[外電] Rangers fall short of high expectations
本文大上來說提到今年RANGERS的表現是令人覺得惋惜的～近六年來都是這樣～～
沒法子打入季後賽～今年成績是以80W-82L收尾～當然～～教練Buck Showalter
的飯碗也不保～由新任教頭Washington接替～
The Rangers went into the 2006 season expecting to compete for an American
League West division title. Owner Tom Hicks made that clear in Spring
Training.
The Rangers did not. They fell out of contention by the end of August and
stumbled to an 80-82 record, their sixth losing season in the last seven
years.
When it was over, manager Buck Showalter was dismissed despite having three
years left on his contract. He was replaced by Oakland third base coach Ron
Washington.
The highlights of the season were All-Star performances by center fielder
Gary Matthews Jr. and shortstop Michael Young. Matthews played in his first
All-Star Game while Young was selected in player voting for the third
straight year.
Young made his appearance at Pittsburgh's PNC Park even more memorable with a
two-out, two-run triple off Padres reliever Trevor Hoffman in the top of the
ninth inning that gave the American League a 3-2 victory. Young was named the
Most Valuable Player in the game.
Young also set a club record with 52 doubles, and the Rangers set a new team
high with 357 doubles. Young's .412 batting average with runners in scoring
position was the highest in club history, and he finished with 217 hits, the
fourth straight year that he had over 200 hits.
當然～～還是有些好事～～Gary Matthews Jr和Young 入選明星隊～～
YOUNG還得到了明星賽中的MVP～～ 以下就是分月的重要記事～～請大家慢慢欣賞～～
January
The Rangers began the new year by announcing a six-player trade. They
acquired pitchers Adam Eaton and Akinori Otsuka and Minor League catcher
Billy Killian from the San Diego Padres for pitcher Chris Young, first
baseman Adrian Gonzalez and outfielder Terrmel Sledge.
The Rangers made the deal expecting Eaton to be their No. 2 starter behind
Kevin Millwood, and Otsuka to be their right-handed setup reliever behind
closer Francisco Cordero. They also made the trade even though they had to
give up Young, a 12-game winner and the club's Rookie of the Year in 2005.
The Rangers also signed reliever Antonio Alfonseca to a Minor League contract
to add depth to their bullpen.
February
The Rangers were greeted with unsettling news soon after they arrived in
Spring Training. Hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo told them that he had been
diagnosed with prostate cancer. Jaramillo elected to wait until the end of
Spring Training to have surgery.
Hicks gave the keynote address for the Rangers when he visited Spring
Training and met with his team.
"I'm not predicting we're going to win the division, but that's our goal,"
Hicks said. "Our goal is no longer to develop a good young team.
"I told the players I won a Stanley Cup in hockey and I don't want there to
be any confusion. My goal is to win a world championship in baseball, and
this is a good year to start."
March
The Rangers went 12-16 in exhibition games while Young and first baseman Mark
Teixeira were away for most of the time because of the World Baseball
Classic.
Rookie Ian Kinsler stood out and ended up winning the second base job over
veteran Mark DeRosa, who had to settle for a utility job and ended up having
the best season over his career while playing utility roles.
Pitcher Josh Rupe suffered an elbow injury that kept him from winning a spot
in the rotation, but the biggest blow of the spring occurred when Eaton left
his last start with an injured middle finger on his right hand. The diagnosis
was a torn tendon sheath that required surgery and left him sidelined for
almost four months.
The Rangers, losing the season-opener to the Boston Red Sox, went 13-12 in
April. But closer Cordero suffered five blown saves and was replaced in his
ninth-inning role by Otsuka.
Outfielder Kevin Mench hit a home run in seven straight games from April
21-28, one short of the Major League record.
May
The Rangers went 15-13 in May, including a dramatic 8-7 victory over the
Oakland Athletics on May 25. The Rangers trailed, 7-0, but won it in the
bottom of the ninth inning on a home run by Phil Nevin.
Matthews, getting rolling toward the best season of his career, was the
Rangers' Player of the Month while hitting .333 with three home runs and 14
RBIs. DeRosa hit .326 while filling in for Kinsler, who was sidelined with a
fractured thumb.
The Rangers ended the month by trading designated hitter Nevin to the Chicago
Cubs for utilityman Jerry Hairston.
June
The Rangers spent 18 days at least tied for the lead in the American League
West, but a 13-14 record kept them from opening up a bigger margin, and they
finished the month 1 1/2 games behind the Oakland Athletics.
