Buzz: Rangers had no issues with baseballs
He had no issues with the baseballs, five innings after former Ranger C.J. Wilson blamed slippery baseballs for control issues that led to three wild pitches and two hit batters.
"I can't tell you I noticed any difference," Scheppers said of the baseballs that were used Friday night.
Wilson said after the game that one in four of the baseballs were not rubbed down properly, a procedure that is done by a Rangers official -- an umpires' attendant -- before each game. The Rangers prepare 12 dozen baseballs per game with baseball rubbing mud. The baseball are inspected by the umpires.
They didn't meet to Wilson's approval.
"The balls were kind of squirting around,” Wilson said. “Are you going to call it a coincidence? It’s not a coincidence. Let’s be honest.”
Rangers manager Ron Washington said Saturday that home plate umpire Mike DiMuro notified him about Wilson's concerns.
"I’ve been in the game since 1970," Washington said. "I haven’t seen a game ball until it was in the game."
Rangers closer Joe Nathan also said Saturday he had no issues with the baseballs in the ninth inning and hasn't had any during his career.
“I don’t know why they thought they were an issue,” Nathan said. “[Wilson] spoke his opinion. That’s all. It’s not something I would’ve done, but at the same time everybody is entitled to their own way of going about things and how to handle stuff.”
There is a home remedy on the mound if the baseballs aren't rubbed down enough, reliever Jason Frasor said.
"You've got to do it yourself," Frasor said. "It takes less than 10 seconds."
Scheppers ready: Scheppers said he'll be ready to go if called upon for a third straight game Saturday. "I'll be ready by one," said Scheppers, noting that the start time is 11:05 a.m., so the late innings will roll around a couple hours later, giving him some extra time to wake up.
Scheppers was superb Friday night, working a perfect top of the eighth with strikeouts of Trout and Hamilton. Scheppers has allowed two runs in his last 16 games.
"Wash has done a good job of managing me this year," Scheppers said. "He gave me a good break around the All-Star break."
Short hops: Martin Perez threw his usual bullpen Saturday morning in anticipation of a potential Monday wild card play-in game against Cleveland or Tampa Bay. ... The Rangers have a stolen base in a club-record 10 games.
SweetSpot's 2013 AL All-Star team
Catcher: Joe Mauer, Twins (.324/.404/.476, 11 HRs, 47 RBIs, 5.2 WAR)
There's not a real clear choice, as Mauer played just 75 of his 113 games behind the plate, but he's the best hitter among the catchers and threw out a league-leading 43 percent of base stealers. Carlos Santana has good offensive numbers, but he played a lot of first base and DH and struggled defensively. Jason Castro's fine season was buried in the Astros' awfulness, and Jarrod Saltalamacchia has hit .272, raising his average 50 points from last year, while bashing 40 doubles and 14 home runs. If he had played a little more behind the plate -- he started 95 games -- he might have been my choice.
First base: Chris Davis, Orioles (.287/.370/.637, 53 HRs, 138 RBIs, 6.7 WAR)
Davis is the easy choice in a weak year at first base in the AL. The only other two first basemen to slug .500 were Edwin Encarnacion, who spent a large chunk of his time at DH, and Brandon Moss, a platoon player. Davis joined Babe Ruth and Albert Belle as the only players with 50 home runs and 40 doubles in a season.
Second base: Robinson Cano, Yankees (.313/.383/.514, 27 HRs, 106 RBIs, 7.6 WAR)
In a year when so much went wrong with the Yankees, Cano was the one constant, missing just one game and putting up his usual excellent numbers. Now the Yankees have to decide exactly how much they're willing to pay for those numbers. Teams like the Dodgers and Nationals could pursue the free agent this winter.
Third base: Miguel Cabrera, Tigers (.347/.441/.637, 44 HRs, 137 RBIs, 7.1 WAR)
Despite the injury issues that have slowed him in September (.265, just two extra-base hits and seven RBIs), Cabrera remains the likely MVP winner, thanks in part to a .397/.529/.782 mark with runners in scoring position. It's a deep position with Josh Donaldson having his own MVP-caliber season, Manny Machado catching everything at the hot corner and Evan Longoria and Adrian Beltre once again doing everything, but it's hard to deny Miggy's dominance with the bat.
