Rangers start season

Well folks, if you had told this writer that the Texas Rangers would go 3-3 to start the season playing Seattle and Los Angeles on the road, I would have thought, what are they taking? But that’s exactly what the Rangers did after taking 2 of 3 from the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim. Saturday’s 10-4 Ranger win included two home runs from Gerald Laird, the catcher who last year could not hit his way out of a paper sack. Laird’s first home run, a three-run shot in the fourth inning, put the Rangers ahead 5-1. Laird, who is batting.313 this season went 4-for-5 Saturday driving in six runs.His second home run of the day, a two-run shot in the ninth, gave the Rangers some insurance runs and a 10-4 victory.Vicente Padilla pitched seven innings to gain the win for his first of the year.The Rangers pitching staff so far this year has been better than expected, that’s another reason the Rangers start has been a pleasant surprise. The Rangers pitching staff last year was in the bottom section of the American League in complete games pitched. This year in five of six games the Rangers starting pitching has held it’s own against two teams that many feel will win the AL West this year. In the Los Angeles Angels case, they might even be a World Series threat. But the Rangers win two of three in the Big A (Anaheim Stadium) or whatever they call Angels Stadium now. Even though it’s early in the season and the games might not mean as much as they do in August or September it’s still nice to win these early games and get the season off to a reasonable start.The Rangers are only one-half game out of first place this team and that’s an achievement. Last year the Rangers got off to a dismal 15-35 start and were out of the AL West race by late May or early June. The Rangers came home to face the Baltimore Orioles for their home opener on Tuesday. The Orioles have a .500 record and a pitching staff that so far, and I stress so far, has been better than expected. This eight game home stand against Baltimore, Toronto, and the Los Angeles Angels will give us a glimpse of what’s going to happen in 2008 with this Ranger team. I can tell that in most cases this team will hit and score runs. But if the pitching does somehow hold up than this Ranger team might just surprise a lot of people.Kevin Millwood (0-2) will pitch today for the Rangers, while Baltimore Orioles will go with Adam Loewen (1-0).The Toronto Blue Jays will come in next for Friday and Saturday night games starting at 7:05 p.m. Sunday’s game with the Blue Jays is an afternoon game. Next Monday and Tuesday the Los Angeles Angels come to the ballpark for two games against the Rangers. Monday’s game is a night game and Tuesday’s game is an afternoon affair. Wouldn’t it be good if the Rangers could somehow win five or six games on this home stand. Then this team might be headed in the right direction, and hopefully the playoffs. GO RANGERS!