MLB: Texas Rangers Fansite, the Blog for Rangers-lovers

2008-11-26T08:56:00.000-08:00

2 Rangers won awards! Vicente Padilla was voted Rangers Pitcher of the Year, while Ron Washington has been named winner of the Harold McKinney Good Guy Award. Full story here.

2008-10-30T10:50:00.000-07:00

Get out there and vote next Tuesday, November 4th, Texas!

2008-10-16T14:21:00.000-07:00

Rangers to interview 4 coach candidates this week. Full story here.

Away Games, Please!

2008-07-30T12:44:00.000-07:00

It is so friggin' hot these days, I bet even the players don't want to be at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington right now. They've got signs up reminding the players to drink lots of water (and Josh Rupe added instructions about eating lots of cheese puffs - ha!), but all the water in the world doesn't make it easy to wear tight pants and run around a hot field. Ugh.

Maybe I should become a Mariners fan or something. Just for August.

Rangers hamstrung again?

2008-02-26T13:37:00.000-08:00

Well, it looks like Millwood's hamstring isn't any better this year than last. It knocked us flat for most of May, and now he's already out again? They say they don't think it'll take so long this time to heal. I hope they're right. :(

It's record-breaking time!

2007-08-23T12:15:00.001-07:00

30 runs!!! Did you hear that? 30 runs! Holy cow. Way to go, Texas Rangers!

The one that should have been...

2007-06-04T17:55:00.000-07:00

Ron, Ron, Ron, what were you thinking?! Next time you think about putting Matt Kata at third base, just replay the image of Kata's ground ball that SHOULD have ended the inning in the Rangers' favor BEFORE Seattle's five-run streak. Should have.

Sigh... Next time...

McCarthy to take on Devil Rays

2007-04-09T14:59:00.000-07:00

Brandon McCarthy has been slated to pitch his third game for the Rangers tonight against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. His performance in those first two games was mixed - rookie jitters may account for the six runs he gave up in the first stab he took, but the second was nothing to sneeze at. I'll be watching to find out which of these players is more like the real Brandon McCarthy tonight...

Blalock with an "Attitude"

2007-03-08T08:13:00.000-08:00

Have you been watching? Blalock is playing baseball again. Daniels has a new player on the team. Could Blalock be Washington's next Chavez? This could be his best season.

2007-01-17T12:10:00.000-08:00

The Texas Rangers have extended a minor league contract and invitation to spring training to Sammy Sosa. No firm details on the monetary value, but it's speculated that a big chunk of the money would be incentive-based.

Bowling and Baseball talk

2006-12-16T08:22:00.000-08:00

The Texas Rangers owner, Tom Hicks, called the first Rangers organization-wide baseball meetings in 6 years. General Manager Jon Daniels brought in everyone from amateur and international scouts, office personel, and both on and off field major and minor league personnel. The meeting which lasted 4 days included a bowling tournament and a visit from Dallas Cowboys scouting legend Gil Brandt. Daniels made it clear he wanted to build the team from within focusing on player and scouting development. Gil Brandt was there to recount rebuilding the Cowboys through scouting taking the team from a 1 win year to being popular worldwide. The meetings were needed seeing as how The Texas rangers have switched thier staff up so much over the past years. After having 3 GM's 4 managers, 4 scouting directors, and 4 player development directors, the meetings helped everyone get on that same page. An estimated 90 people attended the event of which Daniels said, "Some of these people work away on thier own little island and it was the first time many of them had been to Arlington to see the ballpark."

Money cash mula dinero bread greenback

2006-12-08T17:44:00.000-08:00

The Texas Rangers announced a rise in tickets prices for the upcoming 2007 season. The raise in prices is due to supply and demand says Texas Rangers president Jeff Cogan. He also announced the spring training and promotional schedule. The Rangers start things off on March 2nd with a game against the Kansas City Royals at Sunrise field. They wrap it up the same way they did last year with 2 exhibition games against the Milwaukee Brewers . The new promotions sound great for home game goers. There will be live music at the Patio on the North side of Ameriquest Field before every home game. They are returning the popular fireworks shows as well as bringing in a host of dollar nights for everything from hot dogs to T-shirts and caps. The Texas Rangers are looking out for thier fans in the upcoming season.

Washington Shows Arlington Snows

2006-12-01T16:22:00.000-08:00

The Texas Rangers new manager Ron Washington is showing how much leverage he has from his long career in baseball. Barry Zito showed up in Arlington with his agent Scott Boras at the same time as a large storm carrying snow, sleet and ice. As a free agent Zito is being pursued by as many as eight teams currently. Zito had 34 starts and 221 innings with The Oakland Athletics last season where Washington was a 3rd base coach for 11 years. The two have a history and Zito has expressed interest in pitching on the mound at Ameriquest Field under his old friends tutelage. The Rangers staff feels the same way. After losing out on the bid for the Japanese pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka, The Texas Rangers are getting serious about dropping some major bank on thier pitching this winter. For you long term fans do not worry there is still much interest in resigning Vicente Padilla but Zito is definitly at the top of the list. Over the past 6 years he has more starts than any other pitcher in the major league at 208 and is third in innigs pitched so one can definitly see why the interest in this lefty is so great. Work it Washington, work it.

Bidding Wars

2006-11-15T17:36:00.000-08:00

Daisuke Matsuzaka was the pitcher the Rangers were after for next season and they though offering a 27 million dollar salary would do the trick. It turns out that they were not even in the ballpark. The New York Mets supposedly bid in the area of 38 million while the winning bid of 51.1 million dollars came in from the Boston Red Sox. The Rangers not only lost out on a great pitcher but also have 8 free agents and as the off season progresses it semms less and less likely that an agreement will be reached. Already lost is Mark DeRosa as he signed with the Chicago Cubs on tuesday for a reported 13 million dollars. DeRosa wants to play second base and with the Rangers that position is filled everyday by Ian Kinsler leaving DeRosa to fill in there or other poisitions. The Cubs offered to have him be thier starting 2nd baseman everyday and that must have weighed in on the decision. Many more players may be leaving in the next week. A sad time it is for the Rangers.