Shortstop: J.J. Hardy, Orioles (.262/.305/.432, 25 HRs, 74 RBIs, 3.6 WAR)
There's not an obvious guy at the position. Hardy is good defensively and has power, but that .305 OBP lowers his offensive value. Yunel Escobar may have had the best year on defense, but a slow start dragged down his offense. Elvis Andrus plays great defense and has 41 steals but doesn't give you much at the plate. Jed Lowrie stayed healthy and hit but lacks range. In the end, I went with Hardy, who has played 157 games and gives you a little on both sides of the ball.
Left field: Mike Trout, Angels (.323/.431/.554, 26 HRs, 94 RBIs, 9.1 WAR)
OK, I cheated a little bit since Trout actually started more games in center than left. But the state of left field in the AL is pretty pathetic, with Alex Gordon and Michael Brantley the only other two rated as even 2.0 WAR players.
Center field: Jacoby Ellsbury, Red Sox (.297/.355/.421, 8 HRs, 52 RBIs, 5.7 WAR)
Ellsbury also stole 52 bases in 56 attempts, the second-best percentage ever for a player with at least 50 steals. Orioles fans will argue for Adam Jones, who has 33 home runs and 108 RBIs, but he's drawn just 25 walks so his OBP is a mediocre .318 and his defense doesn't match Ellsbury's.
Right field: Shane Victorino, Red Sox (.297/.354/.456, 15 HRs, 61 RBIs, 6.2 WAR)
He's been solid offensively -- including hitting .303 and slugging .515 while having to bat right-handed against right-handed pitchers after a hamstring injury prevented him from batting left-handed. He has been terrific defensively with 24 Defensive Runs Saved, the sixth-best total in the majors at any position. Again, nobody with big numbers here on offense, especially with Jose Bautista's season-ending injury, but Victorino is a worthy selection.
Designated hitter: David Ortiz, Red Sox (.308/.395/.565, 30 HRs, 103 RBIs, 4.3 WAR)
At 37, he's still going strong with his seventh 30-homer, 100-RBI season. Hall of Famer? He's up to 431 career home runs and 1,429 RBIs.
Starting pitchers: Max Scherzer, Tigers (21-3, 2.90 ERA, 6.6 WAR); Hisashi Iwakuma, Mariners (14-6, 2.66 ERA, 7.0 WAR); Chris Sale, White Sox (11-14, 3.07 ERA, 7.0 WAR); Yu Darvish, Rangers (13-9, 2.82 ERA, 5.7 WAR); Anibal Sanchez, Tigers (14-8, 2.64 ERA, 6.0 WAR)
Apologies to Bartolo Colon and Felix Hernandez, and even Clay Buchholz, who went 12-1 with a 1.74 ERA in 16 starts.
Left-handed setup guy: Neal Cotts, Rangers (7-3, 1.13 ERA)
Cotts was one of the great stories of the season. He hadn't pitched in the majors since 2009, having Tommy John and four hip surgeries in the intervening years. He pitched in 25 games for the Rangers in Triple-A last year and started there again this season before getting recalled. In 55 2/3 innings, he's allowed just eight runs and 35 hits while striking out 63.
Right-handed setup guy: David Robertson, Yankees (5-1, 2.07 ERA)
For those worried about replacing Mariano Rivera as Yankees closer, the bigger question may actually be: Who replaces Robertson as the eighth-inning guy?
Closer: Koji Uehara, Red Sox (4-1, 21 saves, 1.10 ERA)
Apologies to Kansas City's Greg Holland, who has a 1.23 ERA and 46 saves, and Texas' Joe Nathan, who has a 1.41 ERA and 43 saves. But Uehara, who began the year in middle relief, has put up one of the most dominant relief seasons ever, limiting batters to a .129 average with a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 100-to-9.
