Rangers Blog: 2013

Well, it has been a while since this blog has been active....I figure, why not, let's use this thing.  Since the Chicago Rangers Twitter feed was hacked, is there a breach in our information systems department?  Do we even have an information systems department?  I doubt anyone keeps up with this blog, so I can basically say whatever I want. 

Did you know that the Dean Cain fan forum was using our blog as reference for a supposed resurrection of Dean Cain's Career?  They thought that the travishamockery of a Chicago Rangers Movie were were making up was going to be made.  Jimmy Smits as Humberto Camacho was brilliant, Tom Sizemore as Chad Pilcher..the thing practically wrote itself until the script was flushed down the toilet at Gio's!  Special thanks to former Ranger Hurler Adam Kubey for finding that interesting bit of information.

Maybe more stories will be posted, who knows what the 2013 Chicago Rangers Season will bring besides hangovers and bar tabs that are too high.

Lucas, not shockingly, has apparently touched the hearts of men everywhere...including Texas, the Rangers' home state.  The evidence is here (zoom in just a smidge.), and it is visible from space.  NASA noticed and took notes.

Undoubtedly planted some years ago by a Not-So-Secret-Anymore Admirer.

"Take one for the Team!"

Over the years, the Chicago Rangers have had some of the toughest players in the CMBA. What defines how toughness? How many times you get hit by the ball of course. There are stories of Rangers players crying, yelling, and even falling to ground as soon as they are hit. Yet, the two toughest Rangers are Lucas Luecke and Jody Joseph.

Both Luecke and Joseph are not scared of the ball. In fact, there have been times where Luecke has thrown his entire body across the plate to get on base. It has been rumored that both Luecke and Joseph have trained for such hit by pitches channeling their inner Happy Gilmore (See batting cage seen).

Just a look at both player's stats and the rate at which they risk their lives is incredible.

Player	Year	Total Hit-By-Pitch
Jody Joseph	2007	11
	2008	5
	2009	6
	2010	12
Total		34
Lucas Luecke	2002	8
	2003	14
	2004	3
	2005	5
	2006	1
	2007	5
	2008	1
	2009	3
	2010	2
Total		42

In 4 years, Joseph has amassed 34 bruises. Luecke's 2003 season will go down as one of the most painful. He was hit 14 times in 73 plate appearances. Luecke was hit by a pitch in 1 out of every 5 at-bats (or about 20% of the time). It's amazing that he still is talking coherently.

A look at who may hate these two the most reveals that the Browns, Joseph's former team, dislikes both of the players equally over the years. In fact, Luecke has been hit more by the Red Sox than by any other team in the league.

Player	Opponent	Total Hit-By-Pitch
Jody Joseph	Vikings	4
	Mets	4
	Yankees	4
	Browns	4

Lucas Luecke	Red Sox	5
	Vikings	4
	Browns	4
	Cubs	4

As a team, the Rangers have been hit 249 times in 270 games played (through 2010). Based on these numbers, the Rangers have a 92% chance to get hit by a pitch in any single game.

Year	Total Hit-By-Pitch
2002	20
2003	22
2004	26
2005	32
2006	22
2007	42
2008	20
2009	31
2010	34
Grand Total	249

Thank goodness for the Rangers off season training regime. Without it, the 42 times the Rangers were hit in 2007 would have taken its toll on its run to the CMBA Championship Series.

The Magical 2010 Playoff Run of Jon Kohn

One of the most intriguing and dominant players the Rangers have ever had is Jon Kohn. Standing at 6'7" he is among the tallest players to ever play in the CMBA and thus the Rangers coined the nickname "Big Jon". In 2010, Big Jon had one of the best playoff streaks ever. Over a course of 5 games, he hit 7 HRs including 3 against the Marlins in the championship series. Kohn's 3rd HR in the final game of the championship series prompted the venerable Marlins pseudo coach Tom Farinella to scream out loud, "Why are we still pitching to him!"

