ARLINGTON — On the surface, it is a great mystery. Even after an early-week run-scoring splurge, the Rangers remain among MLB’s worst-producing offensive...
early-week run-scoring splurge
“I knew it was going to be a process,” manager Chris Woodward said before Wednesday’s 6-5 10-inning walkoff win over the Los Angeles Angels that completed a three-game sweep. “It’s just going to be different for some guys. There is a transition.” Woodward then embarked on another long, impassioned explanation about his philosophy, but to oversimplify, it goes something like this:
When it works best is when players seek them out, which may explain the recent surges of Adolis García and Jonah Heim. García, in particular, spent so much time worrying about “not chasing” and striking out, that he became passive at the plate. In short, it’s about trying to get players to make the thought process automatic and organic rather than an agonizing and mechanical procedure.
Rangers relievers had a similar issue in the first 10 days of the season, but coaches canned an advance meeting before the early-season series at Seattle to instead tell pitchers to simply be more aggressive and believe in themselves. The results since — an ERA of 2.53 in the 25 games heading into Wednesday — spoke for themselves. The bullpen, however, is full of young, inexperienced arms; it needed somebody to say it to them.