Lineups: No Josh Hamilton for Angels
Here are the lineups for Saturday morning's 11:05 a.m.. start:
RANGERS
2B Ian Kinsler
SS Elvis Andrus
RF Alex Rios
3B Adrian Beltre
C A.J. Pierzynski
1B Mitch Moreland
LF Craig Gentry
DH David Murphy
CF Leonys Martin
P Derek Holland
ANGELS
SS Erick Aybar
LF Collin Cowgill
CF Mike Trout
DH Howie Kendrick
1B Mark Trumbo
RF Kole Calhoun
C Chris Iannetta
2B Grant Green
3B Andrew Romine
P Garrett Richards
Matchup: Derek Holland vs. Garrett Richards
Holland (10-9, 3.33 ERA): Holland threw a complete-game shutout against the Houston Astros in start No. 32 of the season Monday, ending a streak of eight straight winless starts. ... Holland is 1-3 with a 5.40 ERA in five September starts. ... His 2.53 ERA in day games in sixth best in the American League. ... The Rangers have given him 4.32 runs of support per start, 14th lowest in the AL. ... Holland has faced the Angels once this season, allowing six earned runs in 5 2/3 innings on Sept. 7. ... He is 7-6 with a 5.81 ERA in 20 games (17 starts) against the Halos.
Richards (7-7, 4.09 ERA): Richards makes his 17th start and 47th appearance of the season. ... He lost his last start Monday against Oakland, allowing seven runs and eight hits in 4 2/3 innings. ... He is 5-3 with a 3.58 ERA in 12 starts since rejoining the Angels' rotation. ... Richards is 2-0 with a 4.33 ERA for nine games (five starts) against the Rangers. ... He beat Holland on Sept. 7 in Anaheim as he allowed one earned run and six hits in seven innings in an 8-3 Angels win.
Hitters: Howie Kendrick is 17-for-45 with two home runs and 12 RBIs against Holland. Leonys Martin is 3-for-5 with an RBI against Richards.
Rich Schultz/Getty ImagesThe Mets' disappointing season has likely earned Sandy Alderson's club a protected draft pick.With that defeat, the Mets moved back into position to have the No. 10 pick in the 2014 draft -- and if this holds over the last two days of the regular season against the Milwaukee Brewers, the Mets’ first-round pick would be among those 10 that are protected against draft-pick compensation.
This past winter, the Mets’ pick was not protected, which affected their aggressiveness in trying to sign Michael Bourn and others. If they finish the year lined up for the No. 10 pick (or better), it could nudge them into pursuit of one of the better free-agent position players who will be available this winter. If they signed a Shin-Soo Choo or a Jacoby Ellsbury, the Mets would have to surrender only a second-round pick in compensation.
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
C.J. Wilson: Baseballs too slick
ARLINGTON, Texas -- C.J. Wilson played the conspiracy theory game after his Los Angeles Angels lost to his former team, the Texas Rangers, 5-3 on Friday night in a game he started.
Wilson blamed a spectacularly erratic top of the third inning -- which saw him throw three wild pitches, hit two batters and give up a walk -- on what he said were baseballs that were not properly rubbed up, a process that takes place before every game.
The umpiring crew is in charge of the procedure. It's typical that an umpires room attendant handles the rubbing down of the baseballs. But it's the responsibility of the crew chief, in this case Ted Barrett, to make sure the baseballs are ready to go.
Wilson is having a season worthy of American League Cy Young consideration. At least he should get some votes. He's 17-8 with a 3.39 ERA. But the third inning simply got away from him -- well, unless you believe his side of the story.
He hit two straight batters, including A.J. Pierzynski, to force in a run to snap a 1-all tie. Then Wilson threw a wild pitch that Alex Rios scored on for a 3-1 Rangers lead.
After the game, Wilson said he found issues with the baseball being too slippery.
