Pitcher Jason Jennings is the latest Ranger to undergo surgery. Jennings underwent surgery on Friday on his right flexor tendon and is out for the season.

The Rangers have optioned pitcher Kason Gabbard to Triple A Oklahoma and recalled Robinson Tejeda. Doug Mathis is expected to stay in the rotation and Tejeda will pitch out of the bullpen... More on the website.

Welcome to the Elysian Fields Bar & Grill, where we drink a toast to Rob Matwick, the Rangers newest Vice-President, member of the Texas Baseball Hall of Fame and the guy who made the Astros public relations department by far the best in baseball.

* Rangers general manager Jon Daniels on the upcoming homestand: "It's a chance for our fans to see our guys play against three (Oakland, Cleveland, Tampa Bay) of the better teams in the American League. They are three young teams that have one thing in common and that's quality pitching staffs, especially starters. They throw the ball over the plate and they get deep into games. We've shown we can play against them so I expect to see some good baseball."

* Nolan Ryan on Kevin Kennedy's XM Radio show: "I want to see some balance with the Texas Rangers, this team has historically had a lot of offense and had no pitching, we want to change that, we want to have a balance, a good offense and a good pitching staff, we have some players in our organization that we hope can develop properly and make a difference with this team down the road. We need to stock the farm system with a balance of both, that is very key, everyone here says the team needs pitching and we do, but we also need offense."

* Also from Ryan with Kennedy: "In Spring Training, I challenged our minor league starters to go more than one inning than they normally did.  With that, the pitchers threw more on the side, threw batting practice, they became more conditioned to throw more innings and in the Minors our players are being conditioned and we've seen the results on the Major League level.  Our pitchers want to pitch more innings and I think that is something that has to start in the Minor Leagues, they have to throw more often, more side sessions, they have to do more running, by changing their routines in the Minor Leagues a difference has been made in the Major Leagues."

* Right now MLB.Com's Jonathan Mayo has the Rangers taking TCU reliever Andrew Cashner with the 11th overall pick in the draft. Don't bet against Mayo. Somebody else did the last two years and is down two lunches.

* The Rangers are the only American League team that hasn't had one of it's own first or supplemental first-round picks over the past five years to play at least one game for them. Drew Meyer is the last Rangers first round pick to have played for them.

* Rangers pitchers are averaging 1.22 strikeouts for every walk. That's the lowest in the American League. The Blue Jays lead with 2.46 strikeouts per walk.

* Did we know that the Rangers lead the American League with 12 blown saves? Or that only the Mariners throw more pitchers per inning (17.2 - 17.1) per inning than the Rangers?

* Daniels: "Jamey Wright has been a very important piece to our bullpen. He gives us some options whether it's pitching multiple innings or pitching one inning in setup he has been huge for us."

* You probably did know that Milton Bradley is tied with Raul Ibanez for most intentional walks in the American League. They both have seven.

* Rafael Palmeiro holds the Rangers record. He was intentionally walked 22 times in 1993. He has the top four intentional walk totals per season in Rangers history.

* By the way, Josh Hamilton's seven sacrifice flies are tied for 37th all-time in a single season for the Rangers. Jeff Burroughs, Juan Gonzalez and Ruben Sierra all had 12 in a season.

* That Golden Tee golf video game that's in your favorite watering hole? It's also in the Indians visitors clubhouse at Progressive Field. Michael Young and Ian Kinsler in particularly love it.

* Just for the heck of it: Willie Davis

* Diamondbacks manager Bob Melvin on Randy Johnson: He's got better rhythm, better command of where he's throwing it. He's not thinking about it anymore. He's not thinking about his mechanics. Now he's throwing the ball where he wants to, so it's about selecting the right pitch, being committed to it and throwing it."

* The St. Louis Browns tried a sports psychiatrist in 1950 but he resigned two months into the season because of a lack of cooperation.

* When you vote online the maximum of 25 times at texasrangers.com and select the Rangers as your "favorite" or "other favorite" team, you will receive two free tickets to the game of your choice between August 15-24, excluding August 16 and 23. Free tickets are available in sections regularly priced up to $25.

* Oakland outfielder Jack Cust: "It's embedded in my brain, that whole [Minor League] lifestyle. I was down there for so long, been through so many things, that I'm really just cherishing this opportunity to play in the big leagues."

The Rangers are getting ready to play the first place Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Only they exorcised the devil out of their name this winter and no doubt there are people out there who believe that's why they are winning.

It would indeed be a mind-boggling thing to see the Rays win that division over the Red Sox and the Yankees. But then who thought just a few weeks ago that the Rangers would be a .500 team on Memorial Day.

But there they are as they get ready to play three with the Rays.

