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Skip Schumaker Can't Fix What's Killing the Rangers Right Now
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- Skip Schumaker Can't Fix What's Killing the Rangers Right Now
Texas Rangers manager Skip Schumaker. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Skip Schumaker did what he could to explain the Texas Rangers' 12-2 loss to the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday, but the script has become familiar.
A Rangers starting pitcher gives up a crooked number in the first inning, with a home run peppered in for seasoning. The Texas offense can't respond, and things spun out of control - again.
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During his post-game press conference on Rangers Sports Network he was provided a number by Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News (subscription required). Texas is 0-14 in games in which it has given up more than one run in the first inning. Schumaker likely didn't need the cue. But it allowed him to put the brunt of the night on his back.
"We have to figure out the first inning. And that starts with me," he said.
No doubt Schumaker is holding players as accountable as possible behind closed doors. But putting the weight of a loss is a managerial or coaching trick just about everyone in pro sports uses. It's not meant to work. It's meant to communicate subtext - he knows his guys aren't getting it done and the solution is elusive.
The Rangers ' Woeful First Inning
Texas has several first-inning problems, but the biggest is on the mound. In 73 games, Rangers pitching has allowed a slash of .269/.342/.578 with a .921 OPS in the first inning. The OPS is by far the best in any inning for a Rangers opponent. They've allowed 23 home runs, including 10 home runs to lead off the game. Texas has only allowed multiple home runs in three other innings, but only 10 or 11.
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It's easy to pick on Kumar Rocker after he gave up a leadoff home run on Tuesday. But it's a universal issue in the rotation. It's hit Jacob deGrom , Nathan Eovaldi , MacKenzie Gore and Jack Leiter . All have failed on multiple occasions to get out of the first inning without giving up significant damage. It does happen. But for a team living on the margins, it's telling that winning just half of those 14 games would put Texas above .500 and at the top of the AL West.
"It's really important to put up a zero in the first inning," Schumaker said. "It's been preached to our starting pitchers. We're going to continue to preach it. When it's a crooked number, that is a game-changing, momentum-shifting inning. right away, right out of the gate."
In that first inning Texas has an ERA of 6.66. But, after that frame, the Rangers have a sub-3.21 ERA in each of the next three innings until Texas gets into the fifth when the ERA goes up to 4.81. That's likely a function of getting to the top of the order for the third time due to high pitch count. Texas' awful first innings basically gives the offense three innings to make it a game. It's a tight squeeze. Schumaker said that it has a cascading effect on the lineup.
"You're out on the defensive side for a long time," he said. "When you come in, you're now on the defensive side on offense, taking some pitches to give your guy a rest, and all of a sudden you find yourself behind counts and you're back on the field again."
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"It's starts with me" is a nice sentiment. And while Schumaker is the manager, if he had the answer he'd have implemented it by now. The sentiment doesn't give the Rangers any cover. Their issue is the first inning. Their issue is how the starters perform in that first inning. And each time it happens again, the season slips further and further away.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/rangers/onsi as Skip Schumaker Can't Fix What's Killing the Rangers Right Now .
