Lone Star Ball, a Texas Rangers community

"This was not a game the Angels lost. This was a game they gave away. Losing is something even the best teams force their fans to stomach 60 or more times a year. Giving away a game, and to a bunch of cow and cousin humpers, to a division rival, to the turdstompingest lowlife denizens of dirt roads down from Hicksville... it just makes you stand around and stare."

CL group stage draw date - August 25th League Cup draw date - August 27th The team schedules are about to fill up.

Found some local flava ... . CCU pitchers aren't expected to throw more than two innings each, and Myrtle Beach Pelicans general manager Scott Brown said Rangers pitchers may take up to four of CCU's innings on the mound at the end of the game if they have pitchers who they feel need work. Those pitchers would throw to a Rangers catcher. . Chuck Greenberg, who was part of the Rangers ownership group before leaving the organization earlier this month, will be at the game. . Here's a nice little preview video done by a local TV station there. Here's a pretty good overview of the Rangers' pharm philosophy by the local paper - lotsa quotes.

He's got a new book out about the rise of the Tampa Bay Rays. Long, decent read.

Here's another pitcher singing the praises of Brad Holman.

Kinda old ... from November. I'm about half-way thru - decent read. Snyder is really really upset at the author and the publishing co.

For most EPL teams, between now and Feb. 1st are a coupla EPL games and an FA Cup match. The Carling Cup Semis 2nd leg is in there, too. I guess the only notable PL match for the contenders is ManU visiting Blackpool for, I assume, a make-up game. Would squeeze the table some if Pool can nip a point in that match while everybody else holds form thru Feb 1st.