Entering this Rangers’ season we knew there would be problems.
Yu Darvish on the shelf. No proven left fielder. Doubts about Prince Fielder’s health.
Nowhere on the list of worries, however, was winning in Arlington. Apparently it should have been at the top.
The Rangers begin the second half of the season Friday in Houston with 26 road wins. That’s three more than any team in the American League and one more than the St. Louis Cardinals, who are cruising with baseball’s best record at 56-33. If the Rangers were merely a .500 at home they’d be flirting with the lead in the AL West.
But they’re not. And they’re not.
I don’t really have a good reason why Texas is a pathetic 16-26 at Globe Life Park. We usually rely on the heat as the excuse, but temperatures are just this week climbing to 100. And last time I checked, they still bat last, right? Thanks to going 1-10 at home before the All-Star break, the Rangers are the second-worst home team in baseball behind only the Brewers.
While it shouldn’t be a focus or enthusiasm issue, manager Jeff Banister’s team better get it fixed. It won’t be easy.
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The 10 teams that visit Arlington in the second half are a combined 10 games over .500. The Rangers will host the Yankees (48-40) for four, the Astros (49-42) for seven and the Angels (48-40) for four to end the season. Their best chances to make up ground come with six against the Mariners (41-48) and three with the A’s (41-50).
In their last 39 at home the Rangers need to go 25-14, just to get them to .500 in their own park and keep alive their faint post-season hopes.
A native Texan who was born in Duncanville and graduated from UT-Arlington, Richie Whitt has been a mainstay in the Metroplex media since 1986. He’s held prominent roles on all media platforms including newspaper (Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Dallas Observer), radio (105.3 The Fan) and TV (co-host on TXA 21 and numerous guest appearances, including NBC 5). He lives in McKinney with his wife, Sybil, and two very spoiled dogs.