1. Whose performance has surprised you more, Milton Bradley or Josh Hamilton?

2. The Rangers beat the Indians on Sunday with Doug Mathis pitching against C.C. Sabathia. Was that their biggest win of the year?

3. Do you have confidence in the bullpen or are there certain pitchers out there who make you nervous?

4. Are the Mariners finished as a legitimate contender?

5. Which team in Major League Baseball has been the most disappointing this season?

Bonus Question: Can you name this stadium? I saw my first professional baseball game there and Larry Sherry pitched for the home team. Joe DiMaggio hit a ball out of it during World War II. Al Michaels was the home team's broadcaster there in 1968-70.

A dog that can howl at the moon:

I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth.
John F. Kennedy, May 25, 1961.

On Memorial Day weekend, remembering this is the way it used to be in Arlington:

All of this is going into Sunday's game against the Indians:

* Josh Hamilton leads the league with 53 RBI, is tied with 12 home runs and is second in the league behind Joe Mauer (.338) with a .337 batting average. His .606 slugging percentage is also the highest in the league.

* Milton Bradley leads the league with a .442 on-base percentage and is second with a .581 slugging percentage. His OPS of 1.023 is also the highest in the league. Hamilton is second with a .983 OPS.

* Ian Kinsler leads the league with 40 runs scored and Michael Young is fourth with 34. Hamilton is tied for sixth with 32. Kinsler is fourth with 14 stolen bases but is also the only player with over six stolen bases who has not been caught.

* David Murphy is first in the American League with 19 doubles.

* Want one more? Ramon Vazquez has a .414 batting average in May, the highest in the American League.

The Oracle of Elysian Fields: "We're past the rebuilding stage. We're a team that can really compete in the AL East and win games. It's exciting." Devil Rays pitcher Scott Kazmir.

Toby's Top Five:

1. Milton Bradley - Josh Hamilton is getting all the attention but this guy has been terrific in the middle of the order.
2. Hamilton - He deserves all the attention.
3. Chris Davis - He is in Oklahoma after clobbering the ball at Double A Frisco. How soon Arlington?
4. Pace of the Game - Still highly doubtful they will enforce all these dictums but just keeping the batter in the batter's box would be a major victory for the game of baseball.
5. Minnesota Twins - You know what's cool about them? They seem to end up with a lot of Minnesota players on their team including Joe Mauer, Pat Neshek and Glen Perkins.

Ex-Ranger of the Week: Ryan Ludwick - Anybody remember this guy was with the Rangers? He was one of four players acquired from the Oakland Athletics for Carlos Pena and Mike Venafro. Gerald Laird, Mario Ramos and Jason Hart were the other three. The Rangers traded him to Cleveland for outfielder Shane Spencer and pitcher Ricardo Rodriguez back on July 18, 2003.

That was back when the Rangers needed starting pitching and had high hopes for Rodriguez. Ludwick missed most of 2004 with knee surgery, was designated for assignment and outrighted to the Minors in 2005. Was in Triple A with Detroit in all of 2006 and signed by the Cardinals as a Minor League free agent in 2006.

He is hitting .343 with 13 home runs and 37 RBI for the Cardinals, doing what they hoped Juan Gonzalez would do.

Birthdays: Former Rangers manager Kevin Kennedy turns 54 on Monday and injured reliever John Rheinecker is 29 on Thursday.

Pitching matchup of the week: Doug Mathis makes his second Major League start today in Cleveland. His opponent is Cy Young Award winner C.C. Sabathia.

Anniversaries:  On May 25, 1935, Babe Ruth hits three home runs for the Boston Braves against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Forbes Field. The last one clears the roof and supposedly travels 600 feet. It is his 714th and last home run. Just 16 years later, Willie Mays makes his debut for the Giants and goes 0-for-5 against the Phillies.

Last call: "Milton is a team player. As long as he's helping the team, he's happy. He can hit and he can play. I just wish he could play the outfield so he could show you."
Rangers manager Ron Washington on Milton Bradley.

The Rangers have promoted first baseman Chris Davis from Double A Frisco and Triple A Oklahoma. They are considering a promotion for Max Ramirez as well but are still trying to figure out playing time for everybody.

Hank Blalock has developed Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in his right wrist and is not being activated off the disabled list. He is hoping it clears up in the next 24-48 hours. More on the website.

Said Blalock, who had Thoracic Outlet Syndrome surgery last year: "I lead the league in syndromes."

Welcome to the Elysian Fields Bar & Grill, where they have been barking about the pace of game for many moons.

