OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Rangers were long-ago practically eliminated from the playoff hunt, though, in fits and spurts they've lunged back into the fringes of the picture every once in a while. The official end will come early this week, perhaps as soon as Monday.
When it does, and the post-mortem on the long list of issues to attack begins for real, it will be important not to overlook this:
They were an awful hitting team on the road.
Like, historically awful.
After one final little lurch towards contention earlier in the week, Oakland snuffed the Rangers hopes out with a three-game sweep in the season's final road series of the year.