No, Nolan Ryan is not moving to Canada, but the Texas Rangers’ president and CEO, could have a presence in baseball’s return to the Canadian capital of Ottawa.

The Ottawa Sun is reporting, Ryan-Sanders Entertainment group is involved in negotiations for the Eastern League franchise that will begin play in Ottawa in 2014. The group currently runs two minor-league clubs: Triple-A Round Rock of the Rangers’ organization and Double-A Corpus Christi of the Houston organization. Nolan Ryan and his sons, Reid and Reese, are part of the group.

If the group takes control of the Ottawa franchise, it will not affect the Rangers’ and their relationship with Double-A Frisco. The Rangers in September extended their player-development contract with Frisco through the 2018 season. Ottawa would probably align itself with Toronto.

It’s tough when you have to compete against Nolan Ryan. (Via @StopTheWave)

Nothing is more infuriating than wasting a great pitching outing, and that’s just what the Rangers did tonight.  Yu Darvish was pretty great tonight, going 7 innings and striking out 11, matching his career high.  Unfortunately, Darvish gave up 3 runs over those 7 innings and the offense could only muster up a single run.

What’s even more frustrating is that we had TWO runners get picked off by tonight’s starter Blackley, one of which (Torrealba in the 3rd) probably would have resulted in a run, just one of MANY missed opportunities by the Rangers (who were 1-7 with runners in scoring position) in tonight’s game.

FINAL: Rangers 1, Athletics 3

Game Notes:

• Earlier Sunday, the All Star Teams were announced.  The Rangers had 7 players named to the team (3 starters):  Mike Napoli (starter), Adrian Beltre (starter), Josh Hamilton (starter), Joe Nathan, Matt Harrison, Elvis Andrus, and Ian Kinsler.  Rangers fans still have a chance to vote Yu Darvish in on the Final Vote, which ends July 5th.
• Prior to tonight’s game, Yu Darvish was 4th in AL in strikeouts.
• Napoli is only the 2nd catcher (the other was Pudge) in Rangers history to start an All Star Game.
• Craig Gentry had the 2nd highest batting average for the month of June (.455) in Rangers history.
• In the 6th, Craig Gentry ground rule double to lead off the inning (hit off Cespedes’ foot to go over the wall…probably would have been an inside the park home run…)
• David Murphy pinch hit for Gentry in the 8th. Can someone explain to me why Wash continually takes out his hottest hitter late in the game?
• This was Darvish’s 3rd straight 10+ strike out games at home.
• Nolan Ryan won the Texas Legends/Dot Race tonight and will go on to compete against the Nationals’ George Washington and a sausage from Milwaukee at the All Star Game.

Dear Mr. Daniels,

Let’s put this bluntly. You are the freaking MAN. Seriously. I can’t come up with a better way to describe you. You are simply the MAN when it comes to baseball.

Ok, now that’s been said, let’s start from the beginning and I’ll explain. After a Cornell education, you started your career with the Colorado Rockies as an intern.

You came to the Texas Rangers in 2004 as an assistant director of baseball operations. When Hart left in 2005, you were promoted to general manager at the ripe old age of 28. Wait…. what?

You were, and still are the youngest GM in Major League history. There has to be something said for that. That’s amazing. I would have killed for that job at 28. Hell, I would kill for that job now.

» Continue reading “Texas Rangers: Love Letter To Jon Daniels”

It’s Texas Rangers opening day! Let that sink in…

I love opening day. I love it so hard. And I was so nervous for the season to begin. I was like a little girl opening a Christmas present and received her first Texas Rangers hat.

WARNING…this post may be long, but I was excited dammit. Get over it. On to the game action…

After missing the first pitch, thank you Fox Sports South West, the always solid Colby Lewis took the mound against the Chicago White Sox and displayed an even-keel approach to pitching. On a beautiful day at the ballpark with the temperature coming in at a Texas 75 degrees and a slight breeze, Mr. Lewis performed admirably in the first.

Although he did allow a White Sox spare to get on base with a single, the Cobra Snake struck out the next hitter and would get out of the inning unscathed. And a little props to Yorvit Torrealba who gunned down Alejandro De Aza at 2nd.

Let the offense begin…In the bottom of the 1^st, the Rangers waited all of two pitches to get the bats going – impatient it appears. With former Ranger John Danks towing the rubber for the White Sox, Kinsler took his second offering down the 3^rd base line for a double. And after a beautiful bunt from Andrus to move Kinsler to 3^rd, Joshy Hamilton sacrificed Kinsler in for the lead. Rangers 1, Sox 0. Boom.

What a great way to start the season. And after 1 inning of work, Kinsler was batting 1000.

Not much happened in the 2^nd inning other than the Nap-O-Li chant engine started up. It never gets old. I sometimes wonder how well I would do at my job if I had my name chanted all the time. I think I would dominate.

In the 3^rd, Colby Lewis dropped the boom arm to strikeout the side after allowing a lead-off double. My 3^rd inning observation – Torrealba is a beast behind the plate with cat like reflexes. Oh, and the Cobra had 5 strikeouts through 3.

» Continue reading “Texas Rangers: Opening Day…Enough Said!”

The Rangers and Derek Holland took on their own minor league team, the Roundrock Express, this evening. Battle of the systems!!!

Since the game wasn’t on tv or on MLB radio (Stupid non-broadcasted games- I’m not bitter or anything, I swear), this is all I can tell you.  Moreland, Beltre and Hamilton all bombed homers and the final score was 10-8 Rangers…Apparently our farm system can hit too.

But don’t worry!!! Even though I can’t tell you much about the game there are a couple of things to go over before the season starts!!!

