gibson vs. RHP Colby Lewis

Here are eight things that had not yet happened since the last time the Texas Rangers lost eight consecutive baseball games back on August 16, 2005:

1. The USMNT had not yet been eliminated from the World Cup by Ghana...the first time.
2. We did not know yet what Locke and Jack saw down that accursed hatch after the season one cliffhanger on LOST.
3. Tim Lincecum, busying himself with entering his junior year at Washington, had not yet been drafted, and therefore had not yet won two Cy Youngs, two World series, or thrown two no-hitters.
4. Elvis Andrus had not yet turned 17 years old and was in the midst of making his professional debut in the Gulf Coast Rookie League for the Atlanta Braves.
5. We were still a year away from Justin Timberlake bringing Sexy Back.
6. Mavs veteran Monta Ellis had not yet signed a professional contract after being drafted in the second round a couple of weeks previously by the Golden State Warriors.
7. We were still weeks away from the theatrical release of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and yet, just weeks previously had learned that Snape kills Dumbledore from the summer book release of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
8. Jon Daniels had not yet turned 28 years old and was on no one's radar to become the then youngest general manager in MLB history a few months later.

Here's a breakdown of the pitching match-ups against a Minnesota Twins team that is the official barometer for how bad your team sucks:

• Nick Tepesch: 2-3, 5.84 K/9, 3.65 BB/9, .299 BABIP, 75.5% LOB, 4.85 FIP, 4.73 xFIP, 0.3 WAR - Two starts in 2014: 8 runs allowed in 16.2 innings
• Kevin Correia: 4-8, 4.48 K/9, 1.92 BB/9, .322 BABIP, 65.0% LOB, 4.05 FIP, 4.65 xFIP, 0.9 WAR - Last three starts: 2 runs allowed in 18.0 innings

Thoughts: Sorry I lied to you in the last Series Preview and said Nick Tepesch would start last series. The Rangers switched things up so they could unfurl Big Dick Nick on the Minnesota Twins.

It's going to be super dumb when Kevin Correia shuts out the Rangers.

• Yu Darvish: 7-4, 11.02 K/9, 3.36 BB/9, .318 BABIP, 79.9% LOB, 2.78 FIP, 3.21 xFIP, 2.9 WAR - Two starts in 2014: 8 runs allowed in 20.0 innings
• Phil Hughes: 8-3, 7.74 K/9, 0.85 BB/9, .319 BABIP, 72.6% LOB, 2.65 FIP, 3.36 xFIP, 2.8 WAR - Last three appearances: 7 runs allowed in 20.0 innings

Thoughts: This is obviously me spilling my water and looking at things half full but the problem with a Yu Darvish start is if he isn't at his best, it feels like we're a hundred years from seeing something good on a baseball field waiting for the next time he starts and is good. Of course, when he is good, for that night, he makes up for the Rangers being awful and everything is right with the world.

Yu Darvish is facing Phil Hughes. It's a battle of the only viable starters on either team! ACE FIGHT! ACE FIGHT! ACE FIGHT! Which, of course, just means the Rangers aren't going to score and Yu will lose 1-0.

• Colby Lewis: 5-5, 7.36 K/9, 3.36 BB/9, .397 BABIP, 71.0% LOB, 4.43 FIP, 4.72 xFIP, 0.8 WAR - Last three starts: 12 runs allowed in 16.2 innings
• Kyle Gibson: 6-6, 4.98 K/9, 2.86 BB/9, .258 BABIP, 69.1% LOB, 3.75 FIP, 4.13 xFIP, 1.3 WAR - Last three starts: 7 runs allowed in 16.0 innings

Thoughts: Do I have to have thoughts about this game? I think my thoughts about this game is to have as few thoughts about this game as possible.

Minnesota Twins (36-41, 4th Place in AL Central)

Rangers' Record vs. Minnesota: 3-1 (All at Target Field)

Minnesota's Recent Results: 0-3 swept on the road against the Anaheim Angels

Minnesota's Road Record: 17-24

The Ballpark Park Factors (LHB/RHB): HR: 114/93 - Runs: 112/107

SB Nation Twins Blog: Twinkie Town

Questions to Answer:

• Better name for potential 2015 first round Ranger draft pick: Kyle Funkhouse or Skye Bolt?
• Who is your Return of the McLemore Approved Player to Watch in this series? (I'm basically only tuning in to see Adrian Beltre play.)
• Over/Under: 10.5 times Shin-Soo Choo looks like he regrets ever deciding to play the game of baseball in this series?
• What's your guess for line (IP/H/K/BB/ER) by Yu Darvish on Saturday in what is probably our only hope of ever winning again?
• Yea or Nay: The Rangers ever win another game in our lifetimes?