Friday Happy Hour at the Elysian Fields Bar & Grill
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.
Hey T.R.-
Do you think the Rangers have thought about moving Nelson Cruz to first base for one last shot? Seems like the OF situation is crowded at best. I just have a problem not giving him ONE more chance seeing that he's doing his usual tormenting of AAA pitching. Plus he's improved his speed game and his k vs. bb ratios...
Thoughts?
Have a good one!
Ryan A
http://bigleaguehair.mlblogs.com
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T.R., the team from north Texas is in for a rude awakening. Berkman, Lee, Tejada, Pence.......GULP! A dose of reality is coming to our pitchers. They haven't faced hitters like these since they played the Red Sox and Tigers. Does anyone remember those two series? Ron Washington, get some extra Maalox. Bullpen pitchers, you will be busy. I'm prepared for the worst. Hopefully, I'm wrong.
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This team is playing competitive baseball. It is more than we can ask for. I find it funny and/or ironic that the team started playing better once they brought up Mr. Boggs and Mr. Duran. Mathis has looked great in his outings. Things are looking up. I still don't understand why Mr. Botts wasn't allowed to play first base? I still don't understand why we called Salt up to sit on the bench. Doesn't he have to at least play first base and or DH? We it really hurt his development at catcher if he plays first base? Hey Hamilton is the best overall player this franchise has ever had. That never was the question. Their are no guarantees in life and i just hope that Ham really had that live changing event and can stay clean. But, how many here really believe that if he has an MVP season, that we will be able to afford him? How long before he is traded? I still think he will be moved to right field eventually to save his bat and his legs. Still would like to know who said that Volquez was an end of a rotation type of guy. Yeah the front end 6-1, league leader in ERA and strikeouts. Ham is great, where would we be without him. But it is all about the pitching. I just want us to stop trading our young pitchers. Give them a chance to develop here. It makes me sick watching Volquez, Danks, Young and others after all the time and money we spent on them. If the Rangers really wanted to fire Washington, they should have done it 2 weeks ago. Rumor has it they interviewed Baylor and Hargrove and were planning a change. Looks like now, that they won't be able to pull the plug without a player revolt.
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"Rumor has it..." I wonder just who starts these rumors?
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Last year, at the end of May the Rangers were 19 and 35. This year they reached 19 wins, 15 games ahead of last. Overall, I have been pleased with their progress but I am not too optimistic with the remaining three games at home and a tough ten game road trip, with teams that have been playing well. Last year the Rangers won only nine games in May. To date, they have won ten. I believe the next thirteen games will determine if this team is real or if in fact some changes may be forth coming. Time will tell.
Go Rangers!!!
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Yea,we got a dose of reality last night. The reality that this team is a lot better than some FANS think. The TEAM should revolt if they start in changing some of the things now. Teams are like jigsaw puzzle you find the right pieces you don't throw it all on the floor and start over.
Boggs was a piece that didn't fit so he is gone. If he is so great then why did not some other mastermind pick him up?
Reds, Padres, Yankees, Mariners, Detroit and some of the other bottom clubs? Maybe they saw the same thing the Rangers saw. I don't care if the pitchers we traded go 20-0.
Does everyone think Hamilton would be doing the same thing if he was still with the Reds? Some players try harder after they are traded than with their first team because they want to prove some people wrong. It is personal with them regardless what they tell reporters. They are HUMAN.
This team has something to prove and after they read how the Astros were such a great Nationl League team I think some of them took it personally.
I think a lot of the things we are seeing now has the imprint of Nolan Ryan on it. He is going about business just like when he was pitching. He is going to make money for the club but we have to win also to put fans in the seats to pay the bills. The fact we have a lot of fair weather fans, if we don't win they won't go. This has been stated by many on this site.
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Hey batty, Josh is a professed Christian. He is practicing his faith, if so, then isn't he required, as a part of his faith, to "bless those who persecute you." "Vengeance is mine sayeth the Lord." So what you are saying about him being angry about being traded is peepee caca. No one including myself, ever doubted his ability. It was his addiction issues. Hopefully he stays clean, that was and is my biggest concern. That and the fact that i don't like to trade good young pitchers. Volquez, if he keeps pitching the way he is, is a front end rotation guy. Who is ours now? I personally prefer to have the pitchers. Josh is going to go to right field eventually, he is a player, no doubt. But as Coco Cordero says, the Rangers can't afford to trade pitchers. Danks and Volquez would look pretty good right now, however, Feldman has pitched well, Mathis has pitched well in relief, i want to see him start. What happened to taking it slow with our pitchers. Mathis is up, are Hurley and Harrison far behind? I personally don't care if we win, as long as we play competitively, and develop some players for the future. It is exciting to watch Murphy, Boggs, Hamilton, Kinsler, and Salty. I would like to see Salty play first when he isn't catching. It is COUNTERPRODUCTIVE for him to sit on the bench up here. He needs at bats. If i were Caesar, then i would deal Cat and Millwood and keep the rest. Bring up Davis and maybe Mayberry.
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d(CEASAR) so glad that now you want to get rid of only 2 players, before it was about 10 guys. If Millwood went out and won 5 straight would you want to keep him?
I don't think I said anything about Hamilton being mad about being traded I said he maybe took it personally. As far as quoting scripture i believe more in "an eye for an eye'.
I know that now you are on RW's bandwagon because the reason we are winning is the managers doing as the reason we lose is the managers fault.
Every Day Eddie really has looked good. Comes in a throws strikes. Adds excitement to the late innings. Saturdays game is the first one I have stayed the whole game in along time. Sat with some really great Astro fans which made the ball game real fun. Got to trade info about their players and they have the same problems we have. You know they are still upset about the Ryan leaving. Guess SOME fans here will be upset with the Hamilton trade 15 years from now or some won't remember who he was traded for. More likely the later. Everyone needs to get over it. It is like the stock market you win some and you lose some.
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That comment from CJ is EXACTLY the type of thing you want to hear from your closer. They are going to blow saves (in this case, it wasn't even a save situation) but they can't dwell on failure. They need to be confident, if not cocky, so they will be ready the next time they get the ball.
http://hitlesswanderings.mlblogs.com/
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Hey batts, you are speaking of the old testament. Josh will tell you that the New Testament overrides the old. And Jesus, summed it up the best when he said, "Love your neighbor as yourself" or "Do unto others as you would have them do unto rule." Sometimes referred to as the "Golden Rule."
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d(GOD) you sound like a person that really follows that rule?
How do you know what Hamilton would tell me? O excuse me. I forgot you have all the inside info. I guess you got the message that RW is going to be here for a while as you have not be on the box calling for his ouster. Got that from Nolan last time you had lunch with him?
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