The Big BIG announcement

2006-11-09T13:40:00.000-08:00

Well, after weeks of interviews and deliberations the Rangers have announced thier pick for Buck Showalters replacement. He had his second interview, i fyou call a backyard barbeque an interview, in Arlington at Texas Rangers owner Tom Hicks house. After some in depth baseball talk Hicks pulled General Manager Jon Daniels aside and expressed his like for the Athletics third base coach. Jon Daniels was quoted as saying, "He is an intelligent old school baseball guy with a unique and contagious personality" I for one am looking forward to what Ron Washington will do with my Texas team.

Something for the off-season

2006-11-02T11:34:00.000-08:00

I can’t believe a baseball fanatic is saying this, but, well, October is past and April is a long way off. So I have been watching hockey. And enjoying it. Which may be partly because the Dallas Stars are doing so well, now at 10-2, their best start ever. But it’s also because the NHL has tweaked the rules to make the matches more exciting and higher scoring.

It’s still going to take some practice to follow the puck flying around, but guys like Eric Lindros and Mike Modrano were fun to watch. I may just buy a heavier jacket and some Stars tickets and go attend a winter sport.

HEY TREY!

2006-10-25T16:52:00.000-07:00

Trey Hillman, a potential replacement for Buck Showalter, is having to put his interview off repeatedly as his team is now leading the Japan Series by a 2-1 lead over the Chunichi Dragons. If his team wins the series more time will pass due to the victory parade and then whisking off to do more battle against the winning teams of China, Taiwan, and South Korea in the Asia Series. The harsh reality is that Hillman might have to be interviewed over the phone, not something to look forward to when going for such a prestigeous position. Wakamatsu has the pre-existing relationship with the higher ups as well as great repor and the trust of the players. From my previous blogs, can you tell who I am gunning for?

Wakamatsuperior

2006-10-19T12:01:00.000-07:00

Wakamatsu has to time to prepare for his, the last in the interview line up of potential managers to replace Buck Showalter. Once last chance to wow the owners and general manager of the team before the very worthy competition steps in. The Oakland Athletics Third-base coach, Ron Washington and 2006 International League Manager of the year, John Russel, are both set for interviews this week as is New York Mets third-base coach Manny Acta. Trey Hillman, currently managing the Nippon-Ham Fighters, is also set for an interview when his team is done with the Japan Series. Don't sweat it Wakamatsu, 4 years as the Texas Rangers dugout coach does carry some weight.

The news is all the rage

2006-10-11T10:51:00.000-07:00

many of you Rangers / Texas fans are as curious as I. Who will be the next team manager of The Texas Rangers. Demarlo Hale seems out of the running and Tudy jaramillo refused an interview for the position electing instead to remain the teams hitting coach. Hillman interviewed for the position in 2002 when Sowalter got it but hillman left an impression on both the owner and former general manager of the team. Now that his contracts in Japan have come to a turning point he is being considered once again. Wakamatsu is still in the lead. it seems noone can touch his repor with the entire Rangers staff.

Manager Transfer

2006-10-05T09:52:00.000-07:00

It seems that Bench coach Don Wakamatsu is the front running candidate to replace now dismissed manager Buck Sowalter. Wakamatsu demonstrated his ability in August when, after Showalter was suspended for four consecutive games, the Rangers went 3-1 against the Detroit Tigers under his management. The current hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo is being considered for the position as are two former members of the club, current Boston Red Sox third base coach and Former Rangers Coach Demarlo Hale as well as former Rangers farm director Trey Hillman, who has managed in Japan for the past four years.

Show(ing)alter the door?

2006-10-01T19:53:00.000-07:00

Let's face it - the Rangers have not exactly helped keep up our Texas pride for nearing a decade now. Who's fault is it? Who knows?

But the fact remains that something isn't working right with the team. So now there's a good chance that Buck Showalter will lose his job as Texas Rangers manager. An MLB article discussed the parallels between Showalter and Dusty Baker, the Chicago Cubs manager. Each have earned Manager of the Year awards previously, each has been at their current job for four years, and each might be out of a job before the week is out.

I've always wondered how the decisions get made to cut the heads of teams. When you have so many people involved in a team of any sort, it's rarely an easy thing to point a finger and say, "Yep. Bob's the one that sucks."

Whatever happens, I sure hope the Rangers can turn things around soon. I think we're due for a few good seasons. Texas teams do seem to go in good and bad waves. Remember the Cowboys' Super Bowl streak in the 90s, after being an embarrassment for so long? Growing up Texan, I was a loyal fan no matter what, but I really loved cheering on the winners for once.

Rangers Keep Up the Pace Nicely

2006-05-29T13:25:00.000-07:00

Gary Matthews got his fourth home run of the season against the Oakland A’s on Friday and I think he is looking like a true asset to the Texas Rangers this season. Sitting on the top of the division is nice for the Rangers and playing a team like the A’s can only make things better. Oakland seemed good at the beginning of the season but Texas is the real contender.

I’ve got a feeling...

2006-05-08T14:10:00.000-07:00

The Texans Rangers are having an impressive season. I feel so weird watching the Rangers win all these games. It’s like I don’t know how to feel. I am happy but it is just such an alien concept to me after the past few years when it comes to Texas baseball. Can you believe it? I hope it is not just me. Go Rangers! Beat the Twins!

Should we be playing better that we are?

2006-04-12T09:40:00.000-07:00

The Texas Rangers won only one of four games against the Detroit Tigers and are now headed for Anaheim to meet the Los Angeles Angels for a three game series. The Rangers are hoping that the road trip will help the players bond together and perhaps start playing like more of a team than a collection of new young faces.

Can a couple of road trips help this team become a cohesive unit or should that have happened in spring training?

World Baseball Classic in Final Stage

2006-03-19T14:44:00.000-08:00

Japan has eliminated their opponents to make it to the final game in the World Baseball Classic. They will be playing Cuba for the championship and it looks like that game will be a true battle of the titans. I am proud of the WBC for not letting politics dictate who would participate in this tournament and it is nice to see that other countries obviously hold baseball in as high a regard as we do here in North America.