"One out of every four was rubbed up," Wilson said. "And then three out of every four were basically brand new. The balls were kind of squirting around; a couple of balls got away. If you're a lefty and you hit a lefty with a slider, that's obviously not what you're trying to do right there.
No questioning this team's fight
Five must-win games and five wins, the latest a grind-it-out 5-3 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night.
Rangers right fielder Alex Rios was as impressive on the bases as he was at the plate, where he drove in the go-ahead run in the bottom of the seventh inning.
The Rangers are 89-71 and a game behind the Tampa Bay Rays and Cleveland Indians for the two American League wild-card spots with two games to play.
The Rangers will get things going again early Saturday, at 11:05 a.m. CT, a start time moved up by eight hours because of potential rain in the Arlington area forecast for the early afternoon.
The Rays and Indians play their games -- at Toronto and at Minnesota, respectively -- just after noon CT. It's going to be one wild day in the American League.
"We're excited to be where we are," Washington said. "We still have a chance. It would be different if we didn't. The only thing you can do is stay focused and do what you have to do."
The Rangers have elevated their game this week after suffering through a painful first three weeks of September. They're running the bases. The bullpen has been brilliant. And the clutch hits have finally started coming in waves.
On Friday night, it was right fielder Alex Rios and setup man Tanner Scheppers who played the starring roles.
Rios drove in the go-ahead run in the bottom of the seventh, when he slapped a single into right field to score Ian Kinsler for a 4-3 lead. Kinsler had put himself in scoring position by walking and drawing an errant pickoff throw to first base by Angels reliever J.C. Gutierrez to move up a base. Elvis Andrus moved Kinsler to third with a perfect sacrifice bunt.
Rios, who has been everything the Rangers could have hoped for when they got him in a waiver-period deal from the Chicago White Sox, took advantage of the infield being in and picked up his 17th RBI of the month.
He wasn't done. Rios has been a force on the bases. He scored a huge insurance run when he came home from second base on an infield hit by A.J. Pierzynski. Rios expected Angels shortstop Erick Aybar to throw to first to get Pierzynski, a slow runner, and that allowed Rios to scramble around third and score when Aybar's throw was off line at first.
Rios has gone from out of the playoff race in Chicago to being in the middle of things in Texas.
"It's exciting to be a part of something," Rios said. "We're fighting to get a spot to get in the playoffs through the wild card. Whenever you're able to contribute in winning, it makes you feel good."
Scheppers was the standout on a night when all four Rangers relievers -- Jason Frasor, Neal Cotts and Joe Nathan along with Scheppers -- were beyond dominant. The fearsome foursome faced 11 batters and retired them all -- six on strikeouts.
Scheppers had the most difficult task. He drew the Angels' 3-4-5 hitters -- Mike Trout, Josh Hamilton and Howie Kendrick -- in the top of the eighth, right after the Rangers had taken a 5-3 lead.
Scheppers didn't blink. He won the battle with the MVP candidate Trout, blowing a 98 mph fastball by him. Scheppers went upstairs against Hamilton and made him strike out on more 98 mph cheese. Kendrick grounded out to second to end the inning.
It was electric stuff from Scheppers.
"I'm not surprised," Pierzynski said. "We've seen him do that all year. Those are three darn good hitters he got out. That was important, especially after we had just scored. He shut it down and got us back in the dugout."
Cotts got the win, his seventh of the season. Nathan picked up 42nd save. So what did Scheppers get?
"He gets the hold, a win and a save," Washington said. "So he picked up the triple crown tonight."
The Rangers picked up another massive win. They were 5-15 for September when this final week started. They were listening to collapse talk all around them.
They've responded by elevating their play at a time when they can't afford to lose.
"When you get in this situation, you're starting to compete," Andrus said. "Everybody is giving it their all. Everybody is focused. They're willing to do whatever it takes. Hopefully it will get us in the playoffs."
Rapid Reaction: Rangers 5, Angels 3
ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Texas Rangers are getting good at these must-win games.
They scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh and held on for a 5-3 victory over the Los Angeles Angels, keeping themselves very much alive in the American League wild-card race with the weekend to go.
