Does anyone else love the marriage between Derek Holland and Mike Napoli?
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Monday, July 25, 2011
Trade prediction.
Two words... Tyler Clippard. Tyler Clippard will be putting on a Rangers uniform for the '11 season. As for the Carlos Beltran rumors, well, bring it.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Sooner the better
The All-Star break has concluded and so we begin the second half of the MLB season with great anticipation concerning the trade deadline. Most folks here in the Dallas area have heard all about the greater needs for the Rangers ball club through most of the first half. The Texas Rangers bullpen is a mess right now, granted in the past week or so it seems to have held its ground. As of this moment Mark Lowe, Darren O'Day, Tommy Hunter and Yoshinori Tateyama are the better make up of the bullpen. Things have definitely looked up ever since O'Day and Hunter returned from the DL, but there is still the ever-so-lacking feeling of trust amongst the Rangers relievers.
Its day one of the second half and the Milwaukee Brewers have made a huge splash with the acquisition of Francisco Rodriguez and cash from the New York Mets for two players to be named. With one of the top firearms now off the market, the Rangers must be looking to make their splash very soon.
As of today the Rangers have placed Scott Feldman on waivers and released Manny Delcarmen and Seth McClung from the minors. By placing Feldman on waivers the Rangers have avoided optioning Tateyama and will keep him on the 40 man roster, which at this point in time I personally believe is the best option for the Rangers. Tateyama has a wicked fastball that he mixes with his curveball. The sidearmed pitcher also possesses a screwball that he uses against lefties. Now, he has had some issues every now and then, but I do believe he has the potential to grow amongst the Rangers relievers.
This is the most action I've seen from the front office in weeks (or at least since releasing Dave Bush) so this has to be a sure sign that the Rangers organization is almost ready to deal their cards. Rumor has it that GM John Daniels has been scouting Japan's own great Yu Darvish, who has gone on record to say he wants to play for the MLB in 2012 (harder to get before then), but who knows maybe the Rangers get lucky.
Another man on the radar by the Rangers is Heath Bell, the Padres closer. Heath Bell, an eclectic personality, would be a great addition to, not only the Rangers bullpen, but to their overall personality. Tuesday night's outright boring display of an All-Star game was redeemed by Bell when his memorable sprint n' slide stole the show. He has character and leadership, which is something that could take the reigns of this bullpen and steer it in a winnable path.
Clearly, the Rangers have some shopping to do and with only a few weeks till the deadline we should see some major enhancements dealt to this pitching staff. Expect a new face or two amongst the team as early as next weekend possibly (wishful thinking). Only time will tell whats to be expected amongst all the gossip and rumors, so as soon as something does unveil itself look here for, hopefully, some BIG juicy news. Until then, heres to Mark Lowe's fastball being one of three leading causes of global warming, cheers.
Its day one of the second half and the Milwaukee Brewers have made a huge splash with the acquisition of Francisco Rodriguez and cash from the New York Mets for two players to be named. With one of the top firearms now off the market, the Rangers must be looking to make their splash very soon.
As of today the Rangers have placed Scott Feldman on waivers and released Manny Delcarmen and Seth McClung from the minors. By placing Feldman on waivers the Rangers have avoided optioning Tateyama and will keep him on the 40 man roster, which at this point in time I personally believe is the best option for the Rangers. Tateyama has a wicked fastball that he mixes with his curveball. The sidearmed pitcher also possesses a screwball that he uses against lefties. Now, he has had some issues every now and then, but I do believe he has the potential to grow amongst the Rangers relievers.
This is the most action I've seen from the front office in weeks (or at least since releasing Dave Bush) so this has to be a sure sign that the Rangers organization is almost ready to deal their cards. Rumor has it that GM John Daniels has been scouting Japan's own great Yu Darvish, who has gone on record to say he wants to play for the MLB in 2012 (harder to get before then), but who knows maybe the Rangers get lucky.
Another man on the radar by the Rangers is Heath Bell, the Padres closer. Heath Bell, an eclectic personality, would be a great addition to, not only the Rangers bullpen, but to their overall personality. Tuesday night's outright boring display of an All-Star game was redeemed by Bell when his memorable sprint n' slide stole the show. He has character and leadership, which is something that could take the reigns of this bullpen and steer it in a winnable path.
Clearly, the Rangers have some shopping to do and with only a few weeks till the deadline we should see some major enhancements dealt to this pitching staff. Expect a new face or two amongst the team as early as next weekend possibly (wishful thinking). Only time will tell whats to be expected amongst all the gossip and rumors, so as soon as something does unveil itself look here for, hopefully, some BIG juicy news. Until then, heres to Mark Lowe's fastball being one of three leading causes of global warming, cheers.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Sunday, June 12, 2011
CHAMPS!
The Dallas Mavericks are now NBA Champions. Sunday night the Mavs finished off the Heat for a 105-95 victory. There are no words to really express the emotions screaming though Dallas fans right now. To me this is a very emotional win. I want to cry right now. Tears of joy. Its been a long awaited sweet redemption. Im proud to live in Dallas and Im proud to be a Dallas Mavericks fan!
Bring home that trophy safely Mavs! We are all so proud of you guys and look forward to throwing you guys a HUGE welcome home party. See you soon. :)
Bring home that trophy safely Mavs! We are all so proud of you guys and look forward to throwing you guys a HUGE welcome home party. See you soon. :)
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Sports quote of the day.
"Coaching is nothing more than eliminating mistakes mistakes before you get fired." -Lou Holtz
Lou Holz was known for his tenure at Notre Dame as the head football coach who turned the failing program around starting in 1986 and won a National Championship two years later.
Premier pitching
In this day in age, it is no longer about the combustable bat that breaks through with 60 plus homeruns a season. The game has evolved and will be the year of the pitcher, at least for the time being, for years to come. Sure there will always be big bats bringing big results to the plate, but with out those dominating pitchers backing up those bats there won't be any sort of playoffs or World Series for teams to look forward to.
If the Texas Rangers want another shot at the World Series this season they must rely on their pitching to step up its game, in which for the most part it has. At the beginning of the season who knew that Alexi Ogando would be the complete force that he has been. With a second season for C.J. Wilson as the ace, you expect to see premier pitching. For the most part, both pitchers haven't been anything less than spectacular. Both Wilson (3.03 ERA) and Ogando rank amongst the top 25 pitchers sitting with Wilson sitting at a shiny 12 and Ogando (2.10 ERA) with a pretty little number two next to his, resulting from an undefeated performance thus far. This is the type of pitching that hypes World Series contender next to a teams name.
Suggesting Ogando holds true to his numbers and keeps the opposing batting lineup unraveling at the plate, then the Texas Rangers shouldn't have any hesitation in moving Ogando up to at least the number two spot, no offense to Colby Lewis because I have much respect for what he does for this team. But this is about premier pitching and so far both Wilson and Ogando are the two best pitchers on this team. They deserve the two top spots, granted Wilson is already the head honcho.
With Cliff Lee gone, this team needs a bonafide second starter to back up Wilsons performance. Ogando fits the bill, followed by Mr. Lewis, Derek Holland (who has matured into a great performer and starter) and then Matt Harrison, who I feel like has the most to prove out of this rotation when Tommy Hunter returns from the DL.