Can this season be different?

2006-02-14T09:45:00.000-08:00

The Texas Rangers have been rebuilding for three years now and some believe it is high time for Buck Showalter to deliver a winning season. A payroll increase has been made and everything I have been reading says that the Rangers are attacking this season with a “win now” attitude.

Rangers’ fans love Dallas Mavericks tickets!

2006-01-30T17:37:00.000-08:00

A lot of Texas Rangers fans are spending their off-season focusing on the Dallas Mavericks. They are the second best team in the league right now and I’ve got tickets to see the Mavs play the Seattle Supersonics the day before the Super Bowl. I guess that means I have to cheer for the Pittsburgh Steelers now.

Did You Wake Up And Smell the Roses?

2006-01-18T14:07:00.000-08:00

As a Texas Rangers baseball fan, I'm more or less hibernating in January, but I have to say that this year’s Rose Bowl would wake anybody up! That was about as exciting an athletic contest as you ever get to see! All of us Texans have to be proud of the University of Texas Longhorns, the new national college football champs!

Young Getting Better With Age

2005-10-17T12:08:00.000-07:00

This is a little word about the most overlooked player in baseball, but don’t worry he won’t be overlooked for long. Short stop Michael Young will be a superstar in this league, and by all accounts he already should be. But he’s making his name on a team that is consistently finishing 3^rd in the American League West and hasn’t made a playoff appearance in this century. But Young has stood out, by winning the American League batting average with .331, just ahead of former Ranger Alex Rodriguez now playing for the New York Yankees. He also had a career year with hits, get 221 hits, breaking the team record for hits in a season, a record that he set in 2004.

Rangers Wasting No Time

2005-10-10T13:09:00.000-07:00

Well, the season’s not a week over and already the Rangers are shaking things up. Not even 24 hours after the last out of the Rangers’ 2005 season, they announced that they would not be offering a contract to Kenny Rogers who finished the season 14-8 with a 3.46 ERA. Being 40 years old, there was some question as to Rogers really fit in with this younger club. Rogers is also being sued by a cameraman that he shoved before a game on June 29. And finally Rangers General Manager Tom Hart resigned last Wednesday, passing the duties down to his assistant Jon Daniels. Jon Daniels is now the youngest general manager in major league history at 28 years and 41 days old. Let’s hope this gamble pays off for the Rangers.

Young to the Rescue

2005-09-22T06:27:00.000-07:00

Michael Young, what can you say about this young rising star. On Wednesday night Young hit a home run in the 7^th inning of the Rangers’ loss to the Los Angeles Angels, 6-5, to extend his career long hitting streak to 18 games. Young switched from second to short stop at the beginning of last season so Alfonso Soriano would be more comfortable. Young broke the team record for hits in a season with 216. With 10 games left to play, Young only has to get 10 more hits to break his record, again. Oh, and guess who’s leading the AL this season in batting average; I’ll give you one guess. Young is one of the great stars in the majors, and the Rangers to hold on to him tight before someone steals him away.

Nothing Left to Lose

2005-08-30T07:22:00.000-07:00

With the win Monday night the Texas Rangers have shown that they are not going to go passively into the night with these final 32 games. After beating the American League Central leading White Sox, the Rangers have won 5 of their last 7 games. For all intents and purposes, the Rangers are out of the playoff race, unless of course the entire Angels roster tests positive for steroids and the Athletics decide to strike. The part the Rangers can play in these few weeks is to be the spoiler. With 12 games left to play against the A’s and the Angels combined, the Rangers could really affect which American League West team will take the pennant and go to the playoffs.

Don't Hold Back

2005-06-09T13:05:00.000-07:00

It happens all the time. Players become timid of re-injuring themselves, therefore they tend to hold back. In those cases it seems like those players loose a step, when in reality they are just afraid. Such was the case for second baseman Alfonso Soriano who tore a hamstring last season and has been some what tentative in the way he runs, but recently he that has seemed to change as his speed and agility get better and better.

Rangers downplay scuffle

2005-05-26T15:22:00.000-07:00

- from FOXSports.com

Rangers pitcher Ryan Drese and catcher Rod Barajas speak casually about their physical altercation in the dugout during a game against the Royals. Texas manager Buck Showalter says he's ready to move on and not at all concerned about future incidents.

Loss to Chi-town

2005-05-19T16:15:00.000-07:00

Mark Buehrle was too much of a force for the Texas Rangers and the whole time, Ryan Drese was trying to figure out his pitch. Buehrle (White Sox pitcher) went a total of 7 ½ shutout innings against the Rangers. Drese was keeping up, but slipped up to allow four runs in the fourth.

Afterwards, it was all downhill to come to a 0-7 loss for the Rangers. The Rangers let another run in the sixth and two during the eighth. Mark Buehrle brought his record up to 7-1 with this victory.

Win over Sox

2005-05-17T14:00:00.000-07:00

- from the official site of the Texas Rangers

The Rangers' heavy lumber pummeled Orlando Hernandez early, scoring six runs in the first three innings. But it was Kevin Mench's ninth-inning solo blast, his second of the game, that finally handed the visitors a victory.

Steve Karsay

2005-05-15T16:09:00.000-07:00

Steve Karsay has joined the great organization of the Rangers. After having problems with injuries from Frank Francisco and Carlos Almanzar, it was about time that the Rangers did something for a little bit of safety.

Karsay will not be officially part of the major league squad until he has proved himself through Triple A. Once done so, Karsay will be ready to go. He was recently released from the Yankees.

Team Report:

2005-05-12T17:14:00.000-07:00

- from FOXSports.com

Relaxation and keen eyesight are two of the factors enabling new leadoff man DH David Dellucci to continue piling up walks. Dellucci says he's calmer this year, and offseason LASIK surgery is helping him pick up the ball out of the pitcher's hand and follow it deep into the hitting zone. Dellucci's soaring on-base percentage often gives an advantage to the hitters behind him. . . .

It's now or never for Joaquin Benoit. The club has a void in its righthanded relief corps, and Benoit is out of options. . . .

Playing sporadically, backup C Sandy Alomar has provided more offense than the team anticipated.

