Friday Happy Hour at the Elysian Fields Bar & Grill

Welcome to the Elysian Fields Bar & Grill, where we drink a toast in memory of Jack Lang, the great New York baseball writer who passed away earlier this week.

* Jamey Wright and Vicente Padilla in the same rotation could be fun. Padilla has hit 66 batters since the start of the 2002 season, most in the Major Leagues. Since 2000, Wright has hit 81 batters, fourth most in the Majors.

* Wright's favorite target is Jason Kendall. Plunked him six times. Padilla spreads his around more. His leader is Andruw Jones with three.

* You know that Cal Ripken once played in 8,243 consecutive innings. You should also know that Ron Washington, a backup infielder for the Orioles, was the one who replaced him at shortstop when that streak ended.

* Georgia Tech honored Mark Teixeira and "honored" his jersey at a dinner in Atlanta last week. Thought that meant they retired his jersey. No. At Georgia Tech, a worthy players must also have graduated to have the jersey retired. Teixeira hasn't but said he plans to do so.

* Keep an eye on Jerry Hairston Jr. in Spring Training. He can request to be released on March 15 if he isn't added to the 25-man roster.

* The Rangers signed pitcher Buck Cody last week to a Minor League contract. He played at the University of Texas, pitching for the Longhorns when they won the national title in 2002 and 2005.

* If Cody reaches Arlington, looks like he would be the 11th former Longhorn to pitch for the Rangers. The others are Dennis Cook, Keith Creel, Bobby Cuellar, Jerry Don Gleaton, Jim Gideon, Burt Hooten, Mark Petkovsek, Calvin Schiraldi, J.D. Smart and Rickey Wright.

* Problem is, Hooten is the only one who ranks in the top five among former Longhorns with the most victories in the Majors. Roger Clemens leads with 348 career wins. Hooten is second with 151, then comes Greg Swindell (123), Shane Reynolds (114) and Tex Hughson with 96.

* Rangers aren't big on former Longhorns position players. Only two were found to have played for the Rangers: third baseman Scott Coolbaugh and center fielder Calvin Murray. They drafted Stephen Larkin, who was Barry's brother, but he never played for them.

* Jamey Newberg, another Longhorn, pointed out that Cook did play right field in Austin. Also batted cleanup. In the Majors he hit .264 with two home runs in 110 at-bats.

* Mark Brandenburg (Texas Tech), Jeff Zimmerman (TCU), and Kip Wells (Baylor) also pitched for the Rangers. But not one Rangers pitcher has been from Texas A&M.

* The Rangers took Gleaton, a left-handed pitcher, with the 17th overall pick in the 1979 draft. The Dodgers, picking one ahead of the Rangers, also took a left-handed pitcher. Steve Howe.

* Just for the heck of it: Tony Scruggs

* The Milwaukee Brewers have eight outfielders on their 40-man roster who have Major League experience. Right now Kevin Mench or Laynce Nix both aren't listed as starters on their depth chart. They're listing Billy Hall in left, Brady Clark in center and Geoff Jenkins in right. Hall could move to center, leaving Mench in left.

* Aaron Sele is going to camp with the Mets and try to win a job in their rotation. It also looks like the Mariners are making a move toward Jeff Weaver.

* Ichiro Suzuki has played 116 games against the Rangers and has been intentionally walked 19 times. That's the most for one hitter against the Rangers. They walked George Brett 18 times but in 244 games.

* The St. Louis Cardinals got to visit the White House earlier this month because they won the World Series. The Cleveland Blues didn't win the World Series in 1883 but they were the first Major League team to visit the White House. President Chester Arthur told them, "Good ballplayers make good citizens."

* Harry Truman was a big baseball fan. He went to 16 games while in office, the most of any President. He was also ambidextrous and once threw out two ceremonial first pitches, one with each hand.

* Red Sox owners have put $100 million into refurbishing Fenway Park over the past six years. Original cost for the park in 1912 was $650,000. The old Arlington Stadium cost $1.9 million back in 1965.

* The Washington Redskins were once the Boston Redskins. This was in 1932-36. Yes, they played their home games at Fenway Park. So did the Boston Patriots for six years before moving to Foxborough in 1969. Stands were set up in left field in front of the Green Monster.

* If that didn't surprise you then you are probably aware that Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Bears from 1921-70, still has been the site of more NFL games than any other stadium in America.