* The Rangers would have been lauded this winter if they had been able to land Dontrelle Willis in a trade with the Florida Marlins. The Tigers got him instead. Now he's in the bullpen. The Tigers decided they would rather have Armando Galarraga in the rotation than Willis. Said manager Jim Leyland: "With Galarraga having a hot hand, it makes sense."

* Ron Washington, on why he was really upset after Milton Bradley was ejected in Wednesday's game against the Twins, "I thought (umpire Jeff Nelson) had a short fuse. Usually they give you warning but he just took off his mask and ran him."

* Outfielder Carl Crawford on the reversal of fortunes for the Rays: "It's like going from sleeping on concrete to sleeping on a mattress."

* Former pitcher Ron Darling, now on WTBS, on Major League players: "Ballplayers are some of the most insecure people you'll ever be around, because it's a game of not doing what you're supposed to be doing all the time. Three out of 10 and you're a great hitter, that means seven times you're making outs. So they (baseball players) are a lot more insecure than people think, and when they go through those droughts they really take it personally. The ones that take it less personal get out of those droughts quicker."

* And this from Darling on the difference in pitching in the major leagues versus the minor leagues:  "I think that what happens is your breaking ball seems so good in the minor leagues because guys are younger, they don't know how to hit the breaking ball, they swing at it in the dirt.  But you'll throw your best one here and a guy will just look at it and be ready for the next pitch.  If it's in the dirt they are going to take it. The ability to work the strike zone in the major leagues is exponentially better than it is in the minor leagues."

* Padres general manager Kevin Towers on his team's struggles: "I hear our morale is good. I can't believe it's good. I'm not down here (in the clubhouse) all the time, but if our morale is good then we have a major issue. If our morale is good, we have no expectation of getting better. Our morale should be horrible. If we have winning-type players, our morale should be horrible right now."

* Just for the heck of it: Larry Parrish.

* Twins pitcher Livan Hernandez on Josh Hamilton: "I've not got a lot of trouble with Hamilton. But the last home run was crazy. The power he has, he's got that kind of power. It's easy to hit a home run opposite field. The guy is a great player who is having a great year. A lot of people are happy for what he's done. I think he do everything, hitting for average, hitting for power. He's having a good year. Anything you throw in the zone he's going to hit it. Broken bat base hit, it's crazy. I don't know."

* The Marines had nine losses in April when the offense had fewer than eight hits and Richie Sexson said, "We should have taken better advantage of the good pitching we got in April. is team would be a lot closer to .500 than it is if we'd taken advantage of all that great pitching we got in April.''

* Nationals general manager Jim Bowden on the plight of scouts: "I went with them for two weeks, [Asst. GM, VP of Baseball Ops] Mike Rizzo and I. You're up on an airplane to Nashville, Tenn., and all of a sudden you're in Ontario and then you're in Texas and then you're in South Carolina, Florida and that's all you do every day. And people fart on the airlines, and it's horrible! I had to call timeout on the second one because the stench was so bad that I couldn't take it! The stewardess was taking Lysol up and down. It was embarrassing. I called timeout and said, 'Look, go to the bathroom. There's no need for that!' How the scouts deal with the farting alone on these small planes on a daily basis, I don't get it. Have more respect for the person next to you! Stop farting!"
 

The Rangers have designated Franklyn German for assignment and called up Kameron Loe from Triple A Oklahoma. German, if he clears outright waivers, could become a free agent by refusing the assignment. More on the website.

Hard to imagine a game on May 21 being crucial but the Rangers need a win tonight. They have been playing very well of late but they need to stop this losing streak before it unravels everything they've accomplished. They have their two most experienced pitchers going, Sidney Ponson tonight and Vicente Padilla tomorrow. Need to get that momentum back before they go to Cleveland and face some tough starting pitching.

They also need to get back to working the opposing pitcher. That's been the common denominator over the past three games. Maybe they hit too many home runs versus the Astros but their offense has been absent in the first six innings over the past three games and they have been getting it going too late... especially Sunday and Tuesday.

Ode to Jimmy Cannon

* This is the Rangers best lineup against a right-handed pitcher: 2B Ian Kinsler, SS Michael Young, CF Josh Hamilton, RF Milton Bradley, DH Hank Blalock, LF David Murphy, 1B Frank Catalanotto, C Gerald Laird, 3B Ramon Vazquez.

* This is the Rangers best lineup against a left-handed pitcher: 2B Ian Kinsler, SS Michael Young, CF Josh Hamilton, RF Milton Bradley, DH Hank Blalock, LF David Murphy, 1B Chris Shelton, C Gerald Laird, 3B German Duran

* You could argue that Brandon Boggs and Marlon Byrd could start against left-handers instead of Murphy, or that Boggs could give Bradley time off in the outfield. But those are the two lineups that give the Rangers the best chance to win every night.