Frank Francisco

2005-05-06T12:05:00.000-07:00

After complaining with shoulder pain, Francisco went in to have an MRI done on his right shoulder to find out what kinds of complications were occurring. After administering this, we find out that most likely Francisco will not be returning this season.

UCL — ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction is the medical term for this procedure. A procedure that’s becoming much more popular, Tommy John (deemed so after the first to get this operation) surgery has been administered to many players. I read that almost 1 out of every 9 pitchers has the scar to prove it. Typically, the pitcher returns the same if not better.

Hopefully, Francisco will heal up just as well. Good luck!

Red Sox take down Rangers

2005-05-02T15:34:00.000-07:00

- from ESPN.com

Matt Clement was already behind and kept putting himself in more jams. Somehow, he avoided major trouble.

Along with Clement's escape act, every Boston starter had a hit and the Red Sox won 6-5 on Sunday for their first series win in Texas since 2000.

"It was nice to see Matt work out of those jams and make some adjustments," said bench coach Brad Mills, who filled in for suspended manager Terry Francona. "He was able to battle through it, work through some situations, find some pitches and make some pitches."

Clement (3-0) gave up three runs and four hits in six shaky innings with four walks, a hit batsman and two wild pitches. He retired the Rangers in order only once, and the first two batters he faced reached base and scored.

But Clement also escaped two bases-loaded jams without giving up runs and left eight Texas runners stranded before leaving with a 6-3 lead.

Everyone’s Keeping Even

2005-04-28T11:19:00.000-07:00

As of now, each team in the AL West has almost the same record with slight deviations here and there. The Rangers are currently 11-11.

The big story is Kenny Rogers upset of the Mariners in their latest game. The final score in that game was 8-2 and Rogers allowed only two hits throughout six innings. At 40 years old, people start questioning whether he can still produce. This was not the case against the Mariners. While Rogers was striking them out, the Rangers were tacking on points. The Rangers kept the Mariners to a scoreless game until the very end. This was Rogers’ fifth start of the season.

"He's had some starts this year where he should have got a 'W' but you can't make the other pitcher not pitch well. It was good to see us score some runs for him and give him a little margin of error."
- Buck Showalter

Team Report:

2005-04-21T11:48:00.000-07:00

- from FOXSports.com

The bullpen has been strained at times, partly because of short outings by starters and partly because the club is opening the season with games on 20 consecutive days. The absences of RHPs Frank Francisco (elbow) and Carlos Almanzar (bereavement leave) have been noticeable. Only closer Francisco Cordero has been pitching in his normal role on a consistent basis. . . .

Sandy Alomar isn't capable of being an everyday catcher anymore. So if Rod Barajas falters, look for Gerald Laird to be called up to assume the everyday role.

New Series

2005-04-17T15:51:00.000-07:00

The Texas Rangers are about to go up against the Oakland Athletics in their next series. In the former, the Rangers tied up a series against the Toronto Blue Jays. The final game score was 6-5.

Danny Haren will be starting the game for the Rangers. As of now, he has one loss under his belt. Originally drafted by the Cardinals, Haren originated from California where he attended Pepperdine.

Ranger Honor Oates

2005-04-12T14:41:00.000-07:00

Before the game on Monday, the Texas Rangers took a moment to honor former manager Johnny Oates. Oates managed the franchise from 1995 to 2001 and passed away briefly after the end of his vocation in 2004. He led the Rangers to three American League West Division championships.

Oates received high praise from the organization and was very well respected around; even Buck Showalter named the managers’ office in Ameriquest field after him. Both his wife Gloria and son Andy were in attendance to pay tribute to the former great. Oates’ former number 26 was placed on a banner with his name above to pay respect.

R.I.P.

Jones tries to win Opening Series

2005-04-07T13:13:00.000-07:00

- from the official site of the Texas Rangers

The Rangers might be tired Thursday, but they won't be complaining. After a 3-2, 12-inning win Wednesday, they have a chance to take the season-opening series from last year's American League West champion Angels.

Chris Young will start against the Angels' John Lackey in a matchup that is significantly in the Rangers' favor -- at least on paper. Young won both his starts against the Angels last year, allowing just three runs in 12 innings, while Lackey tends to struggle against the Rangers, allowing 67 hits and 10 homers in 61 1/3 lifetime innings against them.

Kenny Rogers allowed just one run in six innings Wednesday and Alfonso Soriano's homer to lead off the 12th inning made a winner out of Brian Shouse (1-0).

TOUGH CALL:

2005-04-02T15:45:00.000-08:00

- from FOXSports.com

RHP Ricardo Rodriguez has had a good spring while coming back from a fractured elbow injury. But with veterans Chan Ho Park and Pedro Astacio in the mix, the Rangers have six legitimate candidates for the five jobs in the starting rotation. Rodriguez has options and the Rangers could elect to let him start the year at Triple-A Oklahoma. But Rodriguez just may win a job out of spring training regardless if he finishes the spring in impressive fashion.

Court Cases

2005-03-24T15:46:00.000-08:00

Recently, as everyone who reads this probably knows, a crew of ballplayers went in front of a committee hearing in order to speak on the topic of steroid use; Palmiero, McGwire, Sosa, Schilling, and Canseco.

This is due to recent accusatory statements made by a book released by Jose Canseco where he blacklisted players in the MLB. Before and after this release, steroid use in baseball has become a hot topic. People want to know who used and who still is using.

During the hearing, statements were made by each player trying to clear their name or just state where they stand on the issues of steroid use. Palmiero completely denied anything about any past steroid use. Schilling also denied any association with the substance.

McGwire and Sosa, on the other hand, we’re very loose about their answers. McGwire mainly took the perspective of being a retired player and not needing to place his opinion into the matters. Sosa would not even answer certain questions (his English can’t be that bad).

Sandy Alomar, Jr.

2005-03-20T16:55:00.000-08:00

During the off season, the Texas Rangers signed Sandy Alomar, Jr. on for a backup catcher position. This makes a solid three catchers for the Rangers, with potential from each. Alomar, a fifteen-year veteran of the game, is greatly looking forward to his play time with the Rangers. This is giving him a chance to loosen up a bit and play solidly again. Alomar, being 38, is coming close to the end of his stride.