The Rangers finally picked up some ground on one of the wild-card front-runners, as the Tampa Bay Rays lost to the Toronto Blue Jays 6-3. The Cleveland Indians won their eighth straight game, beating the Minnesota Twins 12-6.
The Rangers trail both teams by a game with two games to go in the regular season.
Taking the lead: The Rangers got themselves into the Angels' bullpen -- one of their favorite spoils -- and immediately regained the lead in the bottom of the seventh. Ian Kinsler walked to start the inning against Juan Gutierrez. He went to second when he drew a wild pickoff throw from Gutierrez. Elvis Andrus followed with a sacrifice bunt to move Kinsler to third. With the Angels playing the infield in, Alex Rios slapped a single through the right side to score Kinsler for a 4-3 lead. Rios then stole second. On A.J. Pierzynski's infield single to shortstop, Rios came steaming around third to score when Angels shortstop Erick Aybar threw to first base.
Wild night for C.J.: Rangers fans know what a roller-coaster ride it can be with C.J. Wilson on the mound. Texas took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the third thanks to three wild pitches, two hit batters and a single allowed by Wilson. He hit A.J. Pierzynski to force in a run as the Rangers took a 2-1 lead. Then Alex Rios scored on a wild pitch for a 3-1 lead. The Rangers did have two runners in scoring position with one out and a chance to extend the lead, but Jeff Baker and Mitch Moreland struck out to end the threat.
Ogando's night: Alexi Ogando kept the Rangers in the game, leaving with the score tied at 3-3, but he did give up the lead in the top of the fifth. Leading 3-1, Ogando allowed a leadoff single to No. 9 hitter Austin Romine, who had also singled and scored in the third inning. After Erick Aybar flied out, Kole Calhoun had a ground-ball single into right field to put runners at first and third. Ogando then walked the dangerous Mike Trout to get to former Ranger Josh Hamilton, who grounded a single through the right side to score Romine and Calhoun to tie the game at 3-3.
The 'pen: Wilson and the Angels found out for the second straight night that the Rangers' bullpen is hardly out of steam. The trio of Jason Frasor, Neal Cotts and Tanner Scheppers did serious damage Friday night. They retired all eight batters they faced and totaled six strikeouts. Scheppers had the big inning, facing Trout-Hamilton-Howie Kendrick. Scheppers blew 98 mph fastballs by Trout and Hamilton and got Kendrick to bounce out to second.
Just missed: Leonys Martin almost played the hero again for the Rangers. With runners at first and second and two outs in the bottom of the sixth, Martin stung a line drive on C.J. Wilson's 120th pitch into center field. For a moment it looked like Martin would give the Rangers a lead for a third straight night, but Hamilton and his fake beard were able to run it down for the third out.
Up next: The Rangers and Los Angeles Angels have to set the alarm clocks way earlier for Saturday's new start time of 11:05 a.m. in Arlington with rain expected later in the day. For Texas, left-hander Derek Holland (10-9, 3.33 ERA) will face Angels right-hander Garrett Richards (7-7, 4.09) on Fox Sports Southwest and ESPN Dallas 103.3 FM and 1540-AM.
NEW YORK -- Tampa Bay decided it would rather have two chances to earn an AL wild-card berth rather than a home game in the event of a three-way tie.
Cleveland would host the Rays in a tiebreaker game Monday if there is a three-way deadlock for the two AL berths, and the loser would play at Texas on Tuesday for the second spot in the postseason, Major League Baseball said Friday.
Rays manager Joe Maddon insisted he's not thinking about the possible outcomes, preferring to leave all decisions to the front office.
"Our guys are going to think it all the way through," Maddon said before facing Toronto on Friday night. "I don't have time to think it all the way through. I have no interest in thinking it all the way through. I'm just concerned about tonight's game and trying to get this right. If we do that, that stuff will take care of itself."