C.J. has defined the leadership for this rotation. He has come out and pounded the strike zone to lead the team in strikeouts with 82. He sets the example for the rest of the pitchers and applies what he learned from former Ranger Cliff Lee. The movement from his pitches has increased greatly from last season to allow him to fool even the best of hitters. Wilson is sitting at a 3.03 ERA right now and with one more great performance from the mound, could be sitting below three in the coveted 2.0 ERA range.
Regardless of the occasional shaky inning, these are the two dominant types of pitchers any team would love to have in their rotation. So far they are the glue, along with Holland, thats holding this team together. Behind their pitching outings, the bats of Cruz, Hamilton, Beltre, Young, Kinsler, Moreland, Napoli, Andrus, Chaves, Ghentry, and whoever else im missing can thrive. Behind this pitchers the Texas Rangers can start raking in the wins and be one step closer to their post season endeavors.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
From rags to riches.
It wasn't long after the Dallas Mavericks secured the third seed in the West that sports analysts and fans dismissed their presence in the NBA playoffs as any kind of lingering threat. Jokes were made and even other NBA teams were already beating the media to the punch by personally requesting the Mavs as their first opponent (see first round exiters, the Denver Nuggets). Dallas was ridiculed and tormented of their past mistakes. It was a daily and constant reminder of what had been a thorn in the Mavericks side for five LONG years. From painstaking first round exits year after year to the long lasting burden of heartbreaking '06 Finals defeat, the Dallas Mavericks have been the laughing stock of the NBA, even with their multiple 50 plus win seasons.
With the first round against the Portland Trailblazers, it was obvious whom the favorite was to advance to the Western Semi-Conference Finals. But then something happened. In game four, it looked as if the Dallas Mavericks were finally going to do something that hadn't been done in awhile. Up 18 points through three quarters, the Mavs suffered a historic melt down and watched as Portland came back to win a much needed 84-82 victory. Instantly Dallas was back to their old self’s. Fans and players alike resorted to the typical name calling like chokers and being soft. This was a defining moment for the Dallas Mavericks. This would outline a historic path to what could possibly be the most heartfelt playoff/finals run in Dallas history. Instead of crumbling under their own grief and misery, the Mavs came back to Dallas and put their game to play to win game five (93-82) and game six (103-96). The Dallas Mavericks were in the Western Semi-Conference Finals.
Round two was just as unforgiving going into as the first. The LA Lakers defeated the New Orleans Hornets to gain their automatic invitation into the Semi-Finals. The Mavs now had a new threat to handle. As before the clear underdogs were the Mavs, with every sports analyst choosing the defending National Champs to advance to the Finals. Three quarters through and it looked as if Dallas would grant those analysts their wishes. But then, once again, something happened. Dallas came back with their grit, good defense and impressive shooting to steal game one away from the Lakeshow (96-94). While this win was greatly important, there was no way the Mavs could do it again on the champs own turf, could they?...
Oops.
Something that was so unlikely, so unthinkable and yet so blatantly possible unfolded within the enemy territory. Dallas took game one and two of the series away from the Lakers and headed home with a two game lead and home court advantage. Now, at this point, confidence barriers had been broken. J.J. Barea pissed off Ron Artest and concluded the previous game with a forearm in his face, ending with a one-way ticket to Ron’s suspension for game three. With the Mavs at the Lakers throats and the home fans roaring to their every defeating blow, Dallas upped the anty once more with a third straight victory at home (98-92). The Mavs had broken their backs and it was time to inject the killing blow with a sweep of the Lakers. In game four Dallas did just that. At half time Dallas led by 24 and the game was essentially over. With 8:21 remaining in the fourth quarter the Mavs were up 100-68. It was the victory Dallas had longed for to proudly shove into the faces of doubters everywhere thoroughly. And just like that the Mavs were in the Western Conference finals, sending Kobe and company packing and Phil Jackson into retirement.
Even with a crushing sweep of the defending champs, it still wasn’t enough to silence the haters, the doubters and the disbelievers. As the Thunder closed out their series with the Memphis Grizzlies, the Mavs once again found themselves rolling into the same familiar situation as the previous two teams. But all wasn’t as bad; few began to realize that these Mavs were difference. One guy in particular preached it and continued to speak the every telling truth. Sir Charles was the man of continuing faith, but was severely a member of the 10% club.
Game one of the Western conference finals was historic game in which Dirk Nowitzki became the first player to score 24 consecutive free throws in a play off game. He had a whopping 48 points in a high scoring game victory of 121-112. With the momentum clearly in favor of the seven game win streaking Mavs, it was time to take the youthful Thunder to their game. But the boyish youths had something else planned for the aging veterans and hushed the Dallas fans chants of “sweep” throughout.
Heading to the heart and sole of tornado alley, the Dallas Mavericks decided they were going to stomp on the hearts of the Thunder and not let them take a 2-1 lead in the series and they did just that with a 93-87 win. Up 2-1 Dallas went in trying to grasp a thirst quenching lead to try and break the Thunder, but then, yet again, something else transpired. The fourth quarter came-a-calling and the Mavs were down 15 points with less than four minutes to go. It seemed that the Thunder were going to do exactly what Dallas didn’t want to happen and take a series tying 2-2 boost of confidence. As the words “choke” ironically began to choke up through viewer’s sentences everywhere, an unbelievable thing happened. Trailing the Thunder with hardly anytime to narrow the gap, Dallas decided to play a little thing called defense and it prevailed. Tagged as one of the greatest playoff comebacks in history, the Dallas Mavericks went on to tie the game and win it in overtime 112-105.
The momentum once again seemed to favor Dallas, but they couldn’t hold their ground and put themselves in the same similar situation as the previous game. Down as much as 11 at one point during the fourth, the Mavs began their infamous surge and made one of their grand comebacks. Shawn Marion got Dallas within 94-92 off a pass from Jason Kidd and then Dirk Nowitzki stole a pass from Russell Westbrook. Nowitzki actually missed his first 3-point try on that possession and Westbrook got the rebound, but Terry stole it, got the ball to Marion and he fed Nowitzki for the go-ahead 3. Westbrook made a pair of free throws with 39 seconds left to get the Thunder within a basket. Nowitzki missed a shot against skintight defense with 18 seconds left, but Kidd got the rebound and passed back to Dirk who was promptly fouled. Dirk made his pair of free throws with 13.3 left. Kevin Durant and James Harden missed 3-pointers, and that was it. The long awaited arrival of the NBA Finals was here and the Dallas Mavericks were Western Conference Final Champs.
The Dallas Mavericks story has been a heartfelt bowl of emotions all season long. From star players getting injured to history making comebacks, Dallas fans can all agree on one thing, it’s our time. The road to glory has been a rewarding one, filled with agonizing drama and glorifying redemption, but it’s not over however. Dallas is tied 1-1 with the much hated Miami Heat and are looking to score a 2-1 lead Sunday night here at home as they look to score their first ever NBA Championship in the NBA Finals. Its been ups and downs and all arounds, but one thing that is for certain, “we ain’t done yet.”