* The issue with Blalock is not what position but will he hit and drive in runs. That's his primary value to the Rangers.

* Nothing against Jarrod Saltalamacchia but if the Rangers had a must-win game, Laird should be behind the plate. He is simply the better catcher right now.

* Just to make it clear, this is the Rangers starting rotation: Vicente Padilla, Sidney Ponson, Kason Gabbard, Scott Feldman and Doug Mathis. You saw that coming in Spring Training didn't you?

* Just to make it clear, this is the Rangers rotation that's on the shelve: Kevin Millwood, Brandon McCarthy, Jason Jennings, John Patterson and Luis Mendoza.

* Which one is better?

* C.J. Wilson could be better but I'm not sure there's a better alternative to be the Rangers closer although there's no doubt that the three best-looking relievers right now are Eddie Guardado, Frank Francisco and Jamey Wright.

* Why not Guardado? Just not sure he's physically up to being "Everyday Eddie" again.

* The Blalock to first base timing is odd.

So Hank Blalock is moving to first base. Not sure everybody appreciates the gesture but he still has some work to do in Arizona before it's official.

Meantime, his teammates are in Minnesota for what should be an interesting roadtrip that starts in the Far North and ends up in the Deep South against three teams that aren't doing too badly.

Simply put, thiis not going to be an easy trip, not my any means.

1. What's your take on Hank Blalock moving to first base?

2. When Blalock returns, what corresponding move are the Rangers going to have to make to make room for him.

3. Who is your long-term third baseman for the Rangers. Do you think they need Travis Metcalf up here?

4. Do you think C.J. Wilson should only pitch in save situations?

5. Will the Rangers have a winning record when they return from this trip?

The Rangers are moving Hank Blalock to first base. It was his idea and the move is permanent. More on the website... Toby has the day off

Welcome to the Elysian Fields Bar & Grill, located right here in the middle of the Lone Star State.

* You are aware of course that 57 players have played for both the Astros and the Rangers in their careers. But did you know about Mike Simms, Chuck Jackson and Mike Richardt? That's right, they only played for the Astros and the Rangers and no other franchise.

* On Saturday, the National Anthem for the Rangers-Astros game will be played and sung live via satellite from Baghdad, Iraq by soldiers from the 4th Infantry Division, based at Ft. Hood, Texas.

* The Rangers have announced plans to build a sales office in downtown Fort Worth. It will be similar to the one currently in operation in downtown Dallas.

* Manager Ron Washington on closer C.J. Wilson: "He's got the stuff. The key is to throw it in the strike zone. Put the stuff over the plate and let them swing the bat. Then eliminate work. That's how you eliminate stress by pounding that strike zone. He'll be all right. He's a gamer."

* Wilson on giving up four runs in the ninth inning against Seattle on Monday: "I have other things that make me happy. When I went home opened up some fan mail, signed some stuff and sent it back and I felt good about myself. I woke up (Tuesday) happy and it's all good. "

* Ever heard of Dan McFarlan? He pitched for Louisville in the National League in 1895. He was 0-7 with a 6.65 ERA in seven starts. He was also born in Gainesville. That's right. He was the first player born in Texas to play in the Major Leagues. Beat our own William "Kid" Nance by two years. Nance was the third from Texas and the first from Fort Worth. Dallas didn't get anybody to the Majors until 1925.

* John Burkett's 3.39 ERA (min. 30 IP) is the Rangers lowest all-time against National League teams while Kenny Rogers has the most wins with seven.

* Michael Young has played in 123 Interleague games and is hitting .347 with 84 runs scored, 16 home runs and 80 RBI in 490 at-bats.

* Josh Hamilton is 12-for-12 this season in scoring a runner from third base with less than two outs.

* Roy Oswalt on the Astros: "I've never seen so many new players come in at one time, but I think we've brought in some good team players. We have a lively clubhouse. Last year, our team seemed to be sort of quiet. We didn't have many high-energy type of guys who get you real excited on the field. That's changed this season. We now have some of those guys, and I think it really helps our team. We have a good mixture of high-energy guys and a guy like Darin Erstad, who has the intensity and focus of a football player, who plays really hard-nosed."

* You know this? Oswalt had a sore arm after pitching in the Minor Leagues in 1999. Could hardly lift his arm over his shoulder. Before he went to see a doctor, he was fixing his pickup truck and shocked himself on an exposed wire. When he came to his senses, he was pain free. He reported to Spring Training feeling great. Trainers say the shock could have knocked loose scar tissue.
 
* Oswalt on Lance Berkman: "If Lance had the career he has had so far in a larger market, his name would be all over the place. If he ever hit like this in New York or Boston, he would be the next president."

