Texas Rangers don’t have much time to cure whatever is ailing their offense
Three games, even in a season shortened by 102, is small sample size.
So, it might not quite be time for Texas Rangers manager Chris Woodward to push the panic button on an offense that scored 1, 2 and 2 runs in its first three games of the 2020 season. Or to move in the outfield fences at Globe Life Field.
But the pitching staff wasn’t to blame for dropping the season-opening series to the Colorado Rockies. And Woodward had this to say Sunday about the upcoming two-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks and, well, the rest of the season: “Obviously, we’ve got to be better offensively to have a chance.”
The home run, at least at home, might not be the handy weapon it was for the Rangers in past seasons. They understand they have to be a more complete offense, one that bashes but also practices situational hitting.
Maybe knowing that will help with them overcome another potential weekend glitch — trying to do too much.
“I think maybe guys are trying to do too much, myself included at times,” right fielder Joey Gallo said. “We’ve got guys on base and in scoring position and we’re just not executing. Both of these games we lost could have gone either way. We could have easily been 3-0 if we’d executed in those situations.
“It’s just little things like that. In this ballpark we can’t necessarily rely on the home run every time like we would before. We have to do those jobs and move those runners and get guys in when they’re on third base and less than two outs.”
The Rangers are off Monday after batting .174 and stranding 22 runners against the Rockies. They had only six extra-base hits, including the first home run by Globe Life Field history Sunday by Gallo.
But only that one home run.
Even while Woodward and hitting coach Luis Ortiz were preaching process last season, the tenets of good offense didn’t change. Woodward doesn’t want to give away outs with a bunt, but there’s nothing wrong with a sacrifice fly or a grounder up the middle with a runner on third with less than than outs.
It’s not sexy, but a team that can’t score can’t be picky. And in a shortened season, a team that can’t score can’t wait for struggling players to start producing.
“I think that goes for all of our guys, unless they’ve had multiple years of a track record. Not a lot of guys have a track record,” Woodward said. “I’m going to put the best guys in the lineup that gives us a chance to win the game.”
Changes to the batting order aren’t likely to be made against Arizona. They need to make adjustments to the adjustments that were made against them by the Rockies.
“I felt like we got plenty of at-bats in the new spring training,” Woodward said. “I think we’re looking at information from last year. Things have been a bit little different than what we expected for some of these guys. There’s an adjustment period.”
There have been positive signs, like Gallo appearing to be almost where he needs to be after missing around half of summer camp while dealing with COVID-19. Nick Solak has been productive early, and the Rangers have drawn 12 walks.
The timely hit has been missing. There haven’t been enough chances for a big inning.
“We’ve put together some good at-bats, but haven’t strung them together in the same inning,” Solak said. “We’re close. The offense is close. We’re trying to take a step back when runners are in scoring position. That’s something we’ve talked about.”
The offense doesn’t have much time left to talk. The hitters need to act.