With the first round against the Portland Trailblazers, it was obvious whom the favorite was to advance to the Western Semi-Conference Finals. But then something happened. In game four, it looked as if the Dallas Mavericks were finally going to do something that hadn't been done in awhile. Up 18 points through three quarters, the Mavs suffered a historic melt down and watched as Portland came back to win a much needed 84-82 victory. Instantly Dallas was back to their old self’s. Fans and players alike resorted to the typical name calling like chokers and being soft. This was a defining moment for the Dallas Mavericks. This would outline a historic path to what could possibly be the most heartfelt playoff/finals run in Dallas history. Instead of crumbling under their own grief and misery, the Mavs came back to Dallas and put their game to play to win game five (93-82) and game six (103-96). The Dallas Mavericks were in the Western Semi-Conference Finals.
Round two was just as unforgiving going into as the first. The LA Lakers defeated the New Orleans Hornets to gain their automatic invitation into the Semi-Finals. The Mavs now had a new threat to handle. As before the clear underdogs were the Mavs, with every sports analyst choosing the defending National Champs to advance to the Finals. Three quarters through and it looked as if Dallas would grant those analysts their wishes. But then, once again, something happened. Dallas came back with their grit, good defense and impressive shooting to steal game one away from the Lakeshow (96-94). While this win was greatly important, there was no way the Mavs could do it again on the champs own turf, could they?...
Oops.
Something that was so unlikely, so unthinkable and yet so blatantly possible unfolded within the enemy territory. Dallas took game one and two of the series away from the Lakers and headed home with a two game lead and home court advantage. Now, at this point, confidence barriers had been broken. J.J. Barea pissed off Ron Artest and concluded the previous game with a forearm in his face, ending with a one-way ticket to Ron’s suspension for game three. With the Mavs at the Lakers throats and the home fans roaring to their every defeating blow, Dallas upped the anty once more with a third straight victory at home (98-92). The Mavs had broken their backs and it was time to inject the killing blow with a sweep of the Lakers. In game four Dallas did just that. At half time Dallas led by 24 and the game was essentially over. With 8:21 remaining in the fourth quarter the Mavs were up 100-68. It was the victory Dallas had longed for to proudly shove into the faces of doubters everywhere thoroughly. And just like that the Mavs were in the Western Conference finals, sending Kobe and company packing and Phil Jackson into retirement.
Even with a crushing sweep of the defending champs, it still wasn’t enough to silence the haters, the doubters and the disbelievers. As the Thunder closed out their series with the Memphis Grizzlies, the Mavs once again found themselves rolling into the same familiar situation as the previous two teams. But all wasn’t as bad; few began to realize that these Mavs were difference. One guy in particular preached it and continued to speak the every telling truth. Sir Charles was the man of continuing faith, but was severely a member of the 10% club.
Game one of the Western conference finals was historic game in which Dirk Nowitzki became the first player to score 24 consecutive free throws in a play off game. He had a whopping 48 points in a high scoring game victory of 121-112. With the momentum clearly in favor of the seven game win streaking Mavs, it was time to take the youthful Thunder to their game. But the boyish youths had something else planned for the aging veterans and hushed the Dallas fans chants of “sweep” throughout.
Heading to the heart and sole of tornado alley, the Dallas Mavericks decided they were going to stomp on the hearts of the Thunder and not let them take a 2-1 lead in the series and they did just that with a 93-87 win. Up 2-1 Dallas went in trying to grasp a thirst quenching lead to try and break the Thunder, but then, yet again, something else transpired. The fourth quarter came-a-calling and the Mavs were down 15 points with less than four minutes to go. It seemed that the Thunder were going to do exactly what Dallas didn’t want to happen and take a series tying 2-2 boost of confidence. As the words “choke” ironically began to choke up through viewer’s sentences everywhere, an unbelievable thing happened. Trailing the Thunder with hardly anytime to narrow the gap, Dallas decided to play a little thing called defense and it prevailed. Tagged as one of the greatest playoff comebacks in history, the Dallas Mavericks went on to tie the game and win it in overtime 112-105.
The momentum once again seemed to favor Dallas, but they couldn’t hold their ground and put themselves in the same similar situation as the previous game. Down as much as 11 at one point during the fourth, the Mavs began their infamous surge and made one of their grand comebacks. Shawn Marion got Dallas within 94-92 off a pass from Jason Kidd and then Dirk Nowitzki stole a pass from Russell Westbrook. Nowitzki actually missed his first 3-point try on that possession and Westbrook got the rebound, but Terry stole it, got the ball to Marion and he fed Nowitzki for the go-ahead 3. Westbrook made a pair of free throws with 39 seconds left to get the Thunder within a basket. Nowitzki missed a shot against skintight defense with 18 seconds left, but Kidd got the rebound and passed back to Dirk who was promptly fouled. Dirk made his pair of free throws with 13.3 left. Kevin Durant and James Harden missed 3-pointers, and that was it. The long awaited arrival of the NBA Finals was here and the Dallas Mavericks were Western Conference Final Champs.
The Dallas Mavericks story has been a heartfelt bowl of emotions all season long. From star players getting injured to history making comebacks, Dallas fans can all agree on one thing, it’s our time. The road to glory has been a rewarding one, filled with agonizing drama and glorifying redemption, but it’s not over however. Dallas is tied 1-1 with the much hated Miami Heat and are looking to score a 2-1 lead Sunday night here at home as they look to score their first ever NBA Championship in the NBA Finals. Its been ups and downs and all arounds, but one thing that is for certain, “we ain’t done yet.”
Friday, June 3, 2011
Why little teams need bandwagoners too...
What do teams like the Yankees, the Lakers and the Boston Red Sox all have in common? Most would agree that contributing to depreciating team fan bases as a whole would be a big start. In this day and age, for certain city’s sports teams, it is hard to feel the drive to cheer on for the same ol’, same ol’. Due to such high demand for bandwagon-esque teams like the three listed above, it seams that its become harder and harder to cheer on the smaller markets, as the more “popular” teams just appear to win it all all the time. Is it due to better talent? Sure. But there is one thing that drives the team. It’s at the center of all teams inner driving soul. A fan base is a team’s most valuable counterpart. It’s the peanut butter to their jelly, the fuel to their gas tank and so on.
Team’s these days need to celebrate the little victories. By appreciating the tiny wins more, they can start their own bandwagons. Fans can and will begin to stand by their team. Fans want something to relate and to celebrate with. They want to be a part of something great that’s a part of their hometown. What ever happened to things like winning the pennant? Now it’s all about getting straight to the big dance, bypassing go and not collecting your $200. Celebrating the little wins such as the very first playoff series, like the AL Champs the Texas Rangers did, is a good start.
With pro sports such as the NBA and MLB, there comes a thing called desensitivity. Generations now days grow up accustomed to this team being the greatest and that team being the best and most popular. Now is where the term “domino-effect” falls into place. As these teams get bigger and bigger, popular and more popular, more and more athletes are saying, “well I want to play for that team” or “I want to play for this team.” Then everything becomes a downward spiral of monopolistic type franchises “buying” their championships.
In order to bypass this inevitable lingering future, fans and the less “popular” franchises need to start small by, like I said before, celebrating the smaller victories; start with a good campaign by rejoicing the little things and before long, teams will find that more and more fans with a sense of pride and an undeniable abundance of faith in their team will be by their side cheering all the way, thus jump starting a better domino effect.
