Not time to pack it in just yet
With more than 100 games left, optimistic Texas eyes turnaround
ARLINGTON — Don’t think for a second that the Rangers weren’t jolted over the weekend by their three-game sweep at the hands of the Astros.
The players who did speak to the media Sunday after the 7-2 loss did so almost in hushed voices, like they didn’t want say what had just happened out loud.
Some raced out of the clubhouse like they had a cab waiting, either not wanting to talk or afraid of saying something not fit for print. Others went into hiding until the reporters had gone back upstairs to write their obituaries.
But a funny, though not remotely unexpected thing, happened on the way to the morgue: Texas hasn’t pronounced its playoff chances dead, not with more than 100 games remaining.
The Rangers’ season, though, could come down to the next 40 or so games.
“The season’s not even close to being lost,” catcher Jonathan Lucroy said. “We’ve got to step up. Everyone’s got to step up. Personally, I’ve got to step up. I’ve been terrible.
“I know a lot guys in here are under performing as well. They all know they’re better. We all know we’re better. For me, I’d rather under perform early and then finish strong late than vice versa. I’m definitely very optimistic. Hopefully, we can get to full strength and start bashing heads.”
The Rangers’ chances at a third straight American League West title seem slim. Slimmer than slim, really, setting in fourth place and 15½ games behind the division-leading Astros.
Get within arm’s reach of the wild-card berths by late July, though, and they will get the chance to vie for October baseball. If not, some players might be making an October charge with other teams.
As of yet, there is no defined number of games the Rangers can be trailing in the wild-card standings and still be considered by the front office as a viable contender. They entered their off day on Monday four games out of a wildcard spot, though there were five teams ahead of them.
Weighing the options
The number of teams they would have to pass to secure a wild-card spot could also be a factor.
“We’ll have to make a call,” general manager Jon Daniels said. “You have to make a decision based on how you’re playing.”
Texas doesn’t plan on looking at the standings as the team tries to turn things around.
“When you’re behind, the only thing that you can do is focus on today. That’s it,” manager Jeff Banister said. “To think about where you are in the standings would be a monumental mistake in my opinion, because we can’t make it up all in one day. All we can do is one inning, one pitch at a time.”
Another option should the Rangers fail to regain contender status is to make more targeted trades.
The Joakim Soria trade in 2014 is an example. Texas dealt the reliever to a contender and got two quality prospects in return. They were then flipped within the next 12 months for Yovani Gallardo and Cole Hamels.
The Hamels trade in 2015 also fits that category. The Rangers were under .500 and eight games back when they struck the deal for Hamels and Jake Diekman. It was designed to help the 2016 club while also possibly nudging the 2015 team into playoff contention.
Players in the final year of their contracts, like Lucroy, would be the most likely to be dealt. Yu Darvish heads that group, though in a crowded marketplace he might not receive a deal as lucrative as in another year, and there’s always the possibility that Texas attempts to extend his contract.
Carlos Gomez, Mike Napoli, Andrew Cashner and Tyson Ross could also be free agents at the end of the season.
“We’re aware of what the standings are,” Daniels said. “A generation ago, before the two wild cards, it might have been a very different picture. There are a lot of things we can improve and need to improve to reach our goals. That’s got to be the focus in the short term.
“I fully recognize what the odds are, but I’ve seen crazier things happen.”
Down but not out
A full-blown fire sale seems unlikely, unless ownership wants to recoup some of the money it spent to build the 2017 roster. Also, going into rebuild mode isn’t as easy as tanking a season and grabbing the can’t-miss top pick in the draft.
Rebuilding in baseball takes years, not a just one.
“It’s not basketball,” Daniels said.
The players, though, don’t think Texas will be in that position. Despite what happened over the weekend and where they sit in the standings, the Rangers believe they can still accomplish the goals they had on Opening Day.
“We were in a similar experience from 2015. We needed help with that,” outfielder Shin-Soo Choo said. “And I know that a lot of people talk about how many games back and Houston is playing good. Yeah, they are. But we just have to focus on us. Every game is our focus, to play good baseball.”