* Berkman learned to switch-hit off a tire hanging off a tree in his backyard. Also says he doesn't "even like to vacation" outside his native Texas.

* Just for the heck of it: Xavier Hernandez.

* Rangers third basemen are hitting .287, the second highest collective batting average for their position in the American League. They are tied for the most runs scored with 22 but their 12 RBI are the second fewest.

* Opponents are hitting .170 off Vicente Padilla with runners in scoring position, the third lowest in the league. They are hitting .111 in those situations off Zack Greinke and .162 off Ervin Santana.

* Astros infielder Geoff Blum and Athletics designated hitter Mike Sweeney were t-ball teammates at age five. Mark Loretta was nine when he appeared in his first television commercial for Nature Valley Granola Bars. They were both from Southern California.

* You know what OPS is right? That's on-base plus slugging percentage. Three Rangers Minor Leaguers lead their league in OPS: Nelson Cruz (1.187) in the Pacific Coast League, Max Ramirez (1.118) in the Texas League and Ian Gac (1.233) in the Midwest League. Class A Bakersfield? Nope. Third baseman John Whittleman is 11th in the California League.

Delving into what's going on with the Rangers on the 135th anniversary of Oscar the Second's coronation of King of Sweden-Norway. King Oscar was highly regarded, the United States asked him to help straighten out Samoa and Venezuela, and he told Gibson that Ghosts, "was not a good play."

He was also the inspiration for King Oscar Sardines. Long live King Oscar.

1. What's your take on the Rangers brawl with the Mariners? Do you think Kason Gabbard was trying to throw at Richie Sexson?

2. Is the Rangers run of good pitching for real or just a temporary respite?

3. What do you make of Jon Daniels saying the Rangers won't review anything until the All-Star break at the earliest?

4. What do you think of the platoon at first base between Chris Shelton and rank Catalanotto?

5. What should happen in the outfield when Marlon Byrd returns?

A face only a dog's mother could love

"If I were playing third base and my mother were rounding third with the run that was going to beat us, I'd trip her. Oh, I'd pick her up and brush her off and say, "Sorry, Mom," but nobody beats me."
Hall of Fame Leo Durocher

"My father used to play with my brother and me in the yard. Mother would come out and say, "You're tearing up the grass"; "We're not raising grass," Dad would reply. "We're raising boys";"
Hall of Famer Harmon Killibrew

"A man bites off more than he can chew when he doesn't do what his wife wants. You better believe it."
Hall of Famer Satchel Paige

"It would depend on how well she was hitting..." or "Only if she were digging in."
Hall of Famer Early Wynn, on whether or not he would throw at his mother.

"If he raced his pregnant wife he'd finish third."
Dodger's manager Tommy Lasorda on Mike Scioscia.

The C.J. Files: What does a closer do for nine innings? C.J. Wilson has his routine down to a science. This is how it breaks down for a road game.
First inning: Watch the game on television, see how the umpire is calling pitches, see if the other team has a specific plan of attack. Said Wilson: "A team like Anaheim is usually hacking so if they come out trying to work the pitcher, you know they're trying to do something different. Pitching is observation and strategy."
Second inning: Go out to the bullpen and report findings to other relievers.
Third inning: Eat a protein bar.
Fourth inning: Start stretching the legs.
Fifth inning: Relax.
Sixth inning: Take a Gatorade break.
Seventh inning: Start stretching arm and torso. Tie shoes. Said Wilson, "My shoes are untied the whole game."
Eighth inning: Check clipboard for scouting reports, begin warming up. Said Wilson, "I throw the exact same pitches during warm-ups every time."
Ninth inning: Save game.

The Oracle of Elysian Fields:
"I hate not playing baseball but the team playing better makes it easier to watch. If the team was struggling, I'd be sitting around thinking about how much I could help them."
Hank Blalock

Toby's Top Five:
1. The Rangers pitching staff - Who knew that Sidney Ponson and Scott Feldman would be in the hottest rotation in baseball?
2. Rays pitching staff - Actually this might be the hottest pitching staff in the American League.
3. Greg Maddux - 350 victories. Think this guy wants 400?
4. Brandon Webb - Wonder who is going to start the All-Star Game for the National League,
5. Florida Marlins - First place and a new contract for their shortstop Hanley Ramirez.

Pitching matchup of the week
Kason Gabbard vs. Felix Hernandez, Round 2, Tuesday at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.

Ex-Ranger of the Week:
Former catcher John Russell, who was behind the plate for Nolan Ryan's sixth no-hitter, is managing in Pittsburgh and has the Pirates on the upswing. They have a five-game winning streak going into today's game against the Braves.