This is the time for fans to take back their sports. This is the time for fans to balance out a lop-sided world of anti-competitive, athletic leisure. What players need are bandwagoners, but not just for that solo dominant team, for all sports worldwide. If fans and franchises spend the time celebrating each win one day at a time, like it’s the biggest win of their life, then I believe the playing field will be even once again.
Team’s these days need to celebrate the little victories. By appreciating the tiny wins more, they can start their own bandwagons. Fans can and will begin to stand by their team. Fans want something to relate and to celebrate with. They want to be a part of something great that’s a part of their hometown. What ever happened to things like winning the pennant? Now it’s all about getting straight to the big dance, bypassing go and not collecting your $200. Celebrating the little wins such as the very first playoff series, like the AL Champs the Texas Rangers did, is a good start.
With pro sports such as the NBA and MLB, there comes a thing called desensitivity. Generations now days grow up accustomed to this team being the greatest and that team being the best and most popular. Now is where the term “domino-effect” falls into place. As these teams get bigger and bigger, popular and more popular, more and more athletes are saying, “well I want to play for that team” or “I want to play for this team.” Then everything becomes a downward spiral of monopolistic type franchises “buying” their championships.
In order to bypass this inevitable lingering future, fans and the less “popular” franchises need to start small by, like I said before, celebrating the smaller victories; start with a good campaign by rejoicing the little things and before long, teams will find that more and more fans with a sense of pride and an undeniable abundance of faith in their team will be by their side cheering all the way, thus jump starting a better domino effect.
This is the time for fans to take back their sports. This is the time for fans to balance out a lop-sided world of anti-competitive, athletic leisure. What players need are bandwagoners, but not just for that solo dominant team, for all sports worldwide. If fans and franchises spend the time celebrating each win one day at a time, like it’s the biggest win of their life, then I believe the playing field will be even once again.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Best trade commodities: Hot off the press.
With the MLB trade deadline coming up very soon the Texas Rangers will look to use some of their best trading prospects to revamp and restructure their mess-of-a-bullpen situation. Hot of the press are the rumors of Texas throwing around the ideas of the Mets' closer K-Rod (Francisco Rodriguez), the Padres' closer Heath Bell and Pirates' closer Joel Hanrahan.
Quick notes on each player:
K-Rod has been open to the idea of start as a relief pitcher but on his terms. He would be open to relief pitching through the end of the season, only to be placed back at closer the next and if the team were willing to sign him to a contract extension. A clause in K-Rod's deal would guarantee his $17.5MM option for next season, so watch for team's to take careful consideration in this deal. K-Rod has a 1.73 ERA, with 15 saves, 26 strikeouts and is 1-1 so far this season.
San Diego ins't yet interested in dealing Heath Bell, but that doesn't mean the 19-29 Padres won't consider it an option come the deadline. Bell has also stated that he would like to remain in San Diego and has discussed possible contract extensions. Bell will also become a free-agent after the season. He is 2-1 with a current ERA of 1.96, 14 saves and 18 strikeouts.
Joel Hanrahan might be more of a push in the terms of a deal getting done. According to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, if the Pirate's decide to deal Hanrahan, it would be for a significant price. While Hanrahan is just a "low-level inquiry", don't be surprised to see the Pirate's become a team's best friend at the trade deadline with them sitting 6.5 games behind the NL Central first place leader St. Louis. Hanrahan currently sits at 0-1 with a 1.46 ERA, 14 saves and 21 strikeouts.
Look for the Rangers to deal David Murphy and/or Julio Borbon to a needy team looking for some outfielding upgrades. With Endy Chavez producing just as much as, if not more than Borbon, he might find a starting job in center field. All of this, is of course, speculation.
All of these are, of course, just "low-level inquires" that the Rangers have been reported tossing around and stirring up the rumor pot with. All bets aside, Texas will make a deal happen by the July 31st trade deadline. Either three of these pitchers would certainly beef up the Rangers bullpen and further secure their role in leading the AL West and most importantly perhaps the entire AL as the American League Champs. All assumptions aside, Texas NEEDS to make a deal happen by the deadline.
Quick notes on each player:
K-Rod has been open to the idea of start as a relief pitcher but on his terms. He would be open to relief pitching through the end of the season, only to be placed back at closer the next and if the team were willing to sign him to a contract extension. A clause in K-Rod's deal would guarantee his $17.5MM option for next season, so watch for team's to take careful consideration in this deal. K-Rod has a 1.73 ERA, with 15 saves, 26 strikeouts and is 1-1 so far this season.
San Diego ins't yet interested in dealing Heath Bell, but that doesn't mean the 19-29 Padres won't consider it an option come the deadline. Bell has also stated that he would like to remain in San Diego and has discussed possible contract extensions. Bell will also become a free-agent after the season. He is 2-1 with a current ERA of 1.96, 14 saves and 18 strikeouts.
Joel Hanrahan might be more of a push in the terms of a deal getting done. According to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, if the Pirate's decide to deal Hanrahan, it would be for a significant price. While Hanrahan is just a "low-level inquiry", don't be surprised to see the Pirate's become a team's best friend at the trade deadline with them sitting 6.5 games behind the NL Central first place leader St. Louis. Hanrahan currently sits at 0-1 with a 1.46 ERA, 14 saves and 21 strikeouts.
Look for the Rangers to deal David Murphy and/or Julio Borbon to a needy team looking for some outfielding upgrades. With Endy Chavez producing just as much as, if not more than Borbon, he might find a starting job in center field. All of this, is of course, speculation.
All of these are, of course, just "low-level inquires" that the Rangers have been reported tossing around and stirring up the rumor pot with. All bets aside, Texas will make a deal happen by the July 31st trade deadline. Either three of these pitchers would certainly beef up the Rangers bullpen and further secure their role in leading the AL West and most importantly perhaps the entire AL as the American League Champs. All assumptions aside, Texas NEEDS to make a deal happen by the deadline.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Sports quote of the day.
“I am a member of a team, and I rely on the team, I defer to it and sacrifice for it, because the team, not the individual, is the ultimate champion.” -Mia Hamm
Mia Hamm helped UNC to four NCAA Championships. Well known for leading team USA to her last gold medal in the 2004 Summer Olympic Games.
Monday, May 30, 2011
BOOM!!! Third times the charm?
Rangers up 7-0 against the Tampa Bay Rays in the top of the third inning. Mike Napoli hit a 3-run homer with Endy Chavez following up with a solo homerun. Big bat night for Texas.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Year of the pitcher or Cinderella story?
Is the 2011 MLB season another year of the pitcher succeeding 2010? One could argue yes and no, but for one player it is arguably the year of his pitching career and its only midseason. Oh yeah and its also his first season in the starting rotation. Alexi Ogando, once a relief pitcher in the 2010 season, was moved into the Texas Rangers starting rotation after an off season of chaotic unsuccessful courtings of Cliff Lee.
Ogando wasn't a sure fire thing, as he was supposed to be just a brief replacement for Tommy Hunter, who was placed on the DL due to a strained groin during spring training. But to mosts dismay, Ogando quickly became amongst the elite pitchers in, not only the AL, but, the whole MLB.
