April Fool's Morning Texas Rangers Update - There Was a Game Yesterday?

"Oh, was that Opening Day loss to the Astros embarrassing? Sorry. Let me make that up to you. Here's Elvis Andrus for a decade." - Jon Daniels, 2013

What a manic evening. There was the highs of a brand new season. There was the lows of Derek Lowe and getting trounced by a bad Houston team on national television. But before we could ruminate too much on the terrible way the season began, there was the unmappable cosmos of reading Ken Rosenthal tweet (BBTIA link, because welcome back Joey Matches) that Elvis was close to re-upping for basically the rest of his baseball life.

This was all wrapped up together in a bow tie of worry that Rosenthal may have become the meanest person alive while celebrating this holiday for the tricksy. Maybe it not being an April Fool's Day joke was JD's April Fool's Day joke.

Still, the first thing I did when I woke up was check to make sure I hadn't dreamed this bizarre Opening Day scenario.

Here's Rosenthal's initial report where he speculated that the deal was for $120 million and would replace Elvis' current two year deal for a total of eight years.

However, Jon Heyman, always resembling something like Scott Boras' media proxy, writes that the deal is done and will be announced this coming week. Heyman has the pact at eight years in addition to Elvis' current two-year deal for a grand total of 10 years and $131 million. Heyman also writes that the deal might include an opt-out clause.

So it looks like A Century of Elvis for the Rangers.

Jeff Wilson blogs that he's heard from one source that the deal is done pending a physical and from another source that an extension of eight years might be a sticking point in the negotiations but speculates that an opt-out clause might be included. An understatement: I'm curious to know more about this contract.

There was also a baseball game.

Todd Wills has the Rapid Reaction to the Rangers' 8-2 loss to the Houston Astros. It was a game that only a Joe Ortiz making his MLB debut will likely remember.

Wilson recaps the game and notes that this was the Rangers' first Opening Day loss since 2008.

T.R. Sullivan's game recap leads off with a quote from Andrus who had never experienced a Major League Opening Day loss before. Perhaps he's rethinking that whole contract extension thing now.

Behind the DMN Paywall, Gerry Fraley writes that maybe the Rangers should stop putting Matt Harrison in big game situations.

Drew Davison writes about Harrison's night being a strange one that included Harrison collecting a career high nine strikeouts but also walking three guys who all scored.

Tim Cowlishaw writes an article about the Opening Day loss that begins:

A winning start guarantees nothing. It's a long haul, and this was merely the first step.
Having said that.

And then the rest is paywall'd. But really, that's right about where I would stop reading anyway.

Anthony Andro writes that the Astros are the kings of baseball for one evening before they begin their slog toward months and months of being terrible.

JJT writes that the Bullpenis could possibly be a mess. I would discuss the details of the bullpen usage from last night but it's too depressing on Elvis Day. It suffices to say that Derek Lowe was a surprise in the sixth inning of a then close game.

Speaking of the 'pen, Fraley notes that the Rangers may try Josh Lindblom out as a starter in Triple-A in a way that mirrors them putting Michael Kirkman in the rotation in Round Rock after his bad spring in 2012.

Randy Galloway writes about how the Opening Day April Fool's Day joke was on the Rangers (HA HA!) and how it was a "must-win game" in general awful-tier Galloway-isms.

Fraley writes of Leonys Martin saying he'll do Leonys Martin and Josh Hamilton can do Josh Hamilton.

Sullivan's Notebook covers Lance Berkman's thoughts on the whole being a Ranger and not an Astro thing, Martin's first Opening Day start in center, likewise, Mitch Morleland's first Opening Day start, and a slew of other items.

Lastly:

Thanks for liking us back, Elvis.