Because each team split season series against the two others, winning percentage in games among all three was used to determine tiebreaker placement. Cleveland (7-5) had the highest at .583, followed by Tampa Bay (7-6) at .538 and Texas (5-8) at .385.
Given the choice, Cleveland opted to be "Team A" and host Monday, and Tampa Bay decided to be "Team B" and play on the road Monday. Texas became "Team C."
If there is a two-way deadlock for one wild-card berth, the tiebreaker game would be Monday. Based on regular-season head-to-head record, Tampa Bay would host Cleveland, Texas would host the Rays, and Cleveland would host the Rangers.
Entering play Friday, there were 64 different possible scenarios for the final weekend's results between the Indians, Rays and Rangers, 15 of which would require some sort of tiebreaker.
Buzz: Experience invaluable for Profar
His manager, Ron Washington, has seen the growth too, well before the 20-year-old infielder produced one of the biggest moments of the season, a walk-off home run to beat the Los Angeles Angels 6-5 on Thursday night.
"It's been invaluable," Washington said of Profar's time with this year's club.
The numbers might not show it. Profar is batting .235 with six home runs and 26 RBIs. He has a .309 on-base percentage.
He's only played in two of the last 18 games and last started on Sept. 18 at Tampa Bay. But Profar showed Thursday night none of this seems to be fazing him.
"He's not afraid," Washington said. "Even to this point, if you look at the production and the struggles he's had, he's been a big part of us being able to play like we are right now with a chance to make it to the playoffs. And last night was just a little bit of icing on the cake that he was able to come through for us. He has to grow from it. He'll be a better player for it."
What a wild and wacky season it was
Rick Yeatts/Getty ImagesHands down, Rangers! As Jeff Baker learned, something as simple and joyful as a high-five can lead to a trip to the disabled list.Boy, what a year. It wasn't safe to play catch in the outfield. Or high-five your buddies. Or lift your suitcase. Or even hug your kid.
Why is that, you ask? You're about to find out, as Year in Review reveals its annual Injuries of the Year, Box-Score Lines of the Year, Tweets of the Year and Late-Night Quips of the Year:
Injuries of the Year
Fifth prize: Blue Jays center fielder Colby Rasmus was just doing something last week that he does (literally) a thousand times a year -- running out to the outfield between innings -- when a nutty thing happened to him: His formerly favorite right fielder, Anthony Gose, thought he was ready for the regularly scheduled game of catch they play before every inning, heaved him the baseball and nailed Rasmus, smackeroo, in the face. Next thing he knew, Rasmus wound up A) in a CT-scan tube and B)on the disabled list. So kids, here's a tip for you: Only play catch with guys who are actually watching.
Fourth prize: You won't hear Astros outfielder J.D. Martinez yelling, "Check, please," any time soon. Not after he sprained his knee in April -- by checking his swing. That's one check that's definitely not in the mail.
If the three clubs are tied after Sunday’s games, then the tie will be broken by two games based on the teams' combined winning percentages in head-to-head competition against one another in the regular season.
The Indians would host the Rays on Monday, with the winner earning an AL wild-card berth.
The losing club in Monday’s game would play against the Rangers in Texas on Tuesday, with the winner earning the other AL wild-card spot.
In the event of a two-team tie for one wild-card berth, the tiebreaker game would be played Monday and hosted by the club that won the season series.
TBS and ESPN Radio will provide exclusive coverage of tiebreaker and wild-card games.
ARLINGTON, Texas -- The playoff-chasing Texas Rangers are trying to beat the rain.
The Rangers and Los Angeles Angels will be up early Saturday after the starting time for the third game of their series was moved up eight hours to 11:05 a.m. CDT. That would be the earliest start in the 20-season history over Rangers Ballpark, an hour earlier than any other game.
Saturday's forecast called for moderate showers and thunderstorms in the area by early Saturday afternoon and increasing in intensity throughout the day. The game had been scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
"Wake-up call early," Texas manager Ron Washington said. "I know they're expecting rain, so we've got to do what we have to do to make sure we get the game in. I certainly don't want to play a doubleheader on Sunday."
