Poor Toby's Almanac....Ponson and Feldman and two days of rain
If it walks like a dog and barks like a dog...
Remember we made this quite clear before the season began...
There was no Rangers team in history that would be harder to predict than this one and that nobody could accurately predict how this team would do. There were far too many variables. Any prediction was nothing more than a guess....
So were you smart enough to know that after 25 games:
* They would be winless in Jason Jennings first five starts.
* They would be hitting .218 with runners in scoring position and .188 in those situations with two outs. Michael Young, who ranks right there with Rusty Greer and Will Clark as one of the best clutch hitters in team history, is 4-for-22.
* They would be on pace to commit 174 errors. Actually that would not be a club record. The Rangers fumbled or botched 191 plays in 1975. They also won a division in 1996 by committing just 87 errors.
* Milton Bradley would have started just five games in the outfield and Frank Catalanotto would have started just four games at designated hitter. That was supposed to be the reverse.
* Ben Broussard would go three weeks without an RBI. Three weeks?
* Their three youngest starters - Kason Gabbard, Luis Mendoza and Brandon McCarthy - would all be on the disabled list by the end of April and that in theory, their fourth and fifth starters right now are Sidney Ponson and Scott Feldman. Oh yeah, we all knew at the end of April it would be Ponson and Feldman and two days of rain.
* That by the end of April, general manager Jon Daniels would be bombarded with questions about the status of manager Ron Washington.
It truly has been a Long Day's Journey Into Night.
The Oracle of the Elysian Fields:
"If I err, it's on the side of higher expectations."
Rangers president Nolan Ryan.
Toby's Toby Five
1. Josh Hamilton - Look who's leading the American League in RBI.
2. Houston Astros - Somebody has been winning in the Lone Star State. They won six in a row before losing on Saturday.
3. Ian Kinsler - He has reached safely in 24 straight games to start the season, tying Buddy Bell for the third longest streak in club history.
4. John Smoltz - 3,000 strikeouts. Enough said.
5. Billy Wagner - The Mets closer has pitched nine innings and has yet to give up a hit. He has walked two and struck out nine.
Anniversary:
It was 35 years ago today that good friend Steve Busby threw the first of two no-hitters for the Kansas City Royals. He beat the Detroit Tigers, 3-0, at Tiger Stadium.
Ex-Ranger of the Week:
Phillies pitcher Rudy Seanez. He was released by the Dodgers at the end of Spring Training and signed by the Phillies on April 2. He has pitched eight innings and is 2-1 with a 0.00 ERA. He has allowed one hit, walked seven and struck out just three. The loss came on an unearned run.
Seanez made his Major League debut in 1989. He has pitched with nine organizations including the Rangers in 2002. The Rangers are one of the few organizations he has had just one tour of duty with. He has been with the Padres four times and the Red Sox, Braves and Dodgers twice.
But don't forget about:
Chan Ho Park picked up his first save of his career when he pitched the final three innings of the Dodgers 9-3 victory over the Reds last Sunday. He also pitched three scoreless innings in an 8-7 victory over the Rockies on Friday to get his first win of the season.
Pitching matchup of the week:
Brandon Webb, 2006 Cy Young winner, faces Jake Peavy, the 2007 winner, this afternoon at Petco Park.
Birthdays: Frank Catalanotto turns 34 today, the same day that Hall of Famer Rogers Hornsby was born 112 years ago.
Ron Washington is 56 on Tuesday and if you remember Edwin Correa, he is 42 on Tuesday. Jarrod Saltalamacchia is 23 on Friday. Saltalamacchia is one of five switch-hitting catchers who have at least 80 at-bats at the position for the Rangers. The others are Chad Kreuter, Donnie Scott, Gregg Zaun and Adam Melhuse.
Last call:
"I can pitch. It's not pretty but I can throw strikes. But I like hitting way better,"
First baseman Ben Broussard, who volunteered to pitch in a 19-6 loss to the Tigers last week.
"I can pitch, I can throw strikes, it ain't pretty." Well welcome aboard you are our new 5th starter. Ha Ha. Busby is a good guy, he lives down the street from me and he signed his baseball card for me. I predicted that Washingtons teams digress in his second season. At this point, he is even lower than what he did in Class A ball. He seems to be a nice person, but nice guys finish last as someone said. How much longer do we endure. It isn't entirely his fault, but the dreaded politics often intervene. People have already stopped going out to the park, and it will get worse if the "organization doesn't do something about it. It is easier to fire the coaching staff than get rid of 25 players. I believe the axe should have fallen on both Daniels and Wash last week. If they changed now the team might rebound and their still is a chance. Nolan has 2 weeks to show me and us what his real role is here. Yesterdays vote of confidence didn't thrill me and is only proving that he was brought here to sell tickets and his beef. That and his commercials asking us to come to the ballpark. No one will go if this caca keeps happening on the field.
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With due apologies to Sir Ponson I doubt that hitters quake in their boots for Ponson and Feldman as they did for Johnny Sain and Warren Spahn.
I considered that the whole starting rotation was a problem. Winless in 5 Jennings starts? Not sure even I would have bet on that. Other than Mendoza I described all the Ranger starters as "sore armed" and I think that has proven accurate so far. Millwood and Padilla are throwing too any pitches I'm afraid they will son break down.
As for the errors I just can't understand this team's pride in their work. Not only did we have 3 certified errors last night but we had a number of plays not made....a statistic that I think ought be kept. Catalanotto and Murphy both "almost caught up" to line drives, the 4th string catcher failed on two accounts, a passed ball and a stolen base. And then there were the base running errors that we've been seeing way too often...Walbeck should have sent the runner from third last night but we've been stung to often getting thrown out.....