Boasting an ERA of 1.76, Alexi ranks second amongst all AL pitchers. He's 5-0 coming off his first career shut out game against the Chicago White Sox on Monday May 23. Ogando gave up just five hits, walked three and struck out six during his grand outing.
Sprouting into the Rangers organization off the rule 5 draft in 2005, Ogando was converted to pitching as an experiment. The Rangers saw something in Ogando, something in the way he could throw the ball away. It was a gamble with a very high risk/reward factor. As most can tell it has definitely paid off with Alexi posting 45 strikeouts thus far and a .85 walks plus hits per innings pitched (WHIP).
The biggest worry though, amongst his infamous blister condition, has been whether or not Alexi could throw more than just his fastball. Worries aside, its been nothing but a fresh breath of air when talking about his pitching. The most refreshing piece of his pitching repertoire is his changeup. His changeup instantly made his curveball and fastball a difficult target to hit in any batting lineup.
Could this truly be just a Cinderella story or is there more to this pitcher than meets the eye? The stats don't lie and neither does Ogando's performance so far. This could be the year of the pitcher again and could very well be the year for Ogando's breakout season as a genuine elite starter. If he continues this amazing pitching season Alexi Ogando's name very well could be and SHOULD be mentioned in the same sentence of AL Cy Young award nominees of 2011.
Ogando wasn't a sure fire thing, as he was supposed to be just a brief replacement for Tommy Hunter, who was placed on the DL due to a strained groin during spring training. But to mosts dismay, Ogando quickly became amongst the elite pitchers in, not only the AL, but, the whole MLB.
Boasting an ERA of 1.76, Alexi ranks second amongst all AL pitchers. He's 5-0 coming off his first career shut out game against the Chicago White Sox on Monday May 23. Ogando gave up just five hits, walked three and struck out six during his grand outing.
Sprouting into the Rangers organization off the rule 5 draft in 2005, Ogando was converted to pitching as an experiment. The Rangers saw something in Ogando, something in the way he could throw the ball away. It was a gamble with a very high risk/reward factor. As most can tell it has definitely paid off with Alexi posting 45 strikeouts thus far and a .85 walks plus hits per innings pitched (WHIP).
The biggest worry though, amongst his infamous blister condition, has been whether or not Alexi could throw more than just his fastball. Worries aside, its been nothing but a fresh breath of air when talking about his pitching. The most refreshing piece of his pitching repertoire is his changeup. His changeup instantly made his curveball and fastball a difficult target to hit in any batting lineup.
Could this truly be just a Cinderella story or is there more to this pitcher than meets the eye? The stats don't lie and neither does Ogando's performance so far. This could be the year of the pitcher again and could very well be the year for Ogando's breakout season as a genuine elite starter. If he continues this amazing pitching season Alexi Ogando's name very well could be and SHOULD be mentioned in the same sentence of AL Cy Young award nominees of 2011.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Sports quote of the day.
One of the greatest American Boxers of all time. Before matches Ali would often tell reporters he could "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee" in the boxing ring.
Hail Thee, Brandon Webb
In light of the gut wrenching performance displayed by the Ranger's bullpen last night, there is some good news. RHP Brandon Webb pitched 80 pitches in his pullpen session in Surprise, Arizona, which will push him into an extended rehab stint in Double-A Frisco on Monday. He isn't on a pitch count for Monday but is believed to throw four to five innings.
Webb hasn't throw in a minor or major league game since 2009. "It will be something really new for me," Webb said. "I haven't really been this close, for me, in 2 1/2 years and I'm excited." Webb was at Texas Rangers Ballpark on friday and threw a side session. Also note that Webb’s velocity is down four mph from his pre-surgery marks.
Ron Washington has this to say regarding Webb, "I saw a difference in his stroke," manager Ron Washington said. "He was more or less getting on top of the ball with more consistency and I can see some better sink. I see a better breaking ball."
Brandon Webb also hopes that the minor league environment will help the adrenaline flow and get his velocity crankin'.
“We accomplished what we needed to out there and got up to six innings and 80 pitches roughly and came out of it pretty good,” said Webb about his series of starts at Extended Spring Training in Surprise, Arizona. “The next step was to get into some better competition and scheduled to throw on Monday in Frisco which will be something really new for me. I haven’t been anywhere close to this far in two and half years. I’m excited to get out there and pitch.”
It's no secret that Texas and their fans desperately want to see better pitching and the former Cy Young award winner take control of this pitching team. The timeline, however, does not show any indications of an imminent return. One can only pray to the baseball gods, and maybe Nolan Ryan, that this kids "stuff" becomes dominant again with an immediate debut to the Rangers starting rotation. Until then, here’s to being lucky and hoping the Ranger's luck doesn't fall short of the 2011 MLB season.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Final Revenge.
The sweet tooth has been tasted by not completely filled. The Dallas Mavericks are on their way to their second NBA Finals appearance ever. The Mavs defeated the young Thunder in a thrilling 100-96 victory just two days after an exhilarating fourth quarter come back win.
Top scorers for Dallas were Dirk Nowitzki with 26 points and Shawn Marion with 26 points and 3 blocks. Marion's thunder pounding dunk late in the fourth made it a two-possession game and just about sealed the deal. Nowitzki scored 7 of his 26 in crunch time, including his game leading 3 pointer with under 4 minutes left.
Despite closing the series with a one way ticket to the Finals, the Mavs suffered a horrendous shooting effort from the floor. They shot 41% with 5 of 20 from the 3 point range. They also shot 31 of 36 free throws. Dallas had 8 steals including one in the final minutes.
With at least five days off this should be plenty of rest and practice for the aging Mavs to figure out their new game plan. Is it going to be the Miami Heat or the Chicago Bulls? Most fans would agree that the Heat would be the icing on the cake, but what ever the outcome, there is still more to prepare for in order to win the cake. Don't worry though, the hunger is out there and Dallas is on the hunt. It's not over till the fat lady sings, or in this case Mark Cuban.
"...it aint over yet!"
Top scorers for Dallas were Dirk Nowitzki with 26 points and Shawn Marion with 26 points and 3 blocks. Marion's thunder pounding dunk late in the fourth made it a two-possession game and just about sealed the deal. Nowitzki scored 7 of his 26 in crunch time, including his game leading 3 pointer with under 4 minutes left.
Despite closing the series with a one way ticket to the Finals, the Mavs suffered a horrendous shooting effort from the floor. They shot 41% with 5 of 20 from the 3 point range. They also shot 31 of 36 free throws. Dallas had 8 steals including one in the final minutes.
With at least five days off this should be plenty of rest and practice for the aging Mavs to figure out their new game plan. Is it going to be the Miami Heat or the Chicago Bulls? Most fans would agree that the Heat would be the icing on the cake, but what ever the outcome, there is still more to prepare for in order to win the cake. Don't worry though, the hunger is out there and Dallas is on the hunt. It's not over till the fat lady sings, or in this case Mark Cuban.
"...it aint over yet!"
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Sports quote of the day.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
IN DIRK WE TRUST
Dirk Nowitzki lit up the Dallas courts with a NBA playoff record breaking performance. Dirk scored 48 points total and made 24-24 free throws. Not even Durantula's 40 points on 10-for-18 shooting was enough to overcome the 121-112 victory showdown laid out by the Mavs.