Birthdays:
Bobby Witt, who is now a player's agent, turns 44 today. Yogi Berra is 83 on Monday and Bobby Valentine, still managing in Japan, is 58 on Tuesday.

Anniversary:
Five years ago today, Rafael Palmeiro hit his 500th career home run. He finished his career with 569 home runs and 3,020 hits, plus all the other stuff. He is retired and living in the Metroplex.

Last call:
"I don't know what it was. Somebody didn't like me? That's just the way this business goes sometimes. Any time when you go out and you do what you're capable of doing and you do it and you get sent down, it's always a shock."
Kevin Mench after being traded by the Rangers to Toronto

The Rangers have sent Kevin Mench to the Toronto Blue Jays for cash considerations. That allows Jason Botts to DH at Oklahoma.

Welcome to the Elysian Fields Bar & Grill, a welcome haven after the bad craziness in Seattle Thursday night.

* Think it was crazy in Seattle? How about Clinton's 7-3 victory over Peoria in the Class A Midwestern League. Details are sketchy but apparently Peoria manager Ryne Sandberg - yes the Hall of Famer - charged Clinton manager Mike Micucci after taking exception to one of the LumberKings bunting in a perceived inappropriate situation. Sandberg apparently had to be wrestled to the ground.

* Richie Sexson is headed for suspension after charging Kason Gabbard and throwing his helmet at him. The Rangers aren't happy that Sexson could miss the three-game series against them that starts on Monday at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. Sexson is hitting .209. The inside joke among the Rangers is the Mariners ought to be punished by having Sexson in the lineup for every game.

* Sexson may have been a little over-wrought. He missed Wednesday's game because one of his children is in the hospital. Said Sexson, "There's a lot of stuff running through my head right there."

* Gerald Laird on what Edinson Volquez has done for the Reds: "I saw that coming. I saw that with his stuff if he every figured things out. But I wouldn't take back that trade for anything. Josh Hamilton is a joke, his talent is an absolute joke. He could be the best player in baseball. He's amazing to watch. I'm just happy that Volquez has figured it out and doing well."

* Volquez on his success: "I'm 24. I'm getting old. Every pitch I throw, I got a reason for
throwing that pitch. Before, I just threw a pitch."

* Chipper Jones is hitting .429 but as far as another .400 hitter in baseball, Frank Catalanotto said, "I don't think that's ever going to happen. It hasn't happened for a long time for a reason. There are too many good pitchers out there. You just can't do it anymore. You look back at recent history and guys aren't even close anymore. I don't think it's going to happen."

* Rangers farm director Scott Servais on Max Ramirez, who is hitting .385 at Double A Frisco: "He can really hit but we knew that when we traded for him. His defensive is getting better as he's catching more since we promoted Taylor Teagarden. But his bat is what's going to play. He has a very impressive knowledge of the strike zone and he doesn't miss it."

* Just for the heck of it: Mike Epstein

* Franklyn German's victory in relief of Gabbard on Thursday was his first in the Major Leagues since Aug. 20, 2005 against Toronto when he was with the Tigers.

Vicente Padilla's foundation provides complete funding for a Little League and a soccer league in his hometown of Chinandega, Nicaragua. His mother Tina runs the show

* There have been 31 players who had at least 50 at-bats as a Rangers first baseman. Ben Broussard's .160 average with a .227 on-base percentage and a .272 slugging percentage will go down as the lowest among those 31 players.

* Manager Ron Washington on German Duran: "His defense has surprised me. We all knew he could swing the bat. But defensive, the way he's played, I didn't see that in Spring Training. But he's handled himself well at third base and looked comfortable at second."

* Uber-prospect Elvus Andrus is hitting .266 with a .319 on-base percentage and a .305 slugging percentage at Double A Frisco and Servais said, "This guy is 19 years old, there are going to be some ups and downs offensively. He's learning himself and how to handle pitches. He's doing fine and making adjustments. He gets anxious at the plate and we're trying to get him to slow down and be patient. He'll look good for five days and then jump out of himself for two or three days."

* It was 120 years ago today that right-hander Icebox Chamberlain pitched for the Louisville Colonels against the Kansas City Cowboys. He had a 12-run lead so he pitched the last two innings left-handed. He did not give up a run.

The Rangers are designated first baseman Ben Broussard for assignment and activating third baseman Travis Metcalf off the disabled list. Broussard lost his job at first base to Frank Catalanotto... More on the websire

Shortstop Michael Young is out of Friday's lineup with a strained left hip flexor. The Rangers are hoping he can play Friday against the Athletics. He is available in case of an emergency.

