Thursday Morning Links

Want some game stories?

Jeff Wilson says that Nelson Cruz was making magic happen on both ends of the inning yesterday. T.R. Sullivan also notes Cruz's heroics and the fact that nine-hole hitters like to urinate all over Ranger pitchers' dates with destiny. Gerry Fraley says yesterday's game highlights the need for another trusted right handed reliever not named Derek Lowe. Eric Gilmore at ESPN Dallas has his rapid reactions and a post-game story focusing on Cruz's defensive heroics in the fifth.

Anthony Andro has an article about tonight being a showcase matchup of two of the best pitchers in the American League, one of whom is a Ranger.

Randy Galloway also wants to get in on the ace-vs-ace pregame hype, so he takes the opportunity to use the Verlander / Darvish matchup as a framing device for a simpler time when men were men and pitchers threw until confetti spewed out of their elbows like the gayest float at Mardi Gras.

T.R. Sullivan has a Verlander / Darvish preview piece that isn't just a bunch of senile Nolan Ryan worship, but who wants to read that crap?

Richard Justice says that the Ranges and the Cardinals are model organizations who let star players leave for their rightful place as a millstones around the neck of the freespending Angels.

Regarding Tuesday's... um, exciting save, Ron Washington and Joe Nathan crawl from a smoking crater to announce "any landing you walk away from is a good one."

Jeff Wilson has a notes column where we learn that Mitch Moreland is likely heading back to lineup gulag once Pierzynski comes back, and that help is on the way for Joe Nathan in the form of Joakim Soria... oh, wait, he's strained his pectoral muscle. So help is on the way from Scott Richmond, recently signed to a minor league deal... oh, wait, Scott Richmond sucks. So I guess help is on the way for Joe Nathan in the form of Robbie Ross and Tanner Scheppers until Corporal Hicks yells "Wash, you've blown the transaxle, you're just grinding metal!"

T.R. Sullivan has a notes column also noting the magical month of Mitch Moreland, Tanner Scheppers looking good, and Pierzysnki aiming to be activated Tuesday.

Eric Gilmore sings a few stanzas of Mitch Moreland Was a Steel-Drivin' Man, though I maintain that Jeff "The Sword of Damocles" Baker deserves at least half the credit for Mitch being born again hard.

Finally, the Kepler space telescope has been struck by the red ring of death. Damn you, Microsoft!