Ownership Has Its Priviliges: Rangers 3-3, Blue Jays 6-10

It’s a good thing the Blue Jays didn’t make the playoffs last year. If they had, the Rangers probably wouldn’t have even sniffed the World Series.

Every good team has one- the opponent that overall is inferior to them but just seems to own your team anyway. For the Rangers, that team is the Toronto Blue Jays.

For the last two years, the Rangers have had one of the better pitching staffs in the American League. Except when they play the Blue Jays.

Offensively, many of the Rangers players are among the elite in all of baseball. Except against the Blue Jays.

The first two games of this week’s four game set is the perfect microcosm of the Rangers-Blue Jays rivalry.

Michael Young’s hitting streak? Ended. Matt Harrison’s string of excellent outings? Ended with a resounding thud (3 IP, 7 ER, 3 BB, 1 K). Defensive whiz Elvis Andrus? E-6. Colby Lewis? Three HR’s given up in one inning. I’m actually glad Neftali Feliz is on the DL. In a close game, I’m pretty sure he’d blow the save against the Jays, who are now 9-3 against the Rangers since the start of the 2010 season.

Arguably, the best Texas performances the past two days have come from the castoffs and the players many Texas fans want to cast off. Last man on the bench Andres Blanco hit a home run Monday night. Chris Davis was 2-4 Tuesday night, both doubles. Even Julio Borbon, the scorn of most of the home fans, knocked in two of the three Rangers runs Tuesday AND made not only a great play in deep center field, he also managed an outfield assist throwing out a runner trying to go first to third on a single. Naturally, his throw was a three bouncer. But it still worked!!!

I have an idea. For Wednesday’s game, the Rangers should put all the back-ups in the line-up. Davis at 3rd base. Blanco at short. Taylor Teagarden can catch. Keep Borbon in. If need be, bring up some more scrubs from Round Rock to fill out the line-up. Derek Holland is the scheduled pitcher tonight. Maybe we should bring Michael Kirkman back. He’s sucked all year both in the bigs and at AAA. It just seems like only the opposite will work when it comes to the Toronto Blue Jays.

Nah, that probably won’t work either. For whatever reasons, these guys seem to have our number.