As for clutch hitting....goodness gracious...MICHAEL YOUNG....FIRE UP!
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Feelings, nothing more than feelings, trying too forget my feelings of love, feelings, oh oh, feelings, oh, oh, feelings..." I know how Ron feels, the coaching staff, Danies". Nolan Ryan...... Hey Nolie, how about interjecting some stats and logic into those FEELINGS. What in Washingtons past INDICATED that he could MANAGE? TELL ME! His RECORD, NOT MINE, HIS EXPERIENCE, NOT ANYONE ELSES, shows that his teams, with him as the MANAGER, have digressed, played worse in its second season. That is being proven everytime in everygame this year, it is getting worse each game. He was brought here to provide DEFENSE, and working the count. He is now playing for the 3 run homer. He can't do the job....Period end of story. Daniels track record is just terrible. He set this franchise back 15 years with Gonzalez and Danks deals. That alone and as he says WASH is my hire. That alone should get him fired too. What i don't like and or understand is this. If i am the GM and my career is tied to the amount of wins and losses from my team, then why don't i go out and hire the most qualified and experienced manager to help me keep my job? Daniels didn't do that he settled for a guy with no skins on the wall, no one else wanted him as manager and we are surprised that he FAILED. I personally don't trust Dan to hire the next guy, it is too important of a hire. So he has to go also.
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Sorry TR, but Danks, Volquez and Galarraga are my lead ex-Rangers of the week or maybe Pudge, or A-Rod, Texiera, Gonzales, or Young, Soriano is on the DL. I understand your mistake as there are so many of them to choose from or are you prohibited from mentioning those players in the selection process?
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Former Rangers pitchers of the month: Volquez 3-0, 1.21 ERA, 22. 1 innings pitched. 23 K's and 13 walks. Danks, 2-2, 3.00 ERA, 30 Innings pitched, 20 k's and 7 Walks. Galarraga 2-0, 1.50 ERA, 18 innings pitched 13 k's and 6 walks. We are rebuilding???????? Rebuilding other teams pitching staffs. With the exception of Hamilton, who i admit is a player, we have nothing to show for Danks and Galarraga. Galarraga was given away and we really have nothing for him. YOU DON"T GIVE UP ON YOUNG PITCHING. Until we learn to stop make excuses for getting rid of it it will not change here. I like Ham, but even with what he is doing we are still in last place. So, so what. Couldn't Byrd and Murphy played CF? For those of you who don't know, a pitcher can have a more direct impact on the outcome of a game than a CF who bats maybe 3 to 4 times a game. That is a fact! So Danks, Young, Galarraga and Volquez is and was more promising than Padilla, Millwood, Jennings. They were our future, now we have to start over again.... DVD, DVD, DVD.. At least i remember even if the rest of you refuse to do so.
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This is my last post on this site. TR you're ok but D'god ruins the comment section. D'god, you're a sick man! I imagine it's bipolar syndrome but what the hey I'm not a pshrink! Your repetitive bull shoot posts are just a pain in the tuccus.
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thats why i stopped leaving comments. i still read them, and fred, your posts will be missed. they are smart and mature comments and mr dgod clogs this entire forum with his stupid rubbish. another one gone, soon all there will be is dgod. rename it postcards from a childs mind with dgod.
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I really thought this team would be much better than this. They have good players. Why would I think otherwise? There is still much baseball to be played, but I see an organization in disarray. How can it get better? Here are my nominees for ex-rangers of the week for next week:
Ron Washington
Ben Broussard
Jason Botts
Mr. Washington obviously had a great interview for this job but like many employees will bowl you over with what they're going to do and how good they are, most of them don't live up to it, but fall far below what they said they could do. Mr. Washington is a good example of this. Why waste any more time? Let's start the post-Washington era. Dwidodger, I hope Nolan Ryan's role is hands on and VERY involved in looking for a new manager.
Botts and Broussard do not belong in MLB. Give them their unconditional release, promote Chris Shelton, then Chris Davis to take Shelton's place just to get him closer to the bigs. Give Nelly Cruz one more shot. If he struggles, release him. Let's get on with re-building and say good-bye to the re-treads.
Edwin Correa! There's a "flash in the pan".
Happy Birthday, Cat.
Happy Birthday on Tuesday Ron Washington. You'll probably still be with the Rangers, you're a good coach, you gave it a shot as manager. Hat's off to you for trying, but it didn't work out. I'm sure there is a job out there for you somewhere. Adios, my friend!
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Make that 25 straight games reaching for Kinsler as of today - new record.
Ian hasn't been tearing the cover off the ball lately, but he's still getting on base - which, of course, is what you want from your leadoff guy, even when he's not on a real hot streak.
http://lonestarincalifornia.wordpress.com/
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I started ignoring dwidregod A LONG time ago. He can think what he think, believe what he believes and feel how he feels, but I'm not going to let him affect MY view of MY team.
Good for Hamilton and Kinsler. Small victories are what it's about this season.
http://baseballismyboyfriend.blogspot.com
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Whatever you view of your team is, it is one that is looking up from the cellar. That ain't gonna change until their is a change at the top, meaning the GM and the Manager have to go. Baseball is a sport and you should get a boyfriend, like a real person to take you out to the games and explain to you what is going on. Most of us interact with real people and if we do escape to other places it is to the Elysian Fields!
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d(GOD) if baseball is a sport why are you such a jerk about
your comments about everything relating to the sport?
I remember you complaining because DJ didn't trade for Zito.
How has that trade worked out? Also I don't think you have the right to critize Nolan. I know one thing you are not in management because you never make mistakes(GOD).
You are not bipolar you have the little man syndrome. This blog is you soap box.
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