Poor Toby's Almanac...Thomas Jefferson's birthday
Thomas Jefferson was born on April 13, 1743. Remember what Jefferson said about baseball:
"Games played with the ball, and others of that nature, are too violent for the body and stamp no character on the mind."
Tales from the dugout: Broadcaster Josh Lewin pointed out that Rangers manager Ron Washington was the last player to ever score a run against Hall of Fame pitcher Steve Carlton before retired.
Washington had a better story about facing Carlton for the first time ever in Spring Training.
"I was with the Twins and he was with the Phillies," Washington said. "I singled off him. So I'm there on first base, I take a short lead, next thing I know he's picked me off. I never saw it. All I know is I'm standing there and the next thing I know the first baseman is tagging me out. All I saw was Lefty lifting his leg.
"I go back to the bench and they're all laughing their heads off. I said, 'Thanks for telling me about his pickoff move.'"
Or facing Bert Blyleven and his famous curve ball for the first time.
"Ken Kaiser is umpiring," Washington said. "I get down 0-2 and haven't seen the curve ball. Then he throws one and I duck away from it. Kaiser calls it a strike. I said, "Kais, that ball almost hit me.' Kaiser says, 'Wash, how would you know?'"
Oracle of the Elysian Fields:
"They could test ten times a year...I don't care."
Michael Young on increased drug testing
Toby's Top Five
1. Jackie Robinson Day - Enough said.
2. Chuck Morgan - 2,000 games as a public address announcer for the Rangers and Royals. Think that red dot is getting tired?
3. Arizona Diamondbacks - Wonder how much Doug Davis inspired them.
4. Livan Hernandez - He didn't get a job until Feb. 25 but he's 3-0 with a 2.57 ERA after three starts for the Twins.
5. Kevin Millwood - Is a 1.29 ERA very good?
Ex-Ranger of the Week:
Anybody notice Gabe Kapler's comeback? After a year of managing in the Minor Leagues he is back in the big leagues with the Milwaukee Brewers and hitting .364 (8-for-22) with two home runs and eight RBI.
Pitching matchup of the week: On Tuesday, two former Rangers draft picks who never pitched for the Rangers face each other. Aaron Harang vs. Ryan Dempster. Reds vs. Cubs.
Category Harang Dempster
Year drafted 1999 1995
Round 6th 3rd
Year traded 2000 1996
To Oakland Florida
Acquired: Randy Velarde John Burkett
Record 64-50 60-75
ERA 4.11 4.78
Saves 0 87
Accomplishment Led NL in All-Star in
Wins in 206 2000 for Fla.
Birthdays: Greg Maddux turns 42 on Monday.
You knew of course that Maddux was born in San Angelo. He and Nolan Ryan are 1-2 in most victories by a pitcher born in Texas. Third? That would be James "Hippo" Vaughn, who was born in Weatherford and was a five-time 20-game winner for the Cubs in 1914-19.
Anyway....Ryan vs. Maddux
Category Ryan Maddux
Games 807 713
Games started 773 709
Innings 5386 4827
Wins 324 348
Losses 292 214
ERA 3.19 3.11
Complete games 222 109
Shutouts 61 35
Strikeouts 5714 3281
Anniversary: Monday is the 98th anniversary of Williams Howard Taft throwing out the ceremonial first pitch before the Washington Senators first game. He is the first President to throw out the first pitch.
Also on April 14, 1969, the first baseball game ever played outside the United States took place when the Montreal Expos hosted the St. Louis Cardinals. Which leads us to...
Last call
"They discovered boo is pronounced the same in French as it is in English."
Harry Caray on Expos fans.
Holy Cow! You either loved Harry Caray or you didn't. I grew up watching and listing to Dizzy Dean and Pee Wee Reese, Blaine Walsh and Earl Gillespe and Harry Caray. My mother in law (bless her soul) was about 70 and hard of hearing and watched Cubbies on TV most every afternoon just to touch bases with Harry. She didn't especially like baseball.
One of the things people forget about Ron Washinton is that he has "baseball." You don't stay around in the game unless you have something more than love of the game. I don't think under any stretch of immagination we can blame him for the team's hitting....I know they will hit. They're too good not too. He's not responsible for the starting pitching other tan to change pitchers and he sure called the right shots last night. You have to get on base to steal so he's not responsible for that. Maybe he should yell more for the errors and the plays not made but I'm sure adult men don't need to be told that they need to keep awake out there.
In fact here's my opinion of the day. Would you like to play behind Vincente Padilla with runners on. The guy is just plain tedious. Ho hum. I'm falling asleep just thinking about im. Speed the game up throw some strikes would ya!
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Oh yes the manager isn't responsible for anything. So why have one? Washington is what he is. His managerial record is worse in the second season than in the first. Granted he had limited managerial experience in the minor leagues, but look at the 1 and 1/2 years he does have. The statistics don't lie. The best we can hope for is a .439 winning percentage which would put him at 71 wins and 91 losses. He isn't going to last the full season, so we should have a better record. Our starting pitching has improved our ERA is 3.19 but their record is 3-6. Millwood should have at least 2 other wins. We are batting .184 with runners in scoring position. The managers job in my belief is to motivate, direct and to oversee. At this point, Washington seems to be distancing himself from his players and saying hey i don't throw the ball, i don't catch the ball, i don't hit the ball, in fact i don't know what it is that i do other than put a bunch of left handed hitters against left handed pitchers. I love Murphy, but today in my opinion in the top of the10th he should have pinch hit for Murphy. Oh wait, we didn't have a right handed hitter on our bench. Ok i forgive you Wash, it ain't your fault. I believe that what the team does over the next two weeks is going to determine if Washington is fired or not. If we continue to hover around .500 then he stays. If he doesn't then he is gone. The manager has to find a way to manufacture runs. This is Daniels hire, how long before Daniels cuts the chord. I really think that the players don't respect this guy, think he is a clown and can't wait for him to go. The clutch is out on this team and it probably is going to cost a few dollars to get it repaired. A-Rod clutch in regular season, not too much playoffs, Soriano clutch, Pudge clutch, Gonzales clutch, Lee clutch, Texiera clutch. Is it any wonder our clutch is out?
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Guardado out, Fukumori out, 2/5ths of the bullpen and 1/5th of the rotation. Jennings should be sent to the minors to see if he can gain some arm strength. Rumor has it on opening day at Rangers Ballpark, he was hitting the gun at 82 MPH. Wow. Looks like we signed the wrong guy. Hernanadez is 3-0 and Colon is throwing well in the minors for Boston. If Colon hits for Boston, can they be stopped? It is looking more and more what done us in was missing on Beckett. What a stud he is and young also. But no we had to have Arias, Danks and Blalock. What would we look like with Lowell and Beckett? Harang and Dempster 124 & 125 87 saves. Neither of them given a chance here. Harang was a 3rd round pick who lasted 1 year in this organization traded for Velarde. You never, never ever, never ever, NEVER, trade young pitching it always bites you. Righetti, Darling, Davis, Danks, Volquez, Young, Harang, Demptster, Cordero, and Nen. Just a few of our prized prospects. Why? Why? Why? The best deal we ever made here was Loaiza for Young and he too will be crying to leave here pretty soon. Sulking about wanting to be on the west coast near his family. Whatever team he goes to he will not be a SHORT STOP, he will either go back to second base or become a third baseman quickly. He will do it fast and be happy to do it. Elvis has left the builiding, Frisco that is. Elvis lives, the king is coming get your tickets. It won't be long before he is here, get ready for it. I believe Mr. Yount came up at 19 lets get on with it.
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