Saturday a.m. stuff

by Adam J. Morris on Apr 4, 2009 8:51 AM CDT

Rangers beat the Royals in Frisco last night. Vicente Padilla left after only two innings with forearm stiffness, but says that he'll be fine and will make his next start.

Ron Washington has set the rotation, and Brandon McCarthy will be the #3 starter and Kris Benson the #4 starter. This is, Washington says, because Benson is better able to handle the "hoopla" surrounding Opening Day (the 4th starter's spot in the rotation is Detroit's home opener), and he wants to control McCarthy's adrenaline.

Jeff Wilson writes that the Rangers 25 man roster is balanced and well put together.

Wilson also has a Q&A up with Nolan Ryan, talking about the conditioning program that has been implemented, and writes about Kevin Millwood being a particular target of Ryan's emphasis on conditioning.

Jim Reeves says Tom Hicks has figured out that pitching is what is important.

Gary West says that there is a feeling of optimism around the team, and hits on the main reason to believe the 2009 Rangers will be better:

Most of all, though, the Rangers will be better simply because their pitching can’t be any worse.

The Rangers have Frankie Francisco and C.J. Wilson as the closer and primary 8th inning guy, and both pitchers are looking good and ready to turn games into 7 inning affairs.

Richard Durrett looks at the COF situation for the Rangers, and the mix of Byrd, Murphy and Cruz the Rangers are going to be rolling with for at least the first half of the season.

And we have more details on Tom Hicks' loan default...Hicks says that this is no big deal, that he just wants to get the banks' attention so that they can work on some things, and that his desire to get minority investors in (that was announced earlier this week) is so that he can have funds to pay off the banks.

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Nice win last night.

BMac with 4 solid innings in relief, Cruz doubles twice, Jennings has a solid inning, DaMurph & Jones with 2 RBI each.

"...my balls are really like a veiny flesh color" blueballlefty on Jun 4, 2008 7:44 PM EDT
"you gonna lose your horse. seriously." FX2
Yes we can! November 04, 2008

by Rodney on Apr 4, 2009 9:03 AM CDT reply actions

I had a nice night last night too

New ink. I posted it as a fan shot :)

-- Micah
Baseball Is My Boyfriend
I want to be the next Annie Savoy.

by The Best Micah on Apr 4, 2009 9:20 AM CDT up reply actions

It was a sucky day.

I didn’t eat all day, and didn’t finish working until after 7pm…but it was a nice win.

"...my balls are really like a veiny flesh color" blueballlefty on Jun 4, 2008 7:44 PM EDT
"you gonna lose your horse. seriously." FX2
Yes we can! November 04, 2008

by Rodney on Apr 4, 2009 9:39 AM CDT up reply actions

any got mccarthys pitch count from last night?

i couldnt find it posted.
he seemed to nibble a little at times, but i think he was getting squeezed some too, but greinke was getting a generous zone

"I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it." - Mitch Hedberg

by rentz on Apr 4, 2009 9:22 AM CDT reply actions

Not to start the day off on a negative, BUT I've gotta say it.....

…..Ol’ Tom Hicks is one hell of a negotiator!!

There is nothing more effective in negotiating that not making a payment, to what you agreed to with your lender, and then state publicly that it’s no big deal and that you were just trying to get the the lender’s attention.

No “times are tough for me right now, so can we please work out another deal” type of statement? Nah, just the old negotiating ploy of “I really don’t like the deal we entered to anymore, so I didn’t pay you on purpose. Did that get your attention?” trick.

I guess I just feel he should not have said a word publicly, and never should be the lead negotiator or spokesperson for his negotiating team.

I miss 1989. I miss 1996. Please make me miss another season in 2008.

by Chaim Witz on Apr 4, 2009 9:26 AM CDT reply actions

Did you know...

that the ultra rich live on a different planet than the rest of us?

by Redcaps on Apr 4, 2009 9:32 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs

Yes

…and everytime he speaks, I get closer and closer to understanding why the mother-ship has never bothered to come pick his ass back up!

I miss 1989. I miss 1996. Please make me miss another season in 2008.

by Chaim Witz on Apr 4, 2009 9:42 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs

Exactly

When I see a solar eclipse I think "oh no, is the moon eating the sun?"

by Pocket Ninja on Apr 4, 2009 9:44 AM CDT up reply actions

I wish people would quit saying that the Rangers pitching "can't get any worse"

When I see a solar eclipse I think "oh no, is the moon eating the sun?"

by Pocket Ninja on Apr 4, 2009 9:45 AM CDT reply actions

Yeah. Sounds like a jinx.

JD: Adamant about 78 wins in 2009. Go Rangers!

by rooster on Apr 4, 2009 10:45 AM CDT up reply actions

Well its pretty hard to top the crap they did last year

By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.
-The Outlaw

by Gdawg on Apr 4, 2009 12:07 PM CDT up reply actions

That's what I thought after '07.

by oc on Apr 4, 2009 6:49 PM CDT up reply actions

07 was bad

But they were still near other teams in the runs allowed department and were from the worst in the league. Last year, they were in a league of their own in runs allowed.

By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.
-The Outlaw

by Gdawg on Apr 4, 2009 7:27 PM CDT up reply actions

The best sign of optimism about the Rangers, IMO, is the lack

of Grandpa Urine articles blasting away at the team’s chances.

I don’t know what to make of Reeves. He at least has been consistent in his argument. The day Buck was fired it was Reeves who was all over the Rangers brass about the problem not being the manager but instead the lack of pitching. I think the thing that surprises me is that he seems somewhat placated by the pitching depth accrued in the minors. I would expect a less patient attitude from a columnist and one that is less forgiving about the current state of the pitching staff.

JD: Adamant about 78 wins in 2009. Go Rangers!

by rooster on Apr 4, 2009 10:49 AM CDT reply actions

Is opening day for another team really that big a deal?

Not that I really think rotation order is, either.

And That Happened: Sports with a Hint of Sarcasm

by philkid3 on Apr 4, 2009 11:05 AM CDT reply actions

Yeah it is

Besides Boston and NY for most teams its one of their only sellouts of the season. You have all the pregame activities and the like. Its a different atmosphere than your normal night game in May or June

Bryan Smith (12:17:17 PM PT): Justin Smoak and Josh Hamilton. The AL West might just have found their Bash Brothers, v. 2.0.

by bigsteve on Apr 4, 2009 11:38 AM CDT up reply actions

I have trouble believing that's really going to make that huge a difference.

And That Happened: Sports with a Hint of Sarcasm

by philkid3 on Apr 4, 2009 3:42 PM CDT up reply actions

OMG Red Sox nation is out of control..

I just ordered a couple tickets for a June Ranger game at Fenway. I had to pick through the remaining few seats available for the whole 3 game series, good thing I didn’t wait til the last minute.

Josh Hamilton puts his pants on one leg at a time just like you but once he gets his pants on he hits baseballs 420 feet.

by BigGuns on Apr 4, 2009 11:58 AM CDT reply actions