Date	Opponent	Home Runs	Batting Average	Slugging Percentage
7/31/2010	Hounds	0	0.333	0.333
8/1/2010	Hounds	0	0.250	0.250
8/7/2010	Browns	1	0.250	1.000
8/8/2010	Browns	3	0.750	3.000
8/16/2010	Marlins	1	0.500	2.000
8/18/2010	Marlins	0	0.500	0.500
8/26/2010	Marlins	2	0.500	2.000
Totals		7	0.440	1.280

Big Jon finished the playoff run with a 0.440 batting average and 1.280 slugging percentage. He hit 3 HRs against the Browns in the semi-final clinching game. What is remarkable about Kohn's performance is that teams were willing to pitch to him. He only walked twice during the playoffs but drove in 21 runs! What were teams thinking?

Date	Opponent	Total Walks	Total Runs Batted In
7/31/2010	Hounds	0	1
8/1/2010	Hounds	0	1
8/7/2010	Browns	0	2
8/8/2010	Browns	1	9
8/16/2010	Marlins	1	3
8/18/2010	Marlins	0	1
8/26/2010	Marlins	0	4
Totals		2	21

Big Jon was dominant at the plate, but also helped the playoff trek with his arm. He won 2 games during the playoff run while striking out 26 in 3 games pitched. His game on 8/8/2010 against the Browns might have been the best all around game the CMBA has ever seen by one player. Kohn not only hit 3 HRs but pitched 6 innings, stuck out 10, earned the win, and propelled the Rangers into the championship series.

Date	Opponent	Innings Pitched	Total Strikeouts
8/8/2010	Browns	6	10

The 2010 playoff run of "Big" Jon Kohn will go down as the most dominant hitting and pitching performance the Rangers have ever seen and one of the most everlasting performances the CMBA has ever seen.

Do the Rangers Play Better at Night or During the Day

MLB pundits claim that because the Cubs play so many day games, it takes a toll on the players (and thus why the Cubs haven't won a World Series since 1908...at least the pundits believe this...See MLB Network Dan Pleasac).

So, the next question obviously is what about the Chicago Rangers? Do they play better during the day or at night? The answer is...its complicated. The Rangers actually have a better winning percentage in night games, yet have a better batting average, slugging percentage, and on-base percentage in day games (Regular Season games only).

Day/Night	Winning Percentage
Day	0.508
Night	0.518
Total %	0.513

Day/Night	Batting Average	Slugging Percentage	On-Base Percentage
Day	0.318	0.443	0.421
Night	0.302	0.414	0.399
Total %	0.310	0.428	0.410

Well then, what is explaining the discrepancy? What about pitching stats?

Well, at it happens to be the Rangers actually do pitch better at night then during the day. It must be that crisp Winnemac air that helps the pitcher's fastballs and curve balls slice through opponents bats.

Day/Night	Earned Run Average (ERA)
Day	4.73
Night	4.66
Total %	4.69

So, that settles it. The Rangers play better at night...sort of. Lets start scheduling more of those Saturday and Sunday night games.

(Note: 2011 stats only run through June 13, 2011)

Which Day of the Week are the Rangers the most Successful

After a recent analysis of game by game stats, the Rangers are actually the most successful on Mondays. They have played 16 games on Mondays and have a 0.750 winning percentage. Which day do they struggle the most? Wednesdays. The allure of the Gio's $1.99 burger and fries must hinder their performance on Wednesdays.

Day of Week	Winning Percentage
Monday	0.750
Friday	0.667
Saturday	0.569
Thursday	0.525
Sunday	0.481
Tuesday	0.444
Wednesday	0.344
Total %	0.507

(Note 1: This will be a weekly (or more) display of particular Rangers Stats heading into the 2012 season. The revival of the Ranger media guide will be published close to opening day.)
(Note 2: These stats include regular season and playoffs. It does not include forfeits wins/losses)

Wysopal Injury Update

22's leg is gross. That is all.

(Hopefully Isaiah now understands why Mike didn't score from first on his hit to LF...)