Pitcher John Patterson has been shut down in extended Spring Training because of a sore arm. He has been sent back to Dallas to be examined. More on the website.

Welcome to Monday Morning Manager, where we celebrate Cinco de Mayo by offering up this All-Star team of players born in Mexico.

C Alex Trevino

1B - Erubiel Durazo

2B - Bobby Avila

SS - Ruben Amaro

3B Aurelio Rodriguez

DH - Vinny Castilla

OF - Karim Garcia

OF - Jorge Orta

OF - Mel Almada

Pitchers: Fernando Valenzuela; Esteban Loaiza; Ismael Valdez; Teddy Higuera; Aurelio Lopez.

1. What's your take on the Rangers winning six of their last nine games?

2. Who should be the Rangers fifth starter: A.J. Murray or Scott Feldman

3. Who should be the regular first baseman: Chris Shelton or Ben Broussard?

4. Who should play every day: Frank Catalanotto or Brandon Boggs?

5. Who should play every day: Gerald Laird or Jarrod Saltalamacchia?

"I would like to take the great DiMaggio fishing, the old man said. They say his father was a fisherman. Maybe he was as poor as we are and would understand."
Ernest Hemingway in The Old Man and the Sea, which was awarded the Pulitzer Prize 55 years ago today.

Any dog can crunch some numbers

The RBI: Bill James is smartest than the rest of us. The TV show 60 Minutes said so as much a few weeks ago and how can a dog argue with Mike Wallace, Morley Safer and Andy Rooney.

James, of course, is the statistical guru who revolutionized baseball by crunching numbers and showing that the wisdom of the ages was totally wrong. Since the Red Sox have won two World Series since he showed up in Boston is further proof of his genius.

RBI are out, according to James, and it's all about on-base percentage, secondary average, power speed number, OPS and Win Shares. James is the one who said that Juan Gonzalez did not deserve his two MVP awards with the Rangers because there was too much traditional emphasis on RBI and not on other good stuff.

How silly of the great unwashed but how were we to know. Moneyball had not been published yet.

Look, we all know that it's about starting pitching, the Rangers have proved that over and over again and Rick Helling, Ken Hill, Aaron Sele and John Burkett have been as important to this franchise as anybody even though they won't ever be inducted into the Rangers Hall of Fame.

But allow a dog to have the audacity of challenging the Great One's theories.

The single most important offensive statistic in baseball is hitting with runners in scoring position. It's not any more complicated than that.

The Rangers hit .173 with runners in scoring position during their seven-game losing streak. They have hit .352 in their last eight games and have won six of those.

The runners are going to get on base. The opposing pitcher will see to that. Some offensive players will get on base more than others and the value of that can't be denied. But it's all about getting them home and any Red Sox numbers cruncher is going to look like a genius when David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez are hitting 3-4 in a lineup.

But nobody was better at getting them home than Juan Gonzalez when he was at his best. Will Clark and Rusty Greer were pretty good at it too and Michael Young has proven time and time again his ability to hit with runners in scoring position.

Pitching and defense are important, no doubt about it. But without spending a lot of time in a San Francisco hotel crunching numbers, experience says most close games are determined by which team is better at getting runners home.

The RBI still lives as an important number and if Nate Gold is going to drive in 103 runs in two straight Minor League seasons then somebody ought to be paying attention.

The Oracle of the Elysian Fields
If we were 51/2 games out on Sept 1st, people would be saying we're in it. But in May if you're 51/2 games out, people say the ship is sinking. I don't get it."
Shortstop Michael Young.

Toby's Top Five
1. Ramon Vazquez - The Rangers utility infielder continues to prove his quiet worth. He is 8-for-21 over the Rangers last eight games while helping ease the loss of Hank Blalock.
2. Brandon Boggs - A .438 batting average in his first week in the Major Leagues is pretty good.
3. Micah Owings - You have to like a pitcher who is asked to pinch-hit and hits a game-tying two-run home run
4. Brandon Webb - Anybody interested in knowing that the Rangers took Nick Masset five picks ahead of Webb in the eighth round of the 2000 draft. Dontrelle Willis also went in the eighth round this year. Six pitchers taken by the Rangers before Willis and Webb: Chad Hawkins, Randy Truselo, Christopher Russ, Gregory Runser, Matt Meisenheimer and Virgil Vasquez. They did take A.J. Murray in the 19th round.
5. Los Angeles Dodgers - Even hotter than the Rangers.

Ex-Ranger of the Week:
  Julio Franco has announced his retirement. Finally. Apparently he was playing for the Quintana Roo Tigers in the Mexican League this spring and told his team last week that he was retiring. He is 49 and played 23 years. He is the oldest player to ever hit a home run in a Major League game and the first of three Rangers to ever be named Most Valuable Player in the All-Star Game. His .341 batting average as the A.L. batting champ in 1991 is still the highest in Rangers history.