"It's been great so far. I've done more catching in this camp than I've done in recent years. I'm doing all the conditioning and my body feels very strong. I'm very optimistic about this club and what we can do. We've got a couple of key guys in the bullpen that haven't pitched yet, but they'll be back and the bullpen will be solid again. I think the Rangers are going to build something special here and I'm happy to be part of it."
- Sandy Alomar, Jr.

CAMP SURPRISE:

2005-03-13T12:51:00.000-08:00

- from FOXSports.com

Even though he has a screw in his right elbow after being hit by a Robb Quinlan liner last season, RHP Ricardo Rodriguez has been impressive early in spring training. The Rangers credit the success to Rodriguez's work ethic during his winter rehabilitation, and the team projects Rodriguez as a serious contender to win a job in the starting rotation. The Rangers say Rodriguez has no physical limitations now after suffering the fractured elbow last July.

Updates for Texans

2005-03-08T17:01:00.000-08:00

- from FOXSports.com

With second baseman Alfonso Soriano being held back early in spring training until he gains full confidence in the left hamstring that he severely strained last September, veteran Mark DeRosa figures to get ample opportunity to impress Rangers' officials. If DeRosa hits well this spring, the Rangers could be inclined to move him around at three infield positions and periodically use Soriano, Hank Blalock and Michael Young in a DH role to keep all three guys fresh for the long haul. . . .

RHP Ryan Drese has a mission to gain even better control of his sinker this year, which could enable him to approach the success level on the road that he showed at home with a 3.26 ERA at Ameriquest Field in 2004. . . .

Manager Buck Showalter's desire to get lefthanded-swinging Laynce Nix some spring training at-bats against lefthanders will give the Rangers a better idea of whether Nix is ready for everyday duty. Texas has a center field insurance policy in Gary Matthews Jr.

Rotation and other Issues

2005-03-03T15:21:00.000-08:00

Chan Ho Park received a $65 million five-year contract and has not yet proved himself. He has been with the Rangers for three years now and has barely proved worth to be in the rotation.

RHP Pedro Astacio is joining the squad. He started his career with the Colorado Rockies, moved on to Houston, and most recently was a member of the New York Mets. Ricardo Rodriguez is also a very competent pitcher in the roto.

The Rangers will also be reviewing a few players during Spring Training. Both Chris Young and Juan Dominguez are trying to show their true colors to be able to be placed in a spot on the rotation. Greg Colbrunn will also be reviewed to come in as the team’s DH against lefthanders.

Rangers Updates

2005-02-20T11:31:00.000-08:00

Pedro Astacio has been signed to the Rangers after a long bout with a shoulder injury. This 13-year veteran of the game has been playing in the Dominican Republic and has shown that his old skills are returning. During the winter session, Astacio convinced the Rangers of his ability.

This presents a little bit of a problem for a few players. While Buck Showalter is stocking up his line, three players are presented with the possibility of fighting for their own spots in the rotation. Rodriguez, Dominguez, or Young will have to take a year in the minors for this spot. These players, being very youthful and inexperienced, will be proving their talents during Spring Training.

Also, Ian Kinsler may be brought in as a utility infielder, but he must prove himself also. He has been doing really well in Class AA, so we’ll see what happens.

Canseco and Steroid Use

2005-02-06T14:04:00.000-08:00

The former Ranger is now becoming author. Jose Canseco is releasing a book detailing his steroid use throughout his history in the majors. This detailed explanation not only goes through his use of steroids, but also talks about the players who were involved in the use.

But, Canseco is not releasing this as a remorse piece. He does not have any regrets about his steroid use and feels that he wouldn’t have been able to advance around the majors without them. His catalogue goes as far as naming players that he had influenced into steroid use and talking about how he used to inject steroids into Mark McGwire during their time with the Oakland Athletics.

The book is still not released and has already kicked up a lot of controversy around the diamond. Canseco was a good player in his time but this is a little low. Not just is he admitting to steroid use, but he is also in a way supporting it. Keep your how-to-guide of steroid use to yourself. Good job keeping yourself out of the record books.

Rangers in the Hood

2005-01-27T13:37:00.000-08:00

A few of the members of the Texas Rangers paid a visit to Fort Hood recently. This was one stop taken along the Rangers Winter Caravan; organized in order to get the players out interacting with the public offseason.

During the stop, a veteran came back with one of the soldiers from Iraq. The Rangers had donated a bat to the troops and after seeing some action on the field, it returned safely to be greeted and autographed.

It is very important for us to support our brothers and sisters who are fighting for us overseas and this reporter highly praises the Texas Rangers for this. Go Rangers!!!

Laird eyes fresh start in 2005

2004-12-02T16:05:00.000-08:00

By Jesse Sanchez / MLB.com

Call Rangers catcher Gerald Laird nostalgic, but he wants the organization to remember the not-so-distant good ol' days.

Like the time last March when he shined during Spring Training, and later in the first month of the 2004 season when he was named the top rookie in the American League before succumbing to a thumb injury.

He's hoping his hard work this offseason jogs a few memories come Spring Training.

"I am glad I made the decision to take the winter off and work out," Laird said. "I am doing cardio, lifting and letting my body rest from the wear and tear from the season. I'm giving my thumb time off to heal properly so I can be ready for Spring Training."

Last spring, Laird won the starting job over incumbent Einar Diaz and won Rookie of the Month for April after leading AL rookies with 18 hits in the month. He suffered a major setback on May 20, when he tore a ligament in his left thumb during a play at the plate, and he missed the next two months.

Laird was activated from the disabled list July 23 and went 4-for-15 in 15 starts upon his return before giving way to Rod Barajas behind the plate on a full-time basis. Barajas, who replaced Laird, was in the midst of a breakthrough year and finished with 15 home runs and 58 RBIs in 108 games.

Laird watched most of the final month from the bench.

