The Magic Number is still five,

And, I do not like the Rangers chances tonight.  Darvish was scratched from yesterday's start and they are saying the latest he will pitch again will be Sunday against the Angels.

(If the Rangers lose tonight, I suspect they might think about starting him tomorrow, and give Harrison an extra day of rest, too.)

Lefty rookie prospect, Martin Perez, goes for the Rangers tonight.

So, yesterday, no Darvish, and in went Scooter Feldman, boychik, instead.  Feldman did not pitch too bad, and the rest of the bullpen was sharp, too, until Lowe in the tenth.

The main problem with the Rangers is their inability to score runs right now.  The Rangers plated two in the first, and had Hamilton at third with no outs.  They did not score again the rest of the game.  Plus, they had two runners picked off first last night.

If the Rangers win tonight, I will consider that a real steal/gift.  It is more likely that they will get rocked tonight, and have to buckle down tomorrow to earn the split they need.

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Here is the story about Renee and the Magic Number.  Two years ago when the Rangers became good again after a decade of yuck I would blog here on fauxluxe about the Magic Number.  To wit, here is such a post, and here is another one.  Plus, I would quiz Renee on what the Magic Number was every time it changed.  Renee went along with this, thinking what a silly obsessed boy I was, doing esoteric special baseball math that no one could figure out but myself.

Until a few days before her birthday in 2010 and she heard the radio voice of the A's, Ken Korach, tell listeners that the Rangers Magic Number was three or whatnot.

She sat bolt upright in her chair, and exclaimed, "You mean there really is such a thing as a Magic Number? You were not just making all that up?"

Pretty cute.

************

The Rangers' Magic Number for the division title is five.
The Rangers' Magic Number for a playoff berth is three.
The Rangers' Magic Number for home field advantage is seven.








Let's go Rangers!
























Ardent

I promise, I promise, I promise

This will not be a fucked-up (loaded) victory post.  I promise.

Because it def ain't over yet.  Verlander goes tomorrow, and Holland and Lewis for the Rangers have not exactly inspired confidence in this series.

Sorry, you do not to get to pass Go.

There was a moment for me at work, following on my iPod touch, going to the top of the 6th (Porcello had allowed one hit and struck out six) that I was like the great Spalding Grey, "So, if we do not make it to the World Serious, at least, We had a great year!" You know, lowering your expectations to deflate your sorrow.

But the Rangers rallied, took the lead, had Alexi Ogando, the Tiger-killer in there.  It was 3-2 Rangers right when I wanted to leave, but as I punched out, after no one watching any baseball, at all, tonight, there on the break room teevee was Inge celebrating his game tying home run.  (I completely missed the thrilling Cruz/Napoli/Cabrera play at the plate on the walk home.)

I was still a nervous wreck, especially during the Ollie and Boychik Feldman innings, but Hamilton lined his second double in a row off of Valverde, and I knew then it was over.

And I hate the Fox network.  And Fox News, for good measure.  And, I cannot tell you how glad I am that this game ruined the frickin' X-factor tonight.

Mwah, ... 

I suppose Derek Holland

Got sick and tired of hearing about Tommy Hunter, Scott Feldman (more on "Scooter" in a minute), and then whoever else the Rangers were talking about acquiring in a trade right now.

Holland has thrown two straight CG shutouts against (albeit) the A's and Mariners.

Note to Rangers' brass:  Keep CJ Wilson and do not trade Holland.  I know Holland is still up and down but he's only twenty-four and it is so hard for the Rangers to acquire free-agent starters that they should hang on to every good starter that they build.

Scooter, meanwhile, makes 9 mil per year.  He's been rehabilitating all season long, so far.  He's ready now but the Rangers wanted him to get some more time in AAA before being called up.  They released him, knowing no one would pick him up with that salary.  He cleared waivers and the Rangers sent him to AAA.  But he has got enough time served that he can refuse an assignment to the Minors.  The ball club did not expect him to do that.  He did.  So, now he is with the ball club and we had to send O'Day to AAA, Round Rock (Austim, TX).

Scooter is perfectly within his rights to do what he did, and it is not a terrible thing, per se.  But it is a little disappointing.  He had better pitch well up here.

************

Manacling Mormons

In other news, Tabloid opens today in selected cities.  I just read in the NYT that the "star" of the documentary, Joyce McKinney, has been sneaking in to cinemas and heckling the film.  Brilliant. McKinney is mos def one of my new fave all-time people.