Six Thunder players tried and failed at guarding the seven foot Dirk. But it wasn't just the Dirk show. Tonight was a team effort. They passed the ball efficiently, opening up shots, drawing fouls and getting to the foul line. The Mavs bench combined for a total 53 points. Terry the Jet had 24 points with J.J. Barea following in Jet's footsteps with 21 points. Once again the opposing team could not stop J.J.'s quick pick and roll. Barea cut through the Thunder's defense for a straight 12 point run at one point.
Game 1 was a convincing win that ensured the Dallas Mavs to be a NBA Finals finalist. Oh, and here's an interesting fun fact... teams that win the opener have won 79.6% of the series in NBA history.
...again, MAVS IN 5
Six Thunder players tried and failed at guarding the seven foot Dirk. But it wasn't just the Dirk show. Tonight was a team effort. They passed the ball efficiently, opening up shots, drawing fouls and getting to the foul line. The Mavs bench combined for a total 53 points. Terry the Jet had 24 points with J.J. Barea following in Jet's footsteps with 21 points. Once again the opposing team could not stop J.J.'s quick pick and roll. Barea cut through the Thunder's defense for a straight 12 point run at one point.
Game 1 was a convincing win that ensured the Dallas Mavs to be a NBA Finals finalist. Oh, and here's an interesting fun fact... teams that win the opener have won 79.6% of the series in NBA history.
...again, MAVS IN 5
Big day, high expectations
The shoes are shined, the jerseys washed, the floors been waxed, and the beers are cold. It's time Dallas, Texas, to get your royal blue and wave it proudly. For the first time in five years, the Dallas Mavericks are back to the Western Conference Finals, with vengeance in their hearts and pride on their brows. Every one remembers that dreadful 06' season-ending finals heartbreak, but its almost in the rear view mirror now as the Mavs seek an NBA championship for the first time in franchise history.
The Mavs have had plenty of time to rest (nine days to be exact) for the chance to take back what is rightfully theirs. Tip off begins at 8pm against the OKC Thunder, with the Durantula (Kevin Durant) and Westbrook wielding the helm of their net thrashing offense. Whether you are a MFFL or just a pretty face takin' up space, you can't argue with the fact of a potential series threat against the Thunder. Their bench may not be as deep as the Mavs, but its certainly one that will challenge and test the durability and teamwork we have seen all season long. Here are a few potential match ups argued amongst sports analysts:
Jason Kidd vs. Russell Westbrook
Westbrook: 14.9 points on 32 percent shooting, 9.1 assists, 4.0 rebounds
Kidd (+9.1): 6.5 points on 25 percent shooting (4-of-17 3-pointers), 9.5 assists, 6.9 rebounds.
Analysis: This one will probably surprise people who didn’t watch the Mavs-Thunder games or have a foggy recollection of them. Westbrook’s quickness is a major weapon, but he still wasn’t effective against a man 16 years older than him. The Mavs’ big men deserve a large share of the credit for containing the All-Star. The majority of Westbrook’s shots against Kidd came in the paint, but he was only 10-of-26 on those attempts, including 8-of-18 at the rim.
DeShawn Stevenson vs. Thabo Sefolosha
Sefolosha: 5.1 points on 60 percent shooting (3-5 in 56 minutes), 4.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists
Stevenson (+1.3): 13.5 points on 50 percent shooting (6-10 3s), 1.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists.
Analysis: Neither of these defensive-minded role players are expected to put up big numbers, but Stevenson ranked among the NBA’s best 3-point shooters early in the season. He knocked down 6-of-10 3s when on the floor against Sefolosha. It’s a big bonus for the Mavs if Stevenson can shoot anywhere near that well in the West finals.
Shawn Marion vs. Kevin Durant
Marion (+3.6): 23.2 points on 65 percent shooting, 7.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists.
Durant: 23.7 points on 53 percent shooting, 4.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists.
Analysis: The Mavs’ biggest mismatch problem in this series was surprisingly even. However, a lot of Marion’s minutes came at power forward, especially in the win when Dirk Nowitzki sprained his knee during the first half. The Mavs will need to make Durant work on defense, which means they’ll need to get Marion involved as a cutter and slasher in their halfcourt sets.
Dirk Nowitzki vs. Serge Ibaka
Nowitzki (+4.9): 40.9 points on 70 percent shooting, 3.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists.
Ibaka: 22.9 points on 67 percent shooting, 9.8 rebounds, no assists.
Analysis: The 21-year-old Ibaka is one of the NBA’s best shot blockers, but the crafty Nowitzki uses that against him with an assortment of pump fakes Ibaka has to respect due to Dirk’s shooting ability. Nowitzki averaged 16.4 free throw attempts per 36 minutes against Ibaka, who will probably spend a lot of the series in foul trouble.
Dirk Nowitzki vs. Nick Collison
Nowitzki (+15.2): 32.2 points on 56 percent shooting, 5.7 rebounds, 1.9 assists
Collison: 3.8 points on 100 percent shooting, 5.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists
Analysis: Collison, a savvy veteran, played most of Game 7 against the Grizzlies and did a solid job defending Zach Randolph. Based on these numbers, however, Collision doesn’t appear to be the answer defending Dirk.
Tyson Chandler vs. Kendrick Perkins
Chandler (+9.0): 10.3 points on 57 percent shooting, 18.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists.
Perkins: 11.6 points on 80 percent shooting, 14.1 rebounds, no assists.
Analysis: These stats are from Perkins’ days with the Celtics. Neither big man should be judged solely on individual numbers. They have similar mindsets, but Perkins is much bulkier and Chandler much more athletic. Perkins has problems catching and finishing and isn’t a shooting threat, so Chandler won’t hesitate to help off him on defense.
Jason Terry vs. James Harden
Terry: 16.6 points on 43 percent shooting, 5.5 assists, 1.1 rebounds.
Harden (+4.4): 13.3 points on 38 percent shooting, 5.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists.
Analysis: The battle of the sixth men shooting guards is a tough matchup for Terry. The 6-foot-5, 220-pound Harden is a versatile player who will have a huge size advantage. Of course, if Terry hasn’t cooled off during the long layoff since his record-setting Game 4 shooting exhibition, size won’t matter.
J.J. Barea vs. Eric Maynor
Barea: 18.5 points on 50 percent shooting, 7.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists
Maynor (+6.5): 12.0 points on 36 percent shooting, 9.8 assists, 3.3 rebounds
Analysis: There aren’t many backup point guards who I’d take over Barea, but Maynor is one of them. He’s a mid-first round pick who fell in the Thunder’s laps because the Jazz wanted to avoid the luxury tax. Maynor is a pure point guard, while Barea is an explosive scorer who embarrassed the Lakers with his penetration off of pick-and-rolls.
Brendan Haywood vs. Nazr Mohammed
Haywood (+36.0): 9.0 points on 50 percent shooting, 15.0 rebounds, no assists
Mohammed: 12.0 points on 50 percent shooting, no rebounds, 3.0 assists
Analysis: These numbers are from a sample of only 12 minutes, but the Mavs should have a significant edge when the backup big men are on the floor. Mohammed has a championship ring from his time in San Antonio, but he’s no longer a starting-quality center. Haywood is, as he’s proven during the playoffs.