The Rangers were most frustrated with a 5-3 loss to the San Francisco Giants
on June 27. They trailed, 5-3, with the bases loaded and two out in the ninth
when Teixeira hit a line drive down the right-field line that appeared to hit
chalk.
The Rangers thought it was going to be a three-run double, but the ball was
ruled foul. Teixeira, DeRosa and Showalter were all ejected from the game.
Young had already been ejected earlier in the game for arguing balls and
strikes.
The Rangers also lost two of three to the Houston Astros from June 30-July 2
and finished 2-4 against them to lose control of the Silver Boot Trophy.
July
The Rangers, while taking a three-day break to watch Young win MVP honors at
the All-Star Game, continued to struggle, going 11-15 in July. But the
division race remained tight, and general manager Jon Daniels made a number
of moves designed to keep his team in the race.
On July 28, the Rangers acquired outfielders Carlos Lee and Nelson Cruz from
the Milwaukee Brewers for outfielders Mench and Laynce Nix, Cordero and a
Minor League pitcher. The Rangers knew that Lee would be a free agent at the
end of the season but were hoping his bat would boost the offense down the
stretch.
On July 31, the Rangers also picked up outfielder Matt Stairs from the Kansas
City Royals and pitcher Kip Wells from the Pittsburgh Pirates. Wells, coming
off three strong starts for the Pirates, ended up pitching just two games
before a foot injury sidelined him for the season.
August
The Rangers went 17-12 in August, their best month of the season. But the
Oakland Athletics were red-hot, and the Rangers finished the month nine games
out of first place.
Their cause was not helped by two heated games with the Angels on Aug. 15-16.
After a two-day exchange of beanballs and one bench-clearing altercation,
Showalter and pitchers Vicente Padilla and Scott Feldman were all suspended
by the American League.
Tejeda was recalled from the Minor Leagues on Aug. 19, and was the Rangers'
best pitcher down the stretch, going 4-2 with a 2.32 ERA in his last nine
starts.
September
The Rangers, still clinging to the possibility they could make one last-ditch
run at a playoff spot, were 72-68 on Sept. 6, after two straight victories
over Oakland, but lost 14 of their last 22 games.
Matthews, who finished strong with a .342 average in September, went 4-for-4
against the Detroit Tigers on Sept. 13, and hit for the cycle. He was the
third player in club history to hit for the cycle.
Rangers pitchers, led by strong finishes from Tejeda and Millwood, posted a
4.20 ERA for September, their lowest in one month for the season.
October
Two days after the season ended, Showalter was dismissed by Daniels and
Hicks. Showalter, the 2004 American League Manager of the Year, was 319-329
in four seasons with the Rangers. Hicks told Daniels to "cast a wide net" in
looking for a new manager.
The Rangers interviewed Washington, dugout coach Don Wakamatsu, Phillies
Triple A manager John Russell, Mets coach Manny Acta and Trey Hillman, who
managed the Nippon-Ham Fighters to the Japan Series championship.
November
Washington was named the Rangers' new manager on Nov. 6, after spending 11
years on the Athletics coaching staff. Art Howe, former manager of the
Astros, Athletics and Mets, was added as bench coach and Gary Pettis was
named first base coach. Wakamatsu, who everybody thought was the favorite,
remained as the third base coach.
Washington vowed to be a "player's manager" and almost immediately began
traveling the country to meet with as many players as possible.
Matthews, Lee, Eaton and DeRosa all left as free agents.
Free agent outfielder Frank Catalanotto was signed to a three-year, $13.5
million contract with an option for a fourth season. He was the first
big-name free agent signed by the Rangers in the offseason.
December
The Rangers began the Winter Meetings by re-signing Padilla to a three-year,
$33.75 million contract with a $12 million option for a fourth year.
Washington also said at the Winter Meetings that he expects the Rangers to be
successful right away.
Outfielders Kenny Lofton and Marlon Byrd were signed to one-year contracts,
giving the Rangers two options in center field.
The Rangers reinforced their bullpen by signing Eric Gagne to a one-year
contract to be their new closer
--
2007- Rangers,Spurs and Wizards GoGoGo !!!!!
--
※ 發信站: 批踢踢實業坊(ptt.cc)
◆ From: 70.255.168.17
Rangers 近期熱門文章
PTT體育區 即時熱門文章