Garcia did not hit 50 homers. 6 fewer than last year’s 25, in fact, and an OPS decline of 20 points. Defense was much improved so he had some value. But he’s not a shortstop, and there’s a point at which, if you’re managing, you just can’t write that name anymore.

Rangers 8, Guardians 9 (10). The Rangers finish the season 81-81. So... yeah.

Rangers 2, Guardians 3. The Rangers are 81-80.

2023 vs 2025

Highlight to a frustrating season is Jacob Latz grabbing a rotation spot. Struck out the side after an out-or-bust dive by inexperienced LF Cody Freeman.

Rangers 7, Guardians 3. The Rangers are 81-79 and have guaranteed a non-losing season (and inadvertently assisted the Astros, but oh well).

Get to know newest Ranger Jose Corniell youtu.be/bgd08Qm-F8c

Can't say I called it (plus this was a month ago) but it crossed my mind. Review of AAA home debut: "Jose Corniell was good in AAA today, not overpowering (7 whiffs) but had everything working together, lots of weak contact and pops. FB 94-97, upper 80s cut, 85-88 change, 79-83 slider."

Found a recap of Game 1 of the Sally finals between Hub City and Brooklyn by "John Sanchez" of The Wave (Rockaway Beach, NY) that had five references to the NHL.

Rangers 0, Twins 4. The 15th shutout. Tied for fourth-most in franchise history, and sixth-most relative to league. 1982 - 17 shutouts, 86% more than league average 1972 - 27, +82% 1983 - 15, +57% 2021 - 15, +51% 2009 -13, +43% 2025 - 15, +38%

Rangers 4, Twins 2. The Rangers are 80-78. RIP Claudia Cardinale (a day late).

Also, about this place, had to sit through a pitch this AM to upgrade what I owned. Whatever. Rep was very nice, no hard-sell, but more to the point: his brother is former Rangers non-great Wilson Alvarez, traded to CHW along with Scott Fletcher and pot-sweetener Sammy Sosa for Harold Baines.

Concur with all this, as someone who’s seen this system at work for years. I’d go full robot if I were your benevolent overload but I get keeping the human element. I think it makes the umps better. In my experience…. (1/x)

Rangers 3, Marlins 4. The Rangers are 79-76.

Rangers 4, Marlins 6 (12). Blah.

Friendly reminder that the Peagle loves you as you are.

Kumar Rocker pitching for first time since Aug 7. Nothing above 96.1. Cutter that was 25% of MLB repertoire is absent. Slider more conventional, less curve-like drop. Curve slurvier, down to 71 instead of usual 77 w 12" horizontal. 2.1 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 2 SO, 40 P / 26 S.

Rangers 2, Astros 5. The Rangers are 79-74 after being swept by the Astros.

Rangers 5, Astros 6. They made it close enough that I had to come up with a different clip, but that doesn't count for much. The Rangers are 79-73, 3.5 back in the wild card and 4.5 back in the division with ten to play. RIP Robert.

High-A Hub City down 2-0 at the split in a must-win Game 2. Emiliano Teodo moved up to Round Rock for the final week now that Frisco is done. Round Rock visits Sacramento with a tiny chance of a division title.

Rangers 3, Astros 6. The Rangers are 79-72, 3.5 back of the division and 3.0 of the wild card with 11 to play. Some miscues in this one.

Ah, no, the noted south Atlantic outpost of Brooklyn, New York. Not even the southernmost team in the league.

High-A South Atlantic finals began today. A matchup of something like the 4th and 6th-best teams. Brooklyn (NYM) took the opener of the best-of-three 13-1. Hub City’s plan was extremely not having their starter chased after 2. Home for Game 2 on Tuesday.

Rangers 3, Mets 2. The Rangers are 79-70, still two back of both Houston and Seattle. The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have lost three straight to Seattle by a total of four runs.

Jose Corniell was good in AAA today, not overpowering (7 whiffs) but had everything working together, lots of weak contact and pops. FB 94-97, upper 80s cut, 85-88 change, 79-83 slider.

Read the scouting report, Sugar Land, you might learn something.

Rangers 8, Mets 3. The Rangers are 78-70 but have gained no ground on the M's during their five-game win streak. Still two back of them and Houston. What can you do?

Blaine Crim y’all

About time. I wrote this 5 weeks ago. (Although admittedly, Crim’s been unusually polite at the plate in ABQ.

M’s win in 12. Houston lost earlier. As it stands:

Whew! Hub City advances to the high-A Sally League finals against Brooklyn with a 10-5 win in extras. Bowling Green had three on and none out with the score 5-5 in the 9th but couldn't score. Rafe Perich 2 homers 2 singles, walk, two hits from Malcolm Moore.

Some ugly “end justifies the means” rooting interests going on

Go Blue Jays, the people are saying

Rangers 5, Brewers 3. A sweep of baseball's best team. The Rangers are 77-70, two games behind Houston and one behind Seattle at the moment.

This is a good group. There was a period (mainly but not exclusively late 2010s) when the Rangers kind of punted the AFL. Yes, the system was down, but some of the participants you wouldn't even label as "upper-level org guy," much less a contender for the Majors.

Rangers 5, Brewers 4. The Rangers are 76-70, 2.5 back of Houston (lost) and 1.5 back of Seattle (won). All because of Texas rookie of the year, MVP and all-time great Michael Helman.

Texas's hi-A Hub City squad took the opener of the best-of-3 semi against Bowling Green (TB) 3-1. 4 IP, 1 R from Dylan MacLean, then Aidan Curry (3), Victor Simeon (1), Adrian Rodriguez (1). Leadoff triple and run from 3B Gleider Figuereo in 5th, some timely singles. Off tomorrow, at BG Thu.

Rangers 5, Brewers 0. The Rangers are 75-70, 3.5 back in the division and potentially 0.5 back in the wild card pending the Seattle result. <throws up in mouth a little> Go Cards!

Rangers 4, Astros 2. The Rangers are 74-70, 1.5 back in the wild card, 4 back in the division. Outmanned but not without hope.

As was foretold! (@lonestarball.bsky.social)

Rangers 0, Astros 11. The Rangers are 73-70.

Occurred to me that Kumar Rocker can't reach a full year of service in 2025. Was at 0.018 entering the year, would be at 0.156 if called back for good tomorrow. No gamesmanship, I'd say. Not how Texas operates, plus someday Rocker's probably going to wake up broken. No reason to count on 2031.

This book came free with a purchase of the glorious Earl Weaver Baseball video game (1987) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earl_We...

Don’t print lies in the newspaper

overall, peter pan mini golf, barton springs road, austin, texas, 1983

Rangers 4, Astros 3 (12). The Rangers are 73-69, one-half game out of the wild card and four out of the division. Hard to believe.

The hottest and wettest of garbage.

Before the kickoff?!? Anyway, Caden Scarborough completes (presumably) his regular season with 4 scoreless, 3 H, 0 BB, 4 SO. 114 SO and 27 BB+HBP in 88 innings. Hub City and Rome tied at 1 in the 8th, Hub can potentially clinch division tonight.

Rangers 3, D'backs 5. The Rangers are 72-68, missing a chance to cut the wild card deficit to one-half game.

Rehabbing Tyler Mahle done after 1+ innings, 5 R. The homer was on a slider about 3 inches above the top of the zone. Welcome to Albuquerque.