The Rangers finalized their bench for opening day: Craig Gentry, Brandon Snyder and Alberto Gonzalez will all be there. Julio Borbon (who’s been the Rangers starting center fielder on Opening Day for the past two years) will not. He will start the season in Triple A.

Side note: Washington is going to let Round Rock manager, Bobby Jones, decide whether it will be Borbon or top prospect Leonys Martin starting in center. It should be interesting!

There was some close competition between Alberto Gonzalez and Luis Hernandez but in the end Gonzalez had more major league experience.

There was also talk of moving Hamilton to left but it looks like Hamilton will start in center making room for someone else in left…. (David Murphy!!! Come on Wash make it happen!)

The Rangers will take on Mexico City’s Diablos Rojos del Mexico tomorrow night at the Ballpark at 7:05 pm CST.

COUNTDOWN TO OPENING DAY! 4 DAYS!!!!!

So I attended my first Texas Rangers Spring Training games with the wife as part of our prebaby honeymoon (or practice honeymoon). No, that’s not all we did, but it was a part of it. Anyway, some of my thoughts and observations while attending this wonderful event are listed below. » Continue reading “Texas Rangers: The Todd’s Head To Spring Training!”

Where to start? I love my Rangers and I love the bats but damn….pitching? Let’s flash me back to 1992. My one thought process…great bats, no pitching. I know, I know….Please don’t kill me just yet.

Let’s start with Yu Darvish. Anyone that Nolan Ryan says has better control than he did at 25 is a keeper. PERIOD. Yeah, he didn’t do all too well today. I agree. No jury needed. I don’t need an explanation on how he faltered or how he let 7 out of 13 reach base. Am I mad? Yes. Am I worried? No.

Will his first couple of starts be a beating for Rangers fans? Possibly. But I still have faith in the guy. You can’t doubt THE Nolan…and if you do, just ask Robin Ventura!

Darvish gave up a lead off walk, and if it hadn’t been for Torrealba we could have been in some serious trouble in the top of the first.  Darvish had this to say:

“If Torrealba wasn’t catching, I probably would have given up 10 runs.”

Did he have killer command today? No, he had trouble with the fast, the change, and the slider (which are his 3 dominant pitches). Darvish has two kinds of pitching….either soooooo nasty they can’t hit it, or so slow they knock the crap out of it. No in-between. Maybe he’s nervous?

But what we have to remember is that it’s only Spring Training. Like I said before, I still get mad that I don’t know a single guy that plays after the 4th inning. WOOOOSAHHHH….It’s Spring Training. Everyone has some nerves during ST.  It’s natural right?

So what I’m NOT worried about is our bats. The Rangers came storming out in the first 3 innings. 7-0 Rangers. WHOOO right? Wait for it. Our bats are awesome….but our pitching (like I said earlier) has some issues. The Indians came back and scored 2 in innings 3,4,5, and 6….8-7  Indians. Booooooo!

We had some major OOPS brain errors as well. Angel Beltre (not the good Beltre) decided that when he grounded to third, the out at third wasn’t good enough and headed towards the dugout…Two outs. Yipppee! Ugh, I think I’m done ranting tonight. Tomorrow is a new day…

Rangers, you play the Rockies Wednesday. Let’s get rid of the “rocky-ness” and let’s do something!

(Photo courtesy of flickr.com user godutchbaby.)

A few things I learned as the Rangers began to report to Spring Training:

• Yu Darvish warms up left-handed to even himself out.
• Talking about warts creeps me out.
• I’m not at all surprised that Hamilton wouldn’t give the Rangers a “hometown discount”.
• Derek Holland’s hair coupled with the Dutchstache is out of control.
• Nolan Ryan saying that Darvish has better control of the ball at 25 than he did at 25 makes me crazy excited to see this kid pitch.

Happy Pitchers & Catchers Reporting Day, Rangers fans!!  And as a special treat, today we present you with the first of our “Where Are They Now?” series.  Enjoy!

Where have you been Charlie Hough?

By the time I became a Rangers fan at the wee age of eight, I can remember Charlie Hough pitching for the team. He was always dominating the opposition by throwing that powering “dancing knuckleball” with his rubber arm.

Okay, maybe dominating and powering are not the correct words to use while describing Hough, but at least he powered through the majors until the ripe old age of 46.

On the little league fields of Pilot Point, TX, every kid warming up pretended to be Charlie while trying to master the art of throwing the knuckleball – not many succeeded though as balls went flying everywhere. And not many had the nerve to try it when they were actually on the mound- that goes for me as well.

» Continue reading “Texas Rangers: Where Have You Been Charlie Hough?”

So what’s next for the Rangers?

We all know the Rangers won the negotiating rights for…Yu guessed it…Yu Darvish (Sorry, I had to get my Yu pun in for the day). And if signed (fingers crossed), the Rangers rotation will be complete heading into spring training. I cross my fingers again.

But what happens now? Do the Rangers add bullpen depth by trading for a reliever? There are still rumors floating around about the Rangers and Andrew Bailey. Take it for what it is worth though; the Rangers appear to be in about every trade rumor thrown out. But the thought of having Bailey, Mike Adams, Scott Feldman, etc… throwing in front of Joe Nathan sounds pretty darn good to me. And if Nathan goes down, in-house options will exist – like Bailey.

A big question the Rangers must ask themselves if they really are interested in Bailey is…Is the price tag more expensive now, or will it be more expensive when the Rangers are in the middle of a pennant race and the bullpen needs bolstered?

» Continue reading “Texas Rangers: Life After Darvish”