Pitching matchup of the Week:
Wednesday at Safeco Field: Vicente Padilla vs., Erik Bedard. That ought to be a good one.

Birthdays: Ben Grieve turns 32 today, still living in Dallas but still retired.

On Tuesday the greatest living baseball player of all-time turns 77. I saw him play in person just once in the first ever Major League game I ever saw: Game 1 of the 1971 National League Championship Series between the Giants and the Pirates. He doubled down the right field line.

Willie Mays.

Anniversary:
It was on May 5, 2000 that the Rangers overcame an eight-run deficit to defeat the Athletics 17-16. It's the largest comeback in Rangers history.

Last call:
"[Ron Washington] is irreplaceable, no matter what kind of team you have. That doesn't mean the [coaches] here haven't done a great job, but Wash would make any team better. He's the best teacher I've ever seen, and his personality and work ethic are infectious."
Athletics second baseman Mark Ellis.

Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton has been named American League Player of the Month. He hit .330 with six home runs and 32 RBI. That's quite an accomplishment considering the Rangers record. More on the website

Welcome to the Elysian Fields Bar & Grill, where a cold one always awaits Avery Johnson.

* Nolan Ryan on Rangers owner Tom Hicks: "I've always said the owner is the owner, and whatever the owner wants is what is going to happen. But Tom has always tried to distance himself to a degree from the ballclub. He has left the responsibility to (Jon Daniels) and myself to set the direction more."

* When Juan Gonzalez set the Rangers club record with 158 RBI in 1998, he had one RBI for every 3.86 at-bats. Josh Hamilton has an RBI for every 3.69 at-bats this year. That's would be the highest ratio in club history.

* Actually Gonzalez's RBI rate in 1998 was only the fourth best in club history. He was better in 1996 when he had an RBI every 3.76 at-bats. Rafael Palmeiro had one every 3.82 at-bats in 1999.

* President Grover Cleveland: "What do you imagine the American people would think of me if I wasted my time going to the ballgame."

* Oakland pitcher Chad Gaudin on Frank Thomas' first triple in six years: "That was priceless. I don't think I saw him beat one out in 2006, much less triple. He told me a couple of days ago, 'I can run now,' and I said, 'Really? After 15 years, all of a sudden you can run now?' It's impressive."

* The Athletics have had 17 20-win seasons since 1971. The Rangers have had three. The Athletics have had nine different pitchers win 20 games. Again the Rangers had just three.

* Babe Ruth, 60 years ago: "Ball players should get all they can in the way of salaries from their bosses and there should be no ceiling on salaries."

* Rangers first basemen hit .176 in April with a .324 slugging percentage. Both were the lowest in the league. Next were .188 (Tampa Bay) and .347 (Kansas City). They also have 12 RBI in 30 games. Rangers first basemen have driven in at least 93 per season every year since the 1994-95 strike.

* Yes it was on this date in 1939 that Lou Gehrig took himself out of the lineup after playing in 2,130 consecutive games. Nine years prior to that, Indians shortstop Joe Sewell took himself out of the lineup with a fever of 102 degrees. He had played in 1,103 straight games and was actually ahead of Gehrig.

* Of course you know on that same May 2, 1930, the first night game was played under permanent lights. It was a Minor League game in Des Moines, Iowa. About 12,000 showed up for the Depression-era game instead of the usual 600 or so.

* Just for the heck of it: Bob Tewksbury.

* Brewers manager Ned Yost on struggling infielder Rickie Weeks: "I couldn't care less about the numbers. If I didn't know, I'd think he's hitting .270, .280. The loud outs and loud base hits stick in your mind much more than the quiet ones."

* Blue Jays pitcher Roy Halladay has lost three straight complete games. Tigers pitcher Mickey Lolich lost seven straight complete games in 1975.

* What Halladay has done has happened twice in Rangers history. Gaylord Perry lost three straight complete games in 1976 and Jon Matlack lost three straight in 1978.

* You also saw that Diamondbacks pitcher Brandon Webb has won his first six games. The last Ranger to win his first six games of the season was Rick Helling in 1998. He finished with 20 wins overall. Kevin Brown won five straight to start the 1990 season but finished with just 12.

* Angels third baseman Brandon Wood on shortstop Erick Aybar: "I just call him Web Gem."

* Remember Ted Cox, an infielder for the Red Sox in 1977? Me neither. But he holds the Major League record with six straight hits in his first six Major League at-bats. Brandon Boggs fell two short of matching that.