The Sunday Read: Not satisfied with Seager, Semien after first 81 games with Rangers? Neither are they
July 10, 2022
(AP photo/Tony Gutierrez)
ARLINGTON — The so-called “first half” of an MLB season rarely equates 50 percent of the games played.
The Rangers will play their 90th game July 17, the day the first half ends. That’s 56 percent.
Halfway is 81 games, and the Rangers reached it Friday with a 38-43 record after edging the Twins.
That mark undoubtedly disappoints the glass-half-empty folks, and, holy cow, don’t even get them started on Corey Seager and Marcus Semien.
I’m not “not satisfied”. I’ve enjoyed this team much much more than recent versions. My expectations were that they would improve. They have.
As to the big contracts, let’s see where things are by year 3. I expect them to be firmly in the hunt as a top tier club with a real shot at a WS title. If they aren’t there or close to it, then I’d think it might be time to question the contracts.
I wonder how much the “ball” has played into their slow stars? They don’t seem to be going out as much as in recent past.
A hitter has to adjust to the defense. Did these guys ever hear of wee Willie Keeler’s (HOF) famous phrase “Hit em where they ain’t? Willie Calhoun also had the same problem Seager has had this year. If your “cone of exit” is only 30 degrees out of 90 possible, well the defense will catch up. Nate Lowe is an example of a guy who uses all 90 degrees. This is nothing new in baseball. In the first MLB game I ever witnessed, in the Houston Astrodome in 1970, I saw the Astros put the shift on one of their former players, Rusty Staub, then playing for the Expos. It worked and he got mad. It still works (statistically) until the opponent makes them pay.