"It was one of those things where it was my first time on the disabled list, and maybe I was a little immature and inexperienced about it," Laird said. "I was happy for Rod and glad to see him do well, but there is also an urgency to get back because you don't want to lose the job. I wanted to play and contribute to the success of the team, and I might have rushed a little.

"It wasn't feeling right. I was hurting and I was not competing like I was before, and it showed on the field. There were balls I could not catch clean and I was compensating. Anybody who has seen me play knew that this was not the normal me back there."

In 49 games in 2004, Laird hit .224 with one home run and 16 RBIs in 147 at-bats. He scored 20 runs and hit six doubles. With so much time missed, the Rangers originally hoped Laird would play Winter League baseball and even secured a spot for him on a team in the Dominican Republic. But Laird said he was not ready.

He expects to start playing catch in two weeks.

"I'll be close to 100 percent by spring because it's one of those things that will take a while, because of the position I play and the pounding on my catching hand every play," Laird said. "I hope I did not hurt myself by coming back and playing, but you can look at it as a negative or a positive. On the negative side, I was not the same as I was. But on the positive side, I showed everybody how bad I wanted to be out there and contribute."

The Rangers have not named a starting catcher for 2005, but Laird and Barajas appear to be the first two options. That said, Laird's health and Barajas' durability during a full season remain in question and have forced the organization to seek a catcher either from within or on the free agent market for next season.

Barajas is also arbitration eligible and the Rangers could be seeking a deal with him to avoid arbitration.

"We like our catching situation," Rangers manager Buck Showalter said. "It's a very demanding position, and the depth will always be tested. You have to make sure you are covered there and you have the flexibility to handle injury."

As for Laird, he hopes injury is not an issue in 2005 like it was in '04.

"I look back at it as a positive year for me because I did what wanted to do in spring and the first part of the season and I learned a lot about the game," he said. "It's one of those years that you just move on and grow from. The biggest thing is I realized is you can be on top one day and the next day you can be at a point that you do not play.

"I know what I need to do to get back and stay where I was. I'm going to use it all as a positive and work my butt off to get back."

Will Jaramillo Join the Mets?

2004-10-25T13:12:00.000-07:00

Well, it looks like hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo might move up north if he is offered the Manger position with the Mets. We'll find out a week after the World Series, according to The Mets.

He has a good chance of getting the job (considering his personal connections and experience), but Former Toronto Blue Jays manager Carlos Tosca is also interviewing for the position. If he doesn't get the job, he'll most likely stay in Texas.

Notes: Showalter Thanks Team

2004-10-14T17:43:00.000-07:00

By Robert Falkoff / MLB.com

SEATTLE -- Roughly an hour before Sunday's season finale against Seattle, Rangers manager Buck Showalter met with his team in what amounted to a fond farewell address.

"I just want to thank them for letting me come along for the ride," said Showalter.

Picked by many to lose 100 games this year, Texas emerged from the scrap pile to contend for a division title until the final week.

"It's about them," Showalter said. "They repaid the trust we had in them and it makes you feel good about putting your trust in good people."

The hope at Rangers headquarters is that Texas can now build on the accomplishments of 2004 and take that next step into the playoffs.

"I'm hoping there's one that tops this next year, and the year after and the year after," Showalter said. "I'm very proud of the Rangers. The Rangers are very special to me."

Rangers Sweep A's

2004-09-23T15:03:00.000-07:00

It wasn't so long ago that the Ranger were consider far from a contender. Well, with two weeks left in the season it seem to me that the pre-season predictions about the Rangers not being any good was all fabrication. With out A Rod, the Rangers have managed to intact a winning season and are still in contention for the hunt for October. The Rangers proved their worth in their sweep over the division leading rivals, the Oakland Athletics. Now just two game behind with 10 more to go, this could get very interesting. Keep up the good work guys.

Go Rangers!

Still in the Running

2004-09-15T10:32:00.000-07:00

Man, that was one heck of a game against the A's last night! I was on the edge of my recliner the entire time. If we can pull of the rest of this series, we'll definitely be in reach of Oakland, and we're only 3 games behind the Angels right now. We got to keep this momentum!

Teixeira

2004-09-12T15:41:00.000-07:00

By Jesse Sanchez / MLB.com

ARLINGTON -- Mark Teixeira started the Rangers' scoring in the first. Seven innings
later, he finished it.

The switch-hitting first baseman hit two home runs, including a two-run blast in the eighth inning, to propel the Rangers to a 7-6 victory and a three-game sweep against the Blue Jays in front of 20,434 at Ameriquest Field in Arlington.

Closer Francisco Cordero struck out the side in a scoreless ninth inning to earn his 44th save of the season, setting a single-season club record. He has converted 44 of 46 save opportunities this season.

The win was the fourth in six games for the Rangers (78-64). The club finishes the season with 20 games against the American League West, starting Monday at Oakland.

Teixeira hit a three-run home run, his first of the game, in the first inning to put the Rangers ahead, 3-0, but the lead did not stick.

With Chan Ho Park on the mound for the home team, Carlos Delgado led off the top of the second with a home run, his 29th of the season and his 19th career home run at Ameriquest Field in Arlington, to start a five-run inning that left the Rangers reeling and behind, 5-3.

Park allowed five hits (three doubles) in the second, including four in a row by Eric Crozier, Russ Adams, Reed Johnson and Orlando Hudson to sway the momentum Toronto's way.

The visitors made sure it stayed there thanks to the pitching of Dave Bush and another run in the fifth via another RBI double, this time by Delgado with two outs, for the Blue Jays' sixth run.

Park was replaced by newly acquired Michael Tejera and all Tejera did was strike out four of the five batters he faced in 1 2/3 innings of relief to keep the Rangers within striking distance.

In the sixth, Hank Blalock hit a single and scored on a double by Kevin Mench to cut Toronto's lead to 6-4, and Laynce Nix made it a one-run game in the seventh when he reached on an error and came home on a double by Alfonso Soriano for the Rangers' fifth run.

In the eighth, the first two Blue Jays hitters of the inning reached base but reliever Brian Shouse recovered to strike out Gregg Zaun. Doug Brocail struck out Alexis Rios and Rangers catcher Rod Barajas completed the strikeout-throw-out play when he nabbed Delgado attempting to steal third after Rios watched the third strike pass him by.

