Two topics that you should probably think twice before speaking about the Rangers.
1. The Rangers ALWAYS fall off after the All-Star break.
Facts:
The Rangers have had a winning record after the All-Star break in now 3 of the last 4 seasons. Only 7 Rangers teams in 20 years have had a winning record before the break and then a losing record after the break: 2008, 2006, 2005, 1997, 1995, 1992, 1991.
7 Rangers teams in the last 20 years have had a winning record in both before and after the All-Star break: 2010, 2009, 2004, 1999, 1998, 1996, 1993.
The heat in Texas is a factor, but it's a big giant excuse that people love to make for this franchise. This team for the past 12 years have simply had an abundance of mediocre-to-bad pitchers. That's the bottom line. It's not heat....it's talent.
2. The Ballpark is a hitters heaven
Facts:
Yes, there is a great prairie wind jetstream to the right/center alley after early June, but lets simply look at common sense. For one...since the Ballpark opened in '94 the Rangers have had sluggers in there that just mash the ball. Some of the greatest hitters of the last 15 years have called the Ballpark home (Juan Gonzalez, Rafael Palmeiro, Alex Rodriguez, Ivan Rodriguez, Michael Young, Alfonso Soriano, Mark Teixeira, Josh Hamilton). Those guys crush balls anywhere and everywhere. Now, lets look at the Rangers pitchers that were thrown out there during the same time. They were not good...guys like Chan Ho Park, Todd Van Poppel, Aaron Myette, Dave Burba, Rob Bell, John Thomson, Tony Mounce. Who remembers those guys?
When you're hitting a ton of homers and scoring a bunch of runs and then giving up a ton of homers and giving up a lot of runs, the Ballpark got a reputation of being a hitters paradise. It was...for both teams..because of TALENT. But it's apparent that this is NOT a bandbox. The Rangers have the lowest team ERA since 1983.
It's because of TALENT.
