With Saturday's Rangers win over the Tigers in Game 1 and last's nights improbable but ever so exciting walk-off grand slam by Nelson Cruz....the Ranger's have now eclipsed another, up-until-now, seemingly unattainable mark!  Our Rangers have now won respectively, their 100th and 101st games of the year, regular and post seasons combined. 

Last year's run to the World Series, left us with only 99 wins combined!  So, are we now looking at the greatest Rangers team ever?  IMHO....I say unabashedly.....yes!!!!

Good news and bad news for the newest NY Met.

Good: He got to start at Shortstop tonight.

The Bad: His first two plays 1) A routine grounder he promptly boots.  2) His second chance another routine grounder midway between infield grass and outfield grass on the dirt where he couldn't reach first base in the air...resulting in an infield single.

I guess to add insult to injury...his first at bat he had bases loaded and couldn't get the ball out of the infield...but I guess for the Mets...thats par for their course!

In the top of the fourth, Jose Lopez came up with one down and Ichiro on first. He hit a high pop-up behind second, but as the ball was coming down, Omar Vizquel pulled his hands back, let the ball drop, and threw to second to erase Ichiro by a mile. Who even thinks of these things? If Vizquel were some teenager in A-ball that split-second decision would've gotten him promoted. What a heads-up play, the likes of which you wouldn't see from many other infielders in the league.

Betancourt: Why would he do that?
Coach: To get Ichiro off the bases.
Betancourt: But that would've been easy to catch.
Coach: Yes, but because it was so easy to catch, Ichiro had to stay near first, making him an easy target at second.
Betancourt: But he just had to put his glove out there and the ball would've fallen into it for an out.
Coach: But then you have two out and Ichiro on instead of two out and Lopez on.
Betancourt: But why would you ever let a ball like that fall? It was a routine pop.
Coach: Ichiro is a great deal faster than Lopez.
Betancourt: But don't you want there to be two outs?
Coach: By dropping the ball and then throwing to second, you get the second out anyway, with the added bonus of having less speed on the bases.
Betancourt: So you're saying he let it drop on purpose...
Coach: Yes.
Betancourt: ...because he could get an out at second?
Coach: Correct.
Betancourt: Okay.
Coach: Got it?
Betancourt: I think.
Betancourt: But then why wouldn't he just catch the ball?

If only for one day!  But at least it's good to see it in print....kinda makes me think ahead and gives me hope!   I could've posted the fact we're also second in hitting...but I think I just did.  Go Rangers!

http://texas.rangers.mlb.com/stats/sortable_team_stats.jsp?c_id=tex&baseballScope=mlb&statType=2&sitSplit=&timeSubFrame=2009&groupByTeam=true&Submit=Submit&timeFrame=1

http://texas.rangers.mlb.com/stats/sortable_team_stats.jsp?c_id=tex&baseballScope=mlb&statType=3&sitSplit=&timeSubFrame=2009&groupByTeam=true&Submit=Submit&timeFrame=1

Just take a look at the stats thusfar for the majors...so far so good.  Thusfar, he's just a nudge better than his Atlanta counterpart.  Oh...and he's holding his own with the bat.  Given his innings played, total chances, coupled with his range factor and only two errors at this point....we go ourselves a major league shortstop!

http://mlb.mlb.com/stats/sortable_player_stats.jsp?c_id=mlb&baseballScope=mlb&subScope=pos&teamPosCode=6&statType=3&timeSubFrame=23&sitSplit=&venueID=&Submit=Submit&timeFrame=1