The play could have saved the game.

With Bush out of the game, Michael Young led off the bottom half of the frame with a ground-rule double and Teixeira followed with the game-winning home run off Blue Jays reliever Justin Speier.

Starters

2004-09-06T10:36:00.000-07:00

While Texas has slipped in standing, at least we have some solid starters. Rogers and Drese have been holding down the fort and they finally have some consistent back-up, so, while there is only a month left in the season, there is still hope: we are definitely still in playoff contention (heck, I haven't heard that Roseanne lady sing lately, have you?).

Well, it's the bottom of the 2nd with no runs (against the white sox)... 'guess I'll get off this computer and back to the game. Happy Labor Day!

Sliding and Sliding

2004-09-02T13:51:00.000-07:00

It's getting harder and harder to watch, as everyday the Rangers slide farther and farther from the A's in their all-to-familiar end of season choke.

 	        W  	L  	Pct  	GB 

 Oakland 	78 	54 	.591 	-- 

 Anaheim 	75 	57 	.568 	3.0 

 Texas 	        73 	58 	.557 	4.5 

 Seattle 	51 	81 	.386 	27.0

I mean, at least we're not Seattle. 27 games behind. Ouch. But if we don't put up more of a fight tonight, we're in danger of getting swept by the twins. At least we have 7 games against Oakland before the end of the season. It is possible to take the division, but it'll be an uphill battle all the way.

We gotta pull out all the stops tonight....

Park kicks ass at the Field

2004-08-27T13:39:00.000-07:00

Last night we took the Twins 8-3, thanks mostly to stellar pitching by Chan Ho Park. From Yahoo:

"It was great," said Park, who has just 13 wins since signing a $65 million, five-year contract with Texas before the 2002 season. "I understand there has been a lot of disappointment from the fans. I had so much fun today."

Park (3-4) allowed two runs and four hits to win for the first time since May 12 against Tampa Bay. He struck out four and walked three. The 31-year-old right-hander went on the disabled list May 20 with a sore back.

Park, who had not won at home since Sept. 12, 2002, warmed up to start the seventh and was relieved by Ron Mahay. Park received a standing ovation and wore a big grin as he walked toward the dugout.

He has been on the disabled list five times since joining the Rangers. He never was on the DL in six full seasons with Los Angeles before that.

"It was good for him to be able to smile," Texas manager Buck Showalter said. ``It was something we wanted to see. He's had a lot of negative crawling around him.'

This win helped us break even on the series, going 2-2 against the twins. After this 3 game series with Balitmore, we go out to Minnesota to finish what we started. We're 2.5 games behind Oakland, still holding on strong. Hopfully a good run this week can catapult us into first.

I'm holding my breath.

Watch out Oakland

2004-08-17T16:24:00.000-07:00

Here's a little somethin' from their official website:

ARLINGTON -- Cleveland welcomed Rangers starter Mickey Callaway back to the big leagues with a two-run home run four batters into his first game in over four months.
Callaway's teammates were a lot more cordial as they supplied a 5-2 victory against the Indians at Ameriquest Field in Arlington, keeping the right-hander out of the loss column.

The victory was the fourth in a row for the Rangers and their fifth in the last seven games. Callaway, who had not started since April because of a right ulnar nerve injury, received a no-decision after allowing two runs and five hits in 4 1/3 innings.

"I was anxious to get out there of course, but once I backed off and thought about what I was doing out there, I was fine," Callaway said. "It was the first time back in while and it was good to get back and compete again. It was fun and anxious and all around good."

"I am very happy for Mickey," Rangers manager Buck Showalter said. "It's been a long road back to a point where he can give a contribution. It didn't look good early."

Francisco Cordero pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his 36th save of the season and cap off an impressive night by the bullpen. Relievers Erasmo Ramirez, Brian Shouse, and Frank Francisco combined with the closer for 4 2/3 scoreless innings to seal the victory.

Tonight's game against Cleveland will hopefully seal the deal for now.

Regilio Looks to Deflate Yankees

2004-08-11T13:48:00.000-07:00

From MLB.com:

Rookie Nick Regilio takes the mound against the New York Yankees at Ameriquest Field in Arlington on Wednesday in search of his first win as a starter.
Since being inserted into the Rangers' rotation on July 27, the rookie right-hander is 0-3 with a 4.86 ERA. However, Texas hitters have backed Regilio with just two runs in those starts. In his last outing, he worked 1 1/3 innings in an Aug. 6 loss in Baltimore. He walked five, gave up two hits and allowed four runs (two unearned).

On Tuesday, Ryan Drese pitched seven scoreless innings to lead the Rangers to a 7-1 victory against the Yankees in the first game of a three-game series.

Drese (9-6) allowed five hits and struck out three batters to earn his fifth win in his last six starts. The right-hander extended his consecutive homerless-innings streak to 64, spanning his last 10 starts.

With the victory, Drese is 5-1 with 2.25 ERA over his last six starts and has gone at least five innings in 20 of his 23 starts this season.

Alfonso Soriano and David Dellucci, both former Yankees players, combined to go 4-for-7 with two RBIs and four runs scored to pace the offense.

Be sure to watch tonight!

Get it in Gear

2004-08-03T09:47:00.000-07:00

Well,

They don't have much of a choice, conidering they are about to embark on a 16, count 'em, 16-game stretch without a break. Oakland has recently pulled ahead, but they will soon fall back (at least that's what the TV psychic I called out of boredom last night said... hopefully she knows what she's talking about: if so, I will also "have a very prosperous future"). But, seriously, they've only won 2 out of the last 9: what the heck is going on? I have these words of advice for Mr. Kenny Rogers: this ain't a time to "fold 'em!" Now come on, I wanna see some baseball!

Your Bloggist,
Chad

Colectomy, Anyone?

2004-07-28T10:58:00.000-07:00

Well, the Rangers are still leading the AL West, but are now only 1 1/2 games over Oakland. Considering it was his debut, Regillio did well, but we still need some starting pitchers to back up Drese and Rogers in order to pull through this season.

