Went to the Missions/Hooks game last night.  Free tickets from little sis.  Not much to report about the game but after the game we grabbed a beer and some wings with one of the Hooks.  I was giving him crap about giving Frisco a hard time and he said the oddest thing.  He said no way Elvis is as young as he says he is.  I said "how's that?"

He said after one of the games this past weekend a few of the guys from both teams went out for beers.  Elvis was there, bellied up to the bar, showed an ID, and got a beer.  They started giving him crap about it, asking whether he used his passport or a fake and he said," No I am really 21" and something to the extent of you know how we do it down there.

I didn't press the subject or talk about it any further with him.  I just find it odd that I mentioned I follow Frisco and that was the first thing he chose to mention. 

Anyway, thought ya'll would want to know.

I know, I know be wary of small sample sizes.  I get it.  But sometimes you can
pick up consistencies before patterns and I've seen 2 things enough to think it won't
change with a larger sample size.

Plate discipline.
I have never seen a Ranger team work pitchers like they have the first 6 games. I
found a preconceived notion that kept coming up every time top of the inning.  I assumed
I could walk away from the TV if they reached an 0-2 count.  The only person I watched
passed a 0-2 count regularly before was Michael Young.  After 3 games, I started staying
in my seat even if I needed to throw a leak.  By FAR FAR FAR the best I've ever seen a Ranger
team collectively work pitchers.  They seem committed as an entire team to this as much as I've
seen any major league team.  I believe this will be worth 10-15 games this year as they
continue past the small sample size through the entire season.  I think most of these wins
will come against 4th or 5th starters.

Quality Pitching
I watched Gabbard pound strikes with junk low in the zone.  I watched Milwood's opposition
at the plate give the look like they just got bested by somebody.  Padilla throw heat and
not melt down after a few misfortunes.  Jennings go after hitters down a few runs and most likely to
get the  L a few innings later.  Benoit/Blue Glove doing what they do. The Electician mopping up
like the janitor at school we all loved that always had a story. 

Guys, this is baseball at its best and the bar just got raised for my expectations this season.
Thanks.

http://www3.earthhourus.org/

I'm headed to the Austin Wrangler game but will be unplugging before I leave.

Here's another link for home owners that want to be green and save a buck at the same time:

http://greenswitch.tv/

Remember when the Mav's were the laughing stock of the NBA?  When free agents spurned them and the only use in them negotiating with the Mav's was to up the deal somewhere else?  The ranger's franchise has always had a hard time getting good starting pitchers to come because of the heat and the park.  Milwood was an exception.  

But now hitters????

With the evolution of the $10M+/yr contract,
multi-year deals, and more teams willing to give these type contracts, we can only assume its going to get worse.  The value of prospects have risen to the point where if you want to go out and grab an impact bat via trade you are going to give up 3-5 of them.  The off season is not over but we are no closer to being competitive in 2009 then we were when we started, so in my mind, we took a step back.  

Unfortunately, I joined many of you in thinking 2010 at the earliest.  That realization sucked.  I'd really like to hear an interview with JD that revisits managements "its looking more like 2009" take on current situation and explain to us how we are going to pull that off.  I didn't expect much, just a glimpse that we are headed in the right direction.  

Not signing someone to a bad contract was not what I was looking for.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3104347

Randy Chrystal is aurguably the best white hat in college football.  He has been chosen to do the BCS championship multiple times.  According to Leach, he was partial to UT because he lives in Austin.  I know Randy personally and there is no way in hell he doesn't call the games by the book.  If Leach needs something to blame that loss on he needs to look in the mirror, his defenses have been some of the worst in college football during his tenure.

Adam is going to love this one:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/baseball/mlb/10/29/bp.alwest/1.html

What position does Sammy play?  I cant remember the last time I've seen a slap in the face to a current player like that one.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

So his option wasn't picked up.  Any thoughts on him as possible LF or RF solution?  I agree with the brewers, $9M for .255/21 HR production is steep but does anyone think he will get $9M somewhere else?  What's a good deal for this guy?

2 yr / $12?

Food for thought:

Marlon Byrd
AVG .307 | HR 10 | RBI 70 | OBP .355 | SLG .459

Torii Hunter
AVG .287 | HR 28 | RBI 107 | OBP .334 | SLG .505

Geoff Jenkins
AVG .255 | HR 21 | RBI 64 | OBP .319 | SLG .471

I really have a feeling that after this off-season we are going to have some upset LSB posters.  I just dont think we have a solid solution in house to solve our outfield problem by 2009.  We are all in agreement that the free agent market is crap this year and the playoffs have illustrated payroll doesn't buy post-season wins.  

What I'm suggesting is this:  I don't think JD sits on his hands because the market sucks.  I think one of the outfield holes gets filled with a young stud (like a Salty)that many think we give up to much for.  

Benoit and Laird are the obvious candidates on the major league roster but won't be the additions that make another team pull the trigger on trading away good young talent.  I'm looking at dirk's prospect list and I'm seeing a lot of RHP's and LHP's being mentioned.  I'm betting 1, possibly 2 of those are gone by the time spring training rolls around.  Maybe one of the catchers too.

My reasoning is this: If the front office wasn't blowing sunshine up our butts when they threw out the year 2009, they cant possibly think that our internal candidates and 08 free agents are going to help us put a team out there that can contend .  We have to have better production in the outfield and I see this as our biggest issue if our pitching prospects mature like I think they will.  I have no problem with Cat platooning but he should be the 4th best OFer on the team, not tied with everyone for last.  

Its not hard seeing the infield being a strength in 09.  Hopefully, $, we will be able to keep in tact the bullpen.  The starters, well, they are their own discussion but I do think 09 might treat us well.

I'm interested in ya'lls thoughts on what plans need to be made to contend in 09 and what reasons you think that date is or isn't a possibility?

have been pretty week lately.  Thought I'd throw a couple discussion topics out there and see if anyone had anthing:

Grant wrote that Oates was a percentage guy, Wash is a feel guy.  Do you think Ranger fans will accept a "feel" guy if we are winning/not winning?  Especially if it comes down to missing the playoffs or a series because Wash had the wrong gut feeling?  Or do you think he adapts?

With this latest stretch run or wins do you think its because we are starting to put it all together or do you think the sun shines on a dog's ass every once and awhile and we are catching the beems?

What guys do you think have the best shot at being the big suprise out of spring training and making the team?

Who would be mad if we made little or no roster changes after the season and brought all the young guys back?  Who should we dump?

Was last night not the silliest crap you have every seen?  What % of the viewership did they think wanted to see Josh running around being a dumbass?  

I really think having Tom Grieve there is a neccesity and I like his insight when Josh allows him to talk.  But I challenge the network or the powers that be change the format.

I really like what they are doing tonight and hope its a success.  We live in an internet world and having interaction with a fanbase during the game is the future.  I swear I've noticed topics on the gameday threads come up an hour later on-air.  

I propose putting on a guy like adam to bring the internet interaction into the broadcast booth.  I also think the booth needs a stat/video guy that can show me the pitcher against and how he pitches against us.  Tell me what we did to get Thome out when he's going on a tear.  Same with Vlad.  I'm sick of hearing how this guy is unstoppable against us because thats easier information to provide.  I'd rather have information like Padilla got him out twice by getting 2 strikes then pitching him low and away.

I know this is the format that worked for Harry Carry and WGN.  But after last night, I think its really past time to change to something new.  Getting JD on with an online chat is a good start.