Major League Baseball and the Angels had to agree to the time switch.
"We would do what we had to do," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "The integrity of the season is important."
Texas is still in the hunt for a wild-card spot and this is the last weekend of the regular season, so all 162 regular-season games need to be played. Saturday's game is No. 161 for both the Rangers and Angels.
The Rangers would like to avoid the possibility of a doubleheader Sunday to end the regular season since there is still a chance of having to play a wild-card tiebreaker game Monday.
There have been several noon starts at Rangers Ballpark, including postseason games. The earliest start came just weeks ago, at 12:06 p.m. for a game against the Oakland Athletics which came following a 4-hour, 9-minute game the night before that was one of the longest nine-inning games ever played there.
Matchup: Alexi Ogando vs. C.J. Wilson
Ogando (7-4, 2.93): Ogando pitched beautifully in his last start, throwing seven shutout innings in a no-decision Saturday at Kansas City. He allowed two hits and a walk while striking out five. ... Since returning from his third stint on the disabled list, Ogando has allowed one run and five hits in 18 innings. Opposing batters are 5-for-55 against him since his return. ... Ogando is 5-0 with a 1.98 ERA in his career against the Angels, the lowest ERA among active pitchers against the Halos. ... He is 4-0 with a 2.48 ERA in four career starts against the Angels. ... Ogando is 12-6 with a 3.17 ERA in 76 games at Rangers Ballpark.
Wilson (17-7, 3.36): The former Ranger has had an exceptional season, but he did see his nine-game winning streak come to a halt on Sunday against Seattle. He allowed three runs in 8 1/3 innings. ... Wilson is 13-2 with a 2.94 ERA in his last 19 starts. ... Wilson has struggled against the Rangers. He is 1-2 with a 7.92 ERA in seven career starts against Texas. The Rangers have hammered him to the tune of a .349 batting average and have forced Wilson into 19 walks in 30 1/3 innings.
Hitters: Rangers hitters have tortured Wilson, from Alex Rios (8-for-19, 2 HRs, 4 RBIs) to Ian Kinsler (8-for-16, 1 HR, 3 RBIs). Mike Trout (4-for-9, 1 HR, 6 RBIs) and Mark Trumbo (6-for-16, 1 RBI) have had success against Ogando. Former Ranger Josh Hamilton is 0-for-6 against him.
Wild-card race: Extra baseball on tap?
The Texas Rangers, Cleveland Indians and Tampa Bay Rays are fighting for two wild-card spots in the American League and go into a weekend where scoreboard watching will be unavoidable.
The Rangers, of course, are in the most precarious position, needing to win and get help to make it to the postseason. Tampa Bay, winners of seven straight, is on the verge of clinching a wild-card spot, standing one game ahead of the Indians and two ahead of the Rangers with three games left to go.
The Indians, also on a seven-game winning streak, are a game ahead of the Rangers.
Here's how the weekend sets up for all of the contenders:
Next up: Friday-Sunday vs. Los Angeles Angels
Opponents' record: The Angels are 78-81.
The latest: The Rangers have won four straight games and picked up no ground in the wild card race. They couldn't ask for more with the three starters they send to the mound this weekend -- Alexi Ogando, Derek Holland and Yu Darvish.
Forecast: The key game is Friday night. If Ogando can beat C.J. Wilson -- and his record against the Angels is tremendous and Wilson's against the Rangers is awful -- then look for Texas to win the last three games and get to 91 wins. Will it be enough?
Rays (90-69, .566, in lead for first wild-card spot)
Next up: Friday-Sunday at Toronto Blue Jays
Opponents' record: The Blue Jays are 72-87 and have lost two straight games.
The latest: The Rays swept a three-game series against the lifeless New York Yankees. Tampa Bay has won at least 90 games in four straight season and five of the last six, both the most in the majors.
