the texas rangers collapse

[dominik]

What happened to them? they played .605 ball (98 wins) in the first half but .554 ball (89 wins) in the second half. In july they played .391 ball and in september .536.

now the As are even tied with them for first.

[ian2813]

Ugh. It's not over yet, people. They can still win tomorrow.

Most teams have bad stretches over the course of a season. When you play in a strong division like this year's AL West, it can catch up with you in more noticeable ways.

[dominik]

Ugh. It's not over yet, people. They can still win tomorrow.

Most teams have bad stretches over the course of a season. When you play in a strong division like this year's AL West, it can catch up with you in more noticeable ways.

yes. It was not an epic collapse as they still played good baseball but they did slow down noticeably at the wrong time. I know they can still win it though.

I would like them finally win a WS but then they need to pick it up again. they need an in shape hamilton in the post season which they had not in the last 2 years.

[PF#9]

It's not a "true" collapse in that the Rangers still made the playoffs. For a team to truly collapse, it must not make the playoffs. Pittsburgh this year is an example.

[GiambiJuice]

It's not a "true" collapse in that the Rangers still made the playoffs. For a team to truly collapse, it must not make the playoffs. Pittsburgh this year is an example.

They made it to a one-game playoff game. I'd hardly call that making the playoffs. Let's see them win the game first.

[RaysFan_98]

I hardly call the Rangers season a collapse.

[drdg]

What happened to them? they played .605 ball (98 wins) in the first half but .554 ball (89 wins) in the second half. In july they played .391 ball and in september .536.

now the As are even tied with them for first.

Nothing happen to them
it just so happen that in the first half,they hardly play the A's and the angels
while in the second half (mostly in sept/oct) most of their games were against
both the A's and angels

the rangers pitching is set up just right for the playoff
where they can play and beat both the yankees or the orioles in a one game do or die

[Pere]

Yeah, not a collapse, just a fade that coincided with a lightning charge for a rival. If they get bounced in the first round it will be a disappointment for them, for sure, but not an embarrassment. They will remain a team to be reckoned with.

And of course, for now the chance remains they could win it all. Twenty teams would love to be where they are.

[Pere]

Nothing happen to them
it just so happen that in the first half,they hardly play the A's and the angels
while in the second half (mostly in sept/oct) most of their games were against
both the A's and angels

This was interesting to me, because normally intradivisional schedules are supposed to be spread around (one home & away series against each divisional opponent in the beginning, middle, and end of the year is the rough guideline).

It turns out that by the midpoint of the season, the Rangers had 6 games vs. the Angels and 10 vs. the A's behind them, with 13 and 8 to go, respectively. Basically all that happened was that one of the six series vs. the Angels which would normally be expected in the first half was pushed into the second half (late July). Thirteen games of their overall schedule against Angels and A's combined were in September-October--about a third, which is what we'd expect. Teams nearly always play mostly divisional opponents down the stretch. The Rangers still finished with a 9-10 record in the 19 games with the Angels--and actually played more games against the A's when the team's fortunes were somewhat reversed.

Their record for each (mathematical) half by division or league:
FIRST HALF
Rangers vs. AL East, 12-6, 0.667
Rangers vs. AL Central, 11-8, 0.579
Rangers vs. AL West, 13-13, 0.500
Rangers vs. NL, 14-4, 0.778
SECOND HALF
Rangers vs. AL East, 12-10, 0.545
Rangers vs. AL Central, 17-11, 0.607
Rangers vs. AL West, 14-17, 0.452
Rangers vs. NL, no games

One striking thing is how the Rangers' midseason position was boosted by a weak interleague schedule. If you subtract the games that Texas and Oakland had in common, the difference is this: the Rangers got to play the Astros six times, while the A's had to play the Giants and Dodgers.

[Pere]

one of the six series vs. the Angels which would normally be expected in the first half

Uh, to be clear--divisional rivals play six series over the course of the whole year, three at each yard. So we'd expect three in each half, and that's what happened for Rangers-A's. Rangers-Angels saw two series in the first half and four in the second.

[dominik]

Their collapse is complete now. I feel bad for them since they had the best record in the AL for a large part of the season but in the end they really blew it

[ian2813]

It's a shame they're going to keep Ron Washington. If he hadn't mismanaged that lineup, particularly by giving Michael Young so much playing time, the Rangers might not be in this situation right now. Of course, the injuries to Colby Lewis and Neftali Feliz didn't help either.

[west coast orange and black]

178 outta 181.

the rangers are now the team that spent the most days in first without winning their division... without advancing to post-season. well, technically they did, as th wildcard games are considered to be post-season.
and, with 9 games to go they were up by 5. they are the first team to have that notoriety.

"collapse" certainly is an appropriate description.

[ian2813]

To be honest, I have a hard time considering one game to be the "postseason." This isn't football or NCAA basketball, it's baseball. Postseason baseball consists of series, not single games. I know it's technically designated that way, but it just doesn't feel like it to me.

[west coast orange and black]

^
amen, brother. amen.