Westbrook: 14.9 points on 32 percent shooting, 9.1 assists, 4.0 rebounds
Kidd (+9.1): 6.5 points on 25 percent shooting (4-of-17 3-pointers), 9.5 assists, 6.9 rebounds.
Analysis: This one will probably surprise people who didn’t watch the Mavs-Thunder games or have a foggy recollection of them. Westbrook’s quickness is a major weapon, but he still wasn’t effective against a man 16 years older than him. The Mavs’ big men deserve a large share of the credit for containing the All-Star. The majority of Westbrook’s shots against Kidd came in the paint, but he was only 10-of-26 on those attempts, including 8-of-18 at the rim.
DeShawn Stevenson vs. Thabo Sefolosha
Sefolosha: 5.1 points on 60 percent shooting (3-5 in 56 minutes), 4.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists
Stevenson (+1.3): 13.5 points on 50 percent shooting (6-10 3s), 1.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists.
Analysis: Neither of these defensive-minded role players are expected to put up big numbers, but Stevenson ranked among the NBA’s best 3-point shooters early in the season. He knocked down 6-of-10 3s when on the floor against Sefolosha. It’s a big bonus for the Mavs if Stevenson can shoot anywhere near that well in the West finals.
Shawn Marion vs. Kevin Durant
Marion (+3.6): 23.2 points on 65 percent shooting, 7.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists.
Durant: 23.7 points on 53 percent shooting, 4.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists.
Analysis: The Mavs’ biggest mismatch problem in this series was surprisingly even. However, a lot of Marion’s minutes came at power forward, especially in the win when Dirk Nowitzki sprained his knee during the first half. The Mavs will need to make Durant work on defense, which means they’ll need to get Marion involved as a cutter and slasher in their halfcourt sets.
Dirk Nowitzki vs. Serge Ibaka
Nowitzki (+4.9): 40.9 points on 70 percent shooting, 3.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists.
Ibaka: 22.9 points on 67 percent shooting, 9.8 rebounds, no assists.
Analysis: The 21-year-old Ibaka is one of the NBA’s best shot blockers, but the crafty Nowitzki uses that against him with an assortment of pump fakes Ibaka has to respect due to Dirk’s shooting ability. Nowitzki averaged 16.4 free throw attempts per 36 minutes against Ibaka, who will probably spend a lot of the series in foul trouble.
Dirk Nowitzki vs. Nick Collison
Nowitzki (+15.2): 32.2 points on 56 percent shooting, 5.7 rebounds, 1.9 assists
Collison: 3.8 points on 100 percent shooting, 5.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists
Analysis: Collison, a savvy veteran, played most of Game 7 against the Grizzlies and did a solid job defending Zach Randolph. Based on these numbers, however, Collision doesn’t appear to be the answer defending Dirk.
Tyson Chandler vs. Kendrick Perkins
Chandler (+9.0): 10.3 points on 57 percent shooting, 18.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists.
Perkins: 11.6 points on 80 percent shooting, 14.1 rebounds, no assists.
Analysis: These stats are from Perkins’ days with the Celtics. Neither big man should be judged solely on individual numbers. They have similar mindsets, but Perkins is much bulkier and Chandler much more athletic. Perkins has problems catching and finishing and isn’t a shooting threat, so Chandler won’t hesitate to help off him on defense.
Jason Terry vs. James Harden
Terry: 16.6 points on 43 percent shooting, 5.5 assists, 1.1 rebounds.
Harden (+4.4): 13.3 points on 38 percent shooting, 5.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists.
Analysis: The battle of the sixth men shooting guards is a tough matchup for Terry. The 6-foot-5, 220-pound Harden is a versatile player who will have a huge size advantage. Of course, if Terry hasn’t cooled off during the long layoff since his record-setting Game 4 shooting exhibition, size won’t matter.
J.J. Barea vs. Eric Maynor
Barea: 18.5 points on 50 percent shooting, 7.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists
Maynor (+6.5): 12.0 points on 36 percent shooting, 9.8 assists, 3.3 rebounds
Analysis: There aren’t many backup point guards who I’d take over Barea, but Maynor is one of them. He’s a mid-first round pick who fell in the Thunder’s laps because the Jazz wanted to avoid the luxury tax. Maynor is a pure point guard, while Barea is an explosive scorer who embarrassed the Lakers with his penetration off of pick-and-rolls.
Brendan Haywood vs. Nazr Mohammed
Haywood (+36.0): 9.0 points on 50 percent shooting, 15.0 rebounds, no assists
Mohammed: 12.0 points on 50 percent shooting, no rebounds, 3.0 assists
Analysis: These numbers are from a sample of only 12 minutes, but the Mavs should have a significant edge when the backup big men are on the floor. Mohammed has a championship ring from his time in San Antonio, but he’s no longer a starting-quality center. Haywood is, as he’s proven during the playoffs.
________________________________________________________________________________
If the Dallas Mavericks can stop Durant and contain Westbrook, then the chances to advance are certainly improved. There is simply too much experience on the Mavs for the Thunder to cover and with Dirk, Kidd, Terry, Peja, Stevenson, and sometimes Barea all knockin' down threes, OKC might just find themselves running for the border like the defending champs did. It wont be an easy series, but it will further improve and unitize the Mavs as a franchise and most importantly as a team.
MAVS IN 5
Monday, May 16, 2011
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Sports quote of the day.
Back to the drawing tables
It was a beautiful day for baseball in Arlington, Texas. The sun was out, the breeze was blowing, and Derek Holland had himself a solid pitching effort. If only this could be said about Holland's run support. The Texas Rangers fall to the Angels 3-2 and so they're chances to jump Anaheim for the AL West lead fell short too.
Holland, the Dutch Oven, threw 105 pitches over six innings and allowed only two runs over six hits. Holland also had four strikeouts and walked three. Holland previously had been struggling on the mound with his command and mechanics and watched as his shiny ERA jumped from 2.25 to 5.18 over just five starts. But it seemed that anything that had gone wrong Holland ironed out this afternoon.
As for the at bats, it was a slow day for the Rangers lineup. What seemed to have been a working fix for the order, only a few hours/days earlier, stopped short of what most call production. The game went back and fourth and both teams had to rally in order to break the ties. The Angels prevailed when they broke the 2-2 tie in the ninth. Bobby Abreu was walked by Darren Oliver to bring up Izturis, who came through to give the Angels the final lead of the day.
White fluffy clouds, cool breezes and ice cold brews wasn't enough to put a "W" in the books on this sunny May afternoon. There is still one more game though, which means the series is still up for grabs. Lets hope that a strong start by Wilson provides enough boost and power to ignite this lineup for a rock'em, sock'em mid-Sunday afternoon kind of game. Until then, enjoy the leftover peanuts.
Holland, the Dutch Oven, threw 105 pitches over six innings and allowed only two runs over six hits. Holland also had four strikeouts and walked three. Holland previously had been struggling on the mound with his command and mechanics and watched as his shiny ERA jumped from 2.25 to 5.18 over just five starts. But it seemed that anything that had gone wrong Holland ironed out this afternoon.
