Series Preview: 7/3-7/5 Tampa Bay Rays @ Texas Rangers

by R.J. Anderson on Jul 3, 2009 11:41 AM EDT Comment 16 comments

More photos » by Winslow Townson - AP

Nelson Cruz is Ruthian in stature.

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7/3: Scott Kazmir vs. Tommy Hunter (8:05 FSF)

7/4: David Price vs. Derek Holland (8:05 SS)

7/5: Jeff Niemann vs. Scott Feldman (8:05 ESPN)

July 4^th with former top prospect fireworks should be the highlight of this series, although "Kazmir returns home!" makes for an interesting storyline as well. I'm going out on a limb and saying ESPN hates their pitching match-up by comparison. Woo, Feldman...Niemann. Woo.

Make sure to check out the Rangers Blog on the Dallas Morning News site, where I partook in a preview.

Playoff Odds

Coolstandings 50%

PECOTA 27%

No PECOTA 63%

Suffice to say, yay!

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Comments

Why, oh, why would you find Jeff Niemann to be boring?

/Niemann winds up
/falls asleep

by Suttree on Jul 3, 2009 11:43 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Rocking them to sleep.

SOSH AUCTION to K ALS

by Sandy Kazmir on Jul 3, 2009 12:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Jeff Niemann, the Big Lullaby.

by Suttree on Jul 3, 2009 1:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Can't believe ESPN is actually having this as their Sunday night baseball game of the week

They (ESPN) have huge National League biases for Sunday night

"Doesn't Manny Ramirez look like the monster from Predator??" - Will Farrell as Harry Carey

by Gone Phishing on Jul 3, 2009 12:04 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

The Rangers don't play day games at home in the summer.

by walkoffwalk on Jul 3, 2009 2:30 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Thank god these games are in the evening.

by RATW on Jul 3, 2009 12:23 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Take no prisoners Rays

we need to bomb these three stiffs

by Raymondo on Jul 3, 2009 1:03 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Niemann's song should be "Killing them softly".

Sign lady must die.

by EminenceFront on Jul 3, 2009 2:44 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I think it should be In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida

I can't wait until we trade him for a reliever.

by kericr on Jul 3, 2009 4:30 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I like our chances to at least win the series

Rangers are a little bit down right now and we’re picking up the pace. That and we’re due for an offensive explosion since there wasn’t any during the last winning streak(By explosion I mean the first 3 innings we score 9 runs). SP has been the key as that continues to hold up, we’re golden because the starts have been good since Price got shelled.

And who do we want to win between NYY & TOR as both have their benefits, NYY can help bury Toronto for us to make them weaker & put pressure on BOS, but TOR can help us get into 2nd much easier.

by Transplanted on Jul 3, 2009 4:22 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

TOR, easily.

I think Toronto will eventually fade, and if they don’t I like our chances against them better than our chances against the Yanks.

by nolesblogger on Jul 3, 2009 7:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I like the comments from the Rangers Blog.

Really boring, complete waste of time.

Wow, according to this blogger, they don’t have many holes at all. I definitely couldn’t have been as positive about my team and I love the Rangers.

Obviously they didn’t ask about the catcher postion.

by steve-o1285 on Jul 3, 2009 4:53 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

The DMN Blog is mostly trolls.

The 2009 Texas Rangers offense: sigh...

by Kinslerhomer on Jul 3, 2009 5:46 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Is that McLovin?

by kurby on Jul 3, 2009 6:03 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

.

by kurby on Jul 3, 2009 6:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

No Neimann for Sunday Night Baseball

Per Yahoo, per the Tampa Trip, Neimann will have his start skipped, and Matt Garza and his amazing spit will take his place….

“Niemann will have his start on Sunday skipped, according to the Tampa Tribune.

Recommendation: Matt Garza will take his spot instead. Niemann will be available out of the pen during the weekend, so don’t be surprised to see his name in the box score at some point. It looks like Niemann’s next start will come next Saturday, at home against Oakland."
(Rotowire.com)

by raysnbran on Jul 3, 2009 8:29 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs