JD Makes The First Move
Rangers GM Jon Daniels made a move to avoid being “held hostage” by the market. In the off-season the dominoes fall in certain order. Sometimes you miss opportunities, like Cliff Lee. Sometimes the...
View Article#Bullpen
Going into the 2011 season, the Texas Rangers bullpen looked like this: Closer – Neftali Feliz Set Up – Darren O’Day Set Up – Arthur Rhodes Middle Reliever – Mark Lowe Middle Reliever – Darren Oliver...
View ArticleRangers Top 30 Targets
This is the opposite of last off-season. The Rangers went after Cliff Lee, narrowly missed and had to move on to “Plan B”, Adrian Beltre, which worked out very nicely. This year, the Rangers won the Yu...
View ArticleProspect Countdown #6 – Tanner Scheppers
Tanner Scheppers is a 6′ 4″, 200lb. 25 year-old relief pitcher for the Texas Rangers. Drafted 44th overall by the Rangers in the 2009 amateur draft, the hard-throwing righty fell to them at this...
View ArticleThe Texas Rangers are Hungry
Bottom of the 9th inning. The count is 1-2. Neftali Feliz on the mound. David Freese at the plate. “Into right, well hit…Back at the wall…and it’s off the wall! One run scores…here comes Berkman…Freese...
View ArticleThe Prize of Surprise: Joe Nathan
*This is another installment of “The Prize of Surprise”, in which the SDI Staff will be giving you our players to watch this year. These are the players we think can make a significant contribution to...
View ArticleTexas Rangers Positional Preview: The Bullpen Is…
This is the second installment of a new series at Shutdown Inning. This series will look at the 2012 Texas Rangers roster position-by-position each day leading up to Opening Day. The Closer The Closer...
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Shutdown Breakdown – Appreciate Yu, Pal
Sorry about the pun in the headline. It was an accident. Never mind that, the intent is clear: Yu Darvish did something amazing tonight and it is worthy of our full appreciation. The New York Yankees...
View ArticleStep Back From That Ledge, My Friend
There is nothing like a 6-game win streak to make everyone take a few steps back from the ledge. Actually, everyone can probably get down off the building and go home. Leave the ledge alone. Enjoy the...
View ArticleAge Ain’t Nothin’ But a Number for Nathan
**ORIGINAL POST DATE 6/27/12** Joe Nathan is the oldest player on the Rangers’ roster. He’s also been their most consistently outstanding performer this season. Some, like Josh Hamilton, have had...
View ArticleRangers All-star pitchers
**ORIGINAL POST DATE 6/30/12** Here we are 78 games into the season. Almost halfway through 2012 baseball. Kansas City will host the All-Star Game soon, and it seems the roster will be stacked with...
View ArticleRangers Eight Look to Dominate
**ORIGINAL POSTED DATE 7/10/12** As the Rangers blow past the halfway point in their 2012 season, they remain at the top of the American League West standings and share the Major League lead in wins....
View ArticlePoetry In Motion: Rangers 11 Angels 10
**ORIGINAL POSTED DATE 8/02/12** Every baseball game is like the beginning of a new poem in a book of poetry. Each poem is connected in that they’re all a part of a big book, but they’re also each...
View ArticleAll Systems Ko
With that pesky gang from Oakland relentlessly nipping at their heels like a pack of rabid Pomeranians, the Rangers have no choice but to keep winning, in order to lock up their third straight AL West...
View ArticleOpen Letter To The Rangers On The Eve Of Game 162
You probably never thought you’d be here. I certainly didn’t think you would be. Tied with the Athletics, the Athletics, for first place in the division with one game to go. You were the early chip...
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On A Closing Note
After Joe Nathan blew his third save of the season on the last day of September fans became enraged with him once again. It blew my mind. I was actually at that game and I remember a lady next to me...
View Article2013 Rangers Relief Pitching Preview
There’s no arguing that the Texas Rangers had one of the best relief staffs in baseball last year and when used correctly they could shut down any team. Next season shouldn’t see too many changes if...
View ArticleHappy Birthday Joe
It was one year ago yesterday that the Texas Rangers signed free agent closer Joe Nathan. The then 37 year old veteran All-Star closer solidified the back end of the Rangers bullpen allowing Neftali...
View ArticleStrong Like Bullpen
If the Rangers had any 2012 player back, I’d want it to be Koji Uehara. His 10.75 K/9 and his 1.75 ERA were something I knew I’d miss dearly. Not to mention that huge glove and the excitement he took...
View ArticleBlame Gaming: Bullpen Management Edition
If you missed the series finale in Boston, allow me to quickly recap the bottom of the 9th inning… Michael Kirkman entered with the game tied at 3. He threw 1 pitch, which was hit hard for a double....
View ArticleUps and Downs
We are just past the midway point of the season and various opinions have been laid out regarding the 2013 Texas Rangers and their quest to reclaim the A.L. West title. Some people think this team...
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The Guessing Game
When you go to a fair or carnival, you will eventually pass that one barker who exclaims, “Step right up. Let me guess your *insert height/weight/age/etc.* If I’m off by +/- amount, then you win a...
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Joe and Mo
Mariano Rivera was the set-up man in the 8th inning for the American League in the All-Star Game. The closer was none other than Texas’ own Joe Nathan. Both recorded scoreless innings. Nathan allowed a...
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Tracking Shutdown Inning Effectivness
The first time I ever heard of a shutdown inning, it probably came from the golden tongue of Eric Nadel. It’s not a mainstream statistic. It is closer to an old school stat like pitcher wins than it is...
View ArticleFree Soria
Last December 4, the Texas Rangers signed former Royals closer Joakim Soria to a two-year deal with a club option for a third. Soria, a two-time All-Star, missed the entire 2012 season due to Tommy...
View ArticleChecking The Guessing Game Part 1
Earlier in the season, I put together a small guessing game for our readership to take part in, found here. As the season winds down, it’s time to take a look at a few of the items that have closed...
View ArticleThe Wildest Roller Coaster In Arlington
The Shock Wave, with its back-to-back vertical loops, is the most dizzying, and the Texas Giant is certainly the most dangerous, but the wildest, most thrilling and chilling rollercoaster in Arlington...
View ArticleThree Predictions For the 2014 Offseason
Let me begin by saying that when Jon Daniels says that he expects the Rangers’ payroll to be in a “similar range, but a little below” the $125 million that the club spent in 2013, I don’t believe him...
View ArticleShould The Texas Rangers Bring Back Nathan, Murphy, or Cruz?
From the end of the 2012 season to the beginning of Spring Training in 2013, the Rangers lost Josh Hamilton, Mike Napoli, Michael Young, Mike Adams, and Koji Uehara (not to mention Ryan Dempster and...
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Joe and Joakim
The offseason before 2014 saw many players leave the Texas Rangers. Ian Kinsler, Nelson Cruz, David Murphy, and Joe Nathan are some of the ones fans screamed about when they weren’t brought back as...
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Friday Flashback – 1979: The Year of the Emu
The Texas Rangers and great pitching are strange bedfellows. Be it the Ballpark, the heat, the winds, or some strange curse born from having the greatest hitter of all time, Ted Williams, as their...
View ArticleOddities and Statistical Facts, Weeks 13-14
After a few weeks of hiatus, your beloved oddities and statistical facts are back! While the Rangers had a subpar final two weeks of the first half, some of them did put weird records on the show. Game...
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