Friday Happy Hour at the Elysian Fields Bar & Grill
* Welcome to the Elysian Fields Bar & Grill, where beer may not be considered a virtue but loyalty is not considered a vice.
* Hank Blalock, on the disabled list with a strained right shoulder, is hoping to be activated next week without going to the Minor Leagues on a medical rehabilitation assignment: "I don't see why not. My swing feels good, I feel strong and my body feels good. If they ask me, I'll tell them I'm ready to go."
* Joaquin Benoit on being activated off the disabled list after pitching on a rehab assignment: "I feel good and I was getting out the people I was supposed to get out. This season has not been like anybody expected, not doing anything to help the team. But if I keep throwing the way I was down there, I'm ready to get people out."
* Rangers shortstop Michael Young; "Every day the rest of this season is going to be a test of our resiliency."
* The Rangers have won 12 of their last 14 one-run games and are 23-12 in one-run games this season. Only the Brewers (22-10) have a better record in one-run games.
* Darren Oliver is the only Rangers pitcher to beat the Yankees twice in a single season since both Bobby Witt and Ken Hill did it in 1996.
* Royals pitcher Gil Meche still collects baseball cards. Has between 30,000 and 40,000 total, more than half still in their original seals. His favorite is his own rookie card.
* Former Rangers infielder Mark DeRosa on current Cubs teammate Alfonso Soriano: "He changes the game with one swing. He's one of the big superstars in the game. He loosens us up as a team with his charisma and character in the dugout. He's a huge part of who we are, and I don't want to say he's our sparkplug, because he bombs the ball out of the park. But at the same time, he gets us going."
* It was 75 years ago today that Cubs president William Veeck - father of Bill Veeck - proposed a series of Interleague games. Baseball was fighting dwindling crowds during the Depression but still rejected the idea.
* Charley Pride's last attempt at playing Major League Baseball was in 1962 when he tried out for the expansion Mets, managed by Casey Stengel. Pride was throwing a knuckleball at time. Said Pride, "They lost 120 games and Casey still wouldn't even look at me."
* Just for the heck of it: Cliff Johnson.
* President Harry S. Truman: "I couldn't see well enough to play when I was a boy, so they gave me a special job: they made me the umpire."
* You know Bob Hope was almost the Rangers owner. Well, the Senators. Tried to buy them in the late 60's but lost out to another group. Said Hope, "That's a lot of money to pay for comedy material."
* Bowie Kuhn later tried to resurrect Hope's interest and keep Bob Short from moving them to Texas. Hope wasn't interest.
* On Aug. 8, 1913, Minneapolis finally beats Indianapolis, 11-2. So? On April 25, the game was stopped with the scored 1-1 due to rain. They picked it up again June 15 but the game was still tied after nine innings because of darkness, and then on August 7 after 13 innings darkness again halted the game with the score 2-2.
* The 2008 Dr Pepper Texas Rangers Alumni Legacy Luncheon will be held Friday, August 15 at the Arlington Convention Center. The luncheon features a roundtable discussion including Hall of Famers Nolan Ryan, Ferguson Jenkins, and Paul Molitor with Rangers Hall of Famers Jim Sundberg, Charlie Hough, and John Wetteland. Special guest, Clay Council, Josh Hamilton's All-Star Home Run Derby pitcher will share his All-Star experience and coaching Josh for so many years. Tickets are $50 each and available at texasrangers.com/luncheon.
Speaking of eyesight..... Don't mean to whine, but poor eyesight was apparently a prerequisite to be a part of the umpiring crew that just called the Rangers-Yankees series. Absolutely terrible.
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Hey, the umpiring was very bad. But one good thing did come out of it, Ron Washington came out there was ticked and got his butt thrown out of a game. I believe this is one of the games that they won. Glad to see some fire from Washington, the guy is learning how to manage and appears to have earned a chance for next year. It is the first time that i have seen where the guy appeared to really be upset, the other times he went out there he looked lost almost like well i better go out there and say and do something..... Hey the Rangers are an exciting team, BUT, don't buy into the race for the wildcard that is being sold by the Marketing Team...We are 4 games over .500 folks @ .517. If the season ended today, Angels, Rays, White Sox and Red Sox win out. Twins @.553 and Yankees @.548 are ahead of us. The bottom line is we have to catch the Red Sox not the Twins and not the Yankees. Red Sox at 66-49, Rangers @ 60-56. Red Sox have a 7 game lead on us. Not to be the bearer of bad news but we aren't going to make up a 7 game lead on the Red Sox, not with 46 games to play. But that leads me to this, IF the MARKETING TEAM can see what an advantage it is to have a team competing for the playoffs, (what an easier sell it is), then why can't Tom Hicks? I still feel we are playing for 2010, but i have to ask this question? Who is on this starting staff next year? Millwood, Padilla, then who else? I love what is transpiring, because it is really proving up that this team isn't that far off and IT IS TRULY ALL ABOUT THE PITCHING. But hey DANIELS don't go crazy and trade all of our pitching prospects!!!!!!! Which leads to this next question, just who and whom are in our next wave of young pitchers who will be rushed up here?
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Have to include Feldman on any list of starting pitchers for next year.......Havent seen harrison enough to have any opinion about next year.
We'll know more about the slim playoff chances after this road trip. Too many crazy things have happened in baseball lately (last year with the Rockies and Mets) to say it is over yet....If the guys can go 5-1 on the trip, I would say that there is still some hope there but another .500 road trip would pretty much seal the deal.
I agree that the umpiring left something to be desired and that it was good to see Wash get fired up.
Good luck to mendoza tonight.
Get better Murph
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Feldman has to be a frontrunner for a spot assuming he’s here and healthy and Padilla’s and Millwood’s contracts dictate that they’ll be there too. You’d have to think that the last 2 spots would be up for grabs between McCarthy, Hurley, Harrison, and Hunter with Gabbard and Mendoza being dark horses. I like those last 2 out of the bullpen as opposed to in the rotation, but if Mendoza finishes strong he’ll have to be right in the mix with those other guys. Not sure about Murray’s health situation, but he’s probably not going to be seen as a starter anymore. Nippert may still be here. I’m sure they’ll offer a bunch of money to C.C. Sabathia who will end up shunning the towering inferno that is Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.
As far as pitchers on the horizon, Feliz is at Frisco right now, but he’s still going to be only 20 years old when next season starts so I’m sure they’re going to be very careful with him. Derek Holland and Kasey Kiker should see Frisco next year even if they don’t start the season there. Relievers Beau Jones, Andrew Laughter and Brennen Garr are at Frisco right now.
In the low minors you’ve got Richard Bleier, Tim Murphy, Michael Main, Blake Beaven, Neil Ramirez, Kennil Gomez, Omar Poveda, Fabio Castillo, Zack Phillips, Wilfredo Boscan, Carlos Pimentel, Martin Perez, Tanner Roark…………. Of course injuries and attrition will prevent most of these guys from reaching the big leagues or being impact players if they do, but he sheer number of legit prospects down there is something special.
“But that leads me to this, IF the MARKETING TEAM can see what an advantage it is to have a team competing for the playoffs, (what an easier sell it is), then why can't Tom Hicks?” – He can’t. He’s an idiot. He’s made a gozillion dollars based of his fundamental lack of intelligence. OK, real answer is that I think he’s learned his lesson. Leave the baseball decisions to the baseball people and try to build long term from within instead of patchwork quick fixes that don’t work because you overestimate how close you are to true contention. I think the organization has a completely different philosophy than they did as recently as 2 years ago in that regard. It’s about time. The Mark Teixeira trade accelerated the process. I just hope they stick with it.
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