Forecast: The Rays got back to .500 on the road at 39-39 with the sweep of the Yankees. Friday's game against Toronto will be interesting. Unpredictable knuckleballer R.A. Dickey could send the Rays' suspect offense into a bad place. The Blue Jays will startle the Rays and win two out of three games as Tampa Bay ends up with 91 wins, same as the Rangers.
Indians (89-70, .560, in lead for second wild-card spot)
Next up: Friday-Sunday at Minnesota
Opponents' record: The Twins are 66-93 and have lost three straight.
The latest: The Indians roll on as veterans such as Nick Swisher and Jason Giambi have had crucial hits this week. Michael Brantley also has been red hot for the Indians.
Forecast: The Cleveland bullpen could be in shambles, at least for Friday night. Closer Chris Perez allowed four runs and got only two outs before being pulled for Joe Smith, who finished off a 6-5 win over the Twins. Look for a carryover. The Indians will still win two out of three games and end up with 91 wins, just like the Rangers and Indians, forcing a three-way tie for the wild cards.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Todd Wills
Todd Wills joined ESPNDallas.com in March 2013 and covers the Rangers. He spent 10 years at The Dallas Morning News covering the Rangers, college recruiting and high schools. He also covered the Robert Griffin III era at Baylor for Yahoo Sports/Rivals.com. He is a University of Texas graduate.
Richard Durrett
Richard Durrett joined ESPNDallas.com in September 2009. A co-host of Fitzsimmons and Durrett on ESPN Dallas 103.3 FM, Richard also writes about the Rangers, Cowboys, Mavericks, colleges, golf and motorsports. Richard spent nine years at The Dallas Morning News covering the Rangers, Stars, colleges, motorsports and high schools.
Tim MacMahon
Tim MacMahon joined ESPNDallas.com in September 2009. A co-host of ESPN Dallas GameDay on 103.3 FM, Tim also covers the Cowboys and Mavericks. He covered the local sports scene from high schools to pros during his six-year tenure at The Dallas Morning News. He is a UNT graduate.
103.3 FM ESPN PODCASTS
Play Podcast Nolan Ryan joins Galloway and Company to discuss having Nelson Cruz back in the lineup and how the Rangers are feeling heading into their wild-card play-in game against the Rays.
Play Podcast ESPN Insider and senior MLB analyst Jim Bowden joins Fitzsimmons and Durrett to discuss the wild-card race and the Rangers' chances of making the playoffs.
Play Podcast Chuck Cooperstein joins Ian Fitzsimmons and Tim MacMahon to discuss why he feels Rangers pitcher Yu Darvish isn't an ace.
Play Podcast Elvis Andrus joins Galloway and Company to discuss the Rangers' stretch run and the morale level in their clubhouse.
Play Podcast Nolan Ryan joins Galloway and Company to discuss the latest Rangers news, including the team's struggles, Ron Washington's job security and a rumored trade with the Braves.
Play Podcast Ron Washington joins Ian Fitzsimmons and Tim MacMahon to discuss the Rangers' dismal September, who's to blame for their September struggles and his status as the team's manager.
Play Podcast Fitzsimmons and Durrett discuss how some people are calling for the Rangers to fire manager Ron Washington.
Play Podcast Jim Bowden joins Fitzsimmons and Durrett and attempts to solve the Rangers' problems.
TEAM LEADERS
| WINS LEADER | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Yu Darvish
|
|||||||||||
| OTHER LEADERS | ||||||||||||
| BA | A. Beltre | .315 | ||||||||||
| HR | A. Beltre | 30 | ||||||||||
| RBI | A. Beltre | 92 | ||||||||||
| R | E. Andrus | 91 | ||||||||||
| OPS | A. Beltre | .880 | ||||||||||
| ERA | Y. Darvish | 2.83 | ||||||||||
| SO | Y. Darvish | 277 | ||||||||||
DALLAS CALENDAR: Sep 28
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Final 11 Oklahoma St 21 West Virginia 30 
Final SMU 17 TCU 48 
Final 10 Texas A&M 45 Arkansas 33 
Final 14 Oklahoma 35 22 Notre Dame 21