As for the at bats, it was a slow day for the Rangers lineup. What seemed to have been a working fix for the order, only a few hours/days earlier, stopped short of what most call production. The game went back and fourth and both teams had to rally in order to break the ties. The Angels prevailed when they broke the 2-2 tie in the ninth. Bobby Abreu was walked by Darren Oliver to bring up Izturis, who came through to give the Angels the final lead of the day.
White fluffy clouds, cool breezes and ice cold brews wasn't enough to put a "W" in the books on this sunny May afternoon. There is still one more game though, which means the series is still up for grabs. Lets hope that a strong start by Wilson provides enough boost and power to ignite this lineup for a rock'em, sock'em mid-Sunday afternoon kind of game. Until then, enjoy the leftover peanuts.
The bulls eye?
During the first two rounds of the 2006 Finals run, Dirk Nowitzki used 30.6% of Dallas' possessions. This year its been 35.3%...
Take a seat Dallas...
Well well well. It would seem that the Memphis Grizzlies don't want to give up as easily as some would have thought. They tied the series with a 95-83 win over the Thunder to 3-3 and will head into game seven sunday night. So Mavs fans this means we wont see a Western Conference Finals game till at least Tuesday night. Hopefully this rest will reenergize old man Kidd. It'd be nice to see his three pointer along side Terry's dominate Lakers fourth game attitude on game one. Just some food for thought.
J Weave hit or miss?
Its been three weeks since the Texas Rangers faced Angels ace Jered Weaver. Weaver pitched a complete game and made the mighty Texas bats seem weak and subpar. Tonight, however, was a different story. This time Weaver graced the Texas bats with four runs in six innings, including Elvis Andrus second homerun of the season in the first.
Alexi Ogando struck out two in the first inning and worked his fastball to 95 mph. He lasted 6 1/3 innings allowing one run over five hits. Ogando struggled in the fifth and sixth innings when he faced runners in scoring position, but settled down to work through the batters and get his outs. It was a strong start for Ogando, even though he would eventually come out due to his everlasting blister troubles. Cody Eppley would relieve Ogando who got out of the inning with a ground out to second and a pop out to second. Oliver relieved the eighth with a one, two, three inning which brought on Feliz to end the ninth and get the save.
Yes the pitching was solid, but its been the hitting thats sparked this offense the past few games. Michael Young has now hit safely in 27 of his last 31 games, with a single and a double in tonights game. It doesn't matter where you put this guy in the lineup or what you throw at him apparently. Adrian Beltre hit a solo HR in the sixth inning to make the score 4-1.
Over all it was a solid outing at the ballpark. Maybe this is the momentum the Rangers have been looking for. Four hits off of Jered Weaver isn't bad and I will gladly take the 4-1 win over the leading AL west Angels. Now on to tomorrow for game two of the series. Play ball!
Alexi Ogando struck out two in the first inning and worked his fastball to 95 mph. He lasted 6 1/3 innings allowing one run over five hits. Ogando struggled in the fifth and sixth innings when he faced runners in scoring position, but settled down to work through the batters and get his outs. It was a strong start for Ogando, even though he would eventually come out due to his everlasting blister troubles. Cody Eppley would relieve Ogando who got out of the inning with a ground out to second and a pop out to second. Oliver relieved the eighth with a one, two, three inning which brought on Feliz to end the ninth and get the save.
Yes the pitching was solid, but its been the hitting thats sparked this offense the past few games. Michael Young has now hit safely in 27 of his last 31 games, with a single and a double in tonights game. It doesn't matter where you put this guy in the lineup or what you throw at him apparently. Adrian Beltre hit a solo HR in the sixth inning to make the score 4-1.
Over all it was a solid outing at the ballpark. Maybe this is the momentum the Rangers have been looking for. Four hits off of Jered Weaver isn't bad and I will gladly take the 4-1 win over the leading AL west Angels. Now on to tomorrow for game two of the series. Play ball!
Sports quote of the day.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Sports quote of the day.
Cowboys Munchies
"The Cowboys' draft class ranks securely in the top 10 of the NFL. Tyron Smith was a huge addition to an aging and underachieving offensive line. Bruce Carter appears to be a far more than adequate replacement for Keith Brooking. DeMarco Murray adds depth, youth and speed to the offensive side of the football, which I am never opposed to. But in ignoring the holes in the back end of the defense, Jones and his constituents have left a great deal riding on the 'Boys ability to sign a free-agent defensive back. One such player stands out: Michael Huff.
The seventh player chosen in the 2006 NFL Draft, Huff is a native of Irving, Texas, and an alumnus of the University of Texas. The former Thorpe Award winner calls Dallas home, and has been extremely forthcoming regarding his interest in playing for the Cowboys. Dallas passed on Bob Sanders and OJ Atogwe, who were free agents before the collective bargaining agreement expired. They then passed on the safety spot all together in the draft—selecting only cornerback, Joshua Thomas.
Rob Ryan was the defensive coordinator in Oakland when the Raiders drafted Huff. And, like seemingly everyone else in Dallas, sounded mostly disinterested with last weekend's proceedings. Perhaps Ryan is supremely overconfident in his abilities; so much so that he'd just as soon move forward with McCray and Barry Church. But, signs appear to be squarely positioned towards the All-Pro, Michael Huff. The problem is, with the free-agent signing period and the ability to move players on hold, teams like the Cardinals and Cowboys are essentially "all in."
By Kolby Paxton"
With the NFL draft looming into its 62nd day, the rumor mills continue to feed the ears of Cowboy fans on how they will address their secondary issues. It's no secret that the Dallas Cowboys have major issues in their backfield. So as this lockout continues all fans can do is speculate, hope and pray for someone like Huff to put on that Dallas jersey when this is over; now its up to Jerry to answer all those prayers.
The seventh player chosen in the 2006 NFL Draft, Huff is a native of Irving, Texas, and an alumnus of the University of Texas. The former Thorpe Award winner calls Dallas home, and has been extremely forthcoming regarding his interest in playing for the Cowboys. Dallas passed on Bob Sanders and OJ Atogwe, who were free agents before the collective bargaining agreement expired. They then passed on the safety spot all together in the draft—selecting only cornerback, Joshua Thomas.
Rob Ryan was the defensive coordinator in Oakland when the Raiders drafted Huff. And, like seemingly everyone else in Dallas, sounded mostly disinterested with last weekend's proceedings. Perhaps Ryan is supremely overconfident in his abilities; so much so that he'd just as soon move forward with McCray and Barry Church. But, signs appear to be squarely positioned towards the All-Pro, Michael Huff. The problem is, with the free-agent signing period and the ability to move players on hold, teams like the Cardinals and Cowboys are essentially "all in."
By Kolby Paxton"
With the NFL draft looming into its 62nd day, the rumor mills continue to feed the ears of Cowboy fans on how they will address their secondary issues. It's no secret that the Dallas Cowboys have major issues in their backfield. So as this lockout continues all fans can do is speculate, hope and pray for someone like Huff to put on that Dallas jersey when this is over; now its up to Jerry to answer all those prayers.
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