Seriously though - how do we look against the Rangers?

[moosehead]

So I know we are biased, but we are certainly better informed than most of the haters.. I also know that the DBacks have defied every single prediction, so prognostication is mostly worthless... All of that being said, how do all of you great baseball minds see us stacking up against the Rangers?

 

[RON_IN_OC]

Took 3 of 4 during regular season.

 

[Lorenzo]

It’s hard to say from the Texas side as well. I have no idea what to expect. Texas has done well to counteract good pitching thus far, especially as the series have gone deeper. I think that will be the key for them. Eovaldi and Montgomery are the 2 key Texas pitchers that have to play well. So far I think they have gone at least 6 innings in every start and Texas have won all but one of their starts. Scherzer is their #3 and is still coming back to form as he has only thrown for about combined 5 innings in the ALCS after a serious shoulder strain ended his reg season. From there, rangers are all pitching by committee and one of their key reg season guys J. Gray who was kind of feast or famine all year, has yet to really feature in the postseason. I think he just hasn’t been needed because of the playoff rotation. If AZ can rough up either Eovaldi or Montgomery in the first two games, it will be a huge bonus for them. It’s been a weird season for Texas’ pitching staff. Eovaldi had a great first half of the season then missed almost the entire 2nd half nursing elbow inflammation. He didn’t rehab, he went right back into the division race down the stretch and got roughed up a bit. Then he regained his form in the playoffs. Montgomery was a trade acquisition like scherzer was. He has outperformed scherzer, although for the most part scherzer was pitching very well for Texas before he got injured.

 

[Lorenzo]

The Texas bullpen has been their biggest weakness all year. Of corse it has been skimmed significantly in the playoffs. Leclerc is now their closer. They kind of rotated closers all year. Leclerc has done well as a closer in the playoffs, but by no means is untouchable and if anything has been asked to do too much. He is up and down. Chapman, I’m sure you all know his story. He’s been on a short leash forcing leclerc to come on in the 8th too often. Overall in the playoffs the Texas bullpen has been better than expected. But that is their Achilles heel.

 

[Weenus O'Baggins]

So I know we are biased, but we are certainly better informed than most of the haters.. I also know that the DBacks have defied every single prediction, so prognostication is mostly worthless... All of that being said, how do all of you great baseball minds see us stacking up against the Rangers?

Texas has a massive power edge. We have speed.

Pitching is even at the starters but we have the better bullpen.

They are very similar to Philly.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Honestly? Who cares? And I don’t mean that in either an arrogant or dismissive fashion. If anyone would’ve asked the same question in three prior rounds the answer would’ve been the same: how do we look against them? Terrible. Didn’t matter in any round. This team is hot. And they’re young so they haven’t recigniEd they aren’t supposed to be doing this. So from my perspective what they did in the regular season, who they were before the playoffs, just doesn’t matter.

 

[Iceman]

I believe this is the best match up the Dbacks could have gotten. The Astros would have been tough because they are a lot like the Dbacks, great pitching and scrappy/timely hitting. If the Dbacks get to Max and Grey in games 1 and 2, I think that sets the tone for the entire series. I also think Gallen breaks out of his small playoff struggles....

Going to game 3 and can't wait to feel the electricity of how loud Chase will be. Can't imagine there will be too many Ranger fans like the Dodgers and Phillies had

 

[Iceman]

This article is the first all post season that has actually given the Dbacks the upper hand (predicting Dbacks in 7)

https://www.mlb.com/news/d-backs-ra...ZCv6LDTp+UVVzolpJhzGC4t0=&bt_ts=1698327402796

 

[gimpy]

Not reading it.

 

[moosehead]

Honestly? Who cares? And I don’t mean that in either an arrogant or dismissive fashion. If anyone would’ve asked the same question in three prior rounds the answer would’ve been the same: how do we look against them? Terrible. Didn’t matter in any round. This team is hot. And they’re young so they haven’t recigniEd they aren’t supposed to be doing this. So from my perspective what they did in the regular season, who they were before the playoffs, just doesn’t matter.

It was a curiosity question, not a "my life can't go on unless I get the answers I seek" question....

 

[Lorenzo]

I believe this is the best match up the Dbacks could have gotten. The Astros would have been tough because they are a lot like the Dbacks, great pitching and scrappy/timely hitting. If the Dbacks get to Max and Grey in games 1 and 2, I think that sets the tone for the entire series. I also think Gallen breaks out of his small playoff struggles....

Going to game 3 and can't wait to feel the electricity of how loud Chase will be. Can't imagine there will be too many Ranger fans like the Dodgers and Phillies had

Max and gray are not pitching in games 1 and 2. Gray has only pitched one inning in the playoffs. I think the common thought from both sets of fans would have been to avoid the Astros or Phillies because of prior history, but the two best teams are in this series. The rangers have better pitching and better hitting than the Astros.

 

[Lorenzo]

It was a curiosity question, not a "my life can't go on unless I get the answers I seek" question....

I think it was a good question. In many ways both teams have had to do some of the same things to punch their ticket here. yet there's a lot of unknowns for this matchup. the good news is that we will start finding out soon.

 

[Big Deal]

I think it was a good question. In many ways both teams have had to do some of the same things to punch their ticket here. yet there's a lot of unknowns for this matchup. the good news is that we will start finding out soon.

Agreed, good question as I had the same. Thank you guys for your insight, I think it helps to know the history of certain players when watching the games.