And while they didn't win the game, the guys definitely played well last night: how 'bout that catch by Nix?! Man, oh man.

2 wins, 3 losses

2004-07-26T09:58:00.000-07:00

Well, since the last time I posted, the Rangers have won 2 and lost 3. We're still 2.5 games ahead of Oakland, but thats not a very big lead, considering theres 3 games in Anaheim this week, followed by a home strech with Oakland...


 Last 5 Games

 Wed, Jul 21	Anaheim	W 3-2 

 Thu, Jul 22	Anaheim	L 1-11 

 Fri, Jul 23	at Oakland	W 8-3 

 Sat, Jul 24	at Oakland	L 2-6 

 Sun, Jul 25	at Oakland	L 2-9

Also:

The Texas Rangers will not have righthander Ricardo Rodriguez to turn to in their quest for a division title.

The Rangers, who hold a 3 1/2-game lead in the American League West Division, placed Rodriguez on the 15-day disabled list Friday, one day after he suffered a fractured right elbow when he was hit by a line drive in Texas' loss to Anaheim.

Rodriguez, who entered Thursday's contest with a 3-0 record and 0.76 ERA in his first four appearances this year, underwent successful surgery Friday and is expected to miss the remainder of the season.

All of the news was not bad for Texas, which activated outfielder Brian Jordan and catcher Gerald Laird from the DL.

Tonight I'll be up late watching the Rangers take revenge on the Angles...

W 6-4

2004-07-21T08:54:00.000-07:00

Well, we split the series with the White Sox, keeping Texas 2.5 games ahead of Oakland. Anaheim comes to Arlington tonight for the first of two games. Since they are only 5 games behind Texas, these two games could have quite a lot of impact...

Chi White Sox 12, Texas 6

2004-07-20T08:14:00.000-07:00

Damn. We got schooled.

The only good inning the Rangers had was the 6th.

Bot 6th: Texas
-A. Soriano doubled to left, E. Young scored, M. Young to third
-M. Teixeira hit sacrifice fly to deep center, M. Young scored, A. Soriano to third
-K. Mench singled to center, A. Soriano scored

The rest of the game was pretty dismal. Tonight at 7:05 is game 2 of the series, so hopefully last nights beating will put the fire under the Rangers.

SWEEP!

2004-07-19T13:35:00.000-07:00

The rangers had quite a weekend, sweeping Toronto in a three game series at Ameriquest.

 Fri, Jul 16	Toronto	W 11-2 

 Sat, Jul 17	Toronto	W 4-0 

 Sun, Jul 18	Toronto	W 7-5

Thats pretty awesome if you ask me. Which you did.

Tonight is the first of two games against the AL Central leaders, the Chicago White Sox. These two games should be a pretty good match up.

MVP for an MVP

2004-07-16T07:12:00.000-07:00

From Yahoo Sports:

HOUSTON (AP) -- Now the Texas Rangers can say they traded an MVP for an MVP.

Alfonso Soriano was the other guy in the deal that sent Alex Rodriguez to the New York Yankees last winter. On Tuesday night, Soriano became the star of the All-Star game, hitting a three-run homer off Roger Clemens in the first inning and earning the Most Valuable Player award in the American League's 9-4 win.

Now lets keep the momentum from a strong first half of the season. Tonight Toronto comes to Ameriquest Field, and they're in for a whoopin' :-)

AL 9, NL 4

2004-07-14T07:56:00.000-07:00

Sweet....go AL!

I think each and every Texas baseball fan needs to thank Roger Clemens, who allowed 6 runs in the first inning. SIX!

Now its off to Toronto...

Next 5 Games

Fri, Jul 16	Toronto	8:05 pm 

Sat, Jul 17	Toronto	8:05 pm 

Sun, Jul 18	Toronto	8:05 pm 

Mon, Jul 19	Chi White Sox	8:05 pm 

Tue, Jul 20	Chi White Sox	8:05 pm

Texas 6, Boston 5

2004-07-12T07:17:00.000-07:00

The AP says it better than I can:

BOSTON (AP) -- The Texas Rangers didn't want to give Boston too much confidence going into the All-Star break.

"Now we know we can play with these guys," reliever Francisco Cordero said Sunday after helping the Rangers turn back a Red Sox rally to beat Boston 6-5.

"It's exciting to pitch well in this atmosphere because it shows me I can get the job done in front of this type of crowd."

Cordero could be seeing more crowds like the one that filled Fenway Park hoping to see the streaking Red Sox finish the first half with an undefeated homestand. Instead, Texas snapped Boston's five-game win streak to enter the All-Star break leading the AL West for the first time since 1999.

The Rangers have a two-game lead over the Oakland Athletics in the division. Boston leads the A's by one game in the AL wild-card race.

Hopefully Alfonso Soriano and Kenny Rogers can make us proud in the All Star game before we bring it back home to play Toronto.

As of the break the standings are:


 Texas  	49  	37  	.570  	-- 

 Oakland 	47 	39 	.547 	2.0 

 Anaheim 	47 	40 	.540 	2.5 

 Seattle 	32 	54 	.372 	17.0

Texas 10, Cleveland 0

2004-07-09T10:19:00.000-07:00

WAY TO GO RANGERS!

Judging from the way our boys played yesterday afternoon, you'd think it's as hot in Cleveland as it is in Arlington! Let's keep up the good work and take the heat to Boston! We're completely dominating on hitting, let's just not make any errors and we'll be cool...err, HOT.

Welcome to my Rangers Page!

2004-07-09T07:48:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! I'm a big rangers fan, but living in Austin, its hard to find people who want to talk baseball. So I'll talk here. And you can listen. My rangers are looking awesome this season!

Theres a long tradition in Texas of good baseball for the first half of the year, and then a downward spiral after the allstar break. So we need to rally around our team and get some momentum going into the break.

Current AL West standings:


 Texas  	48  	35  	.578  	-- 

 Oakland 	46 	37 	.554 	2.0 

 Anaheim 	44 	40 	.524 	4.5 

 Seattle 	32 	51 	.386 	16.0

Looks good.... lets keep it up!