Nomar!

Well, I thought I was back to regular posting. Then when I went to post yesterday I ran into major computer trouble. Things seem to be stable right now but if I disappear again, you'll know why. Anyway, with the Rangers extra-innings loss last night I think the thing to do is the post I had on tap for yesterday.

On the day he was named the American League Rookie of the Month for April, Nomar Mazara stole the show in Toronto. Mazara hammered a home run to center field in the eighth inning to give the Rangers a 2-1 lead. In the bottom of the eighth Mazara caught a fly ball off the bat of Troy Tulowitzki for the second out. Michael Saunders attempted to tag up a score the tying run on the play but Nomar fired a laser to catcher Brett Nicholas (the other home run hitter of the day for Texas) and caught Saunders at the plate to preserve the lead and end the inning. Oh, and there were seven other Rangers playing as well.

I gotta admit, I'm usually pretty slow on the rookie bandwagon. Still not just over the moon about Mazara but he is impressing and I like his style of play. If he can keep it up I think he will be making a big impact for the rest of the season and for several years in the future. Since I have no cards of Mazara I am filling in with another popular Texas outfielder of years gone by, Rusty Greer. The Red Baron appears today on card 64 of the 2002 MLB Showdown Trading Deadline set.

Off the field the Rangers reacquired catcher Bobby Wilson from the Tigers yesterday. Detroit got minor league pitcher Chad Bell. To make room for Wilson the club designated backstop Chris Gimenez for assignment. This afternoon Texas reached a deal with Cleveland that sends Gimenez to the Indians in exchange for cash.

Trying again.

Well, my attempt last week to improve the Rangers' luck worked only so-so. It didn't help the team get over the hump against Sonny Gray or avoid a series sweep by the A's. Going to try again this week with another Texas fan favorite and see if we can get the boys going.

Rusty Greer played the game hard and spent his entire career with the Rangers. I sent this 2000 MLB Showdown 1st Edition card to him long after his career was over. The card went out on May 5, 2009 with a short note asking Mr Greer to sign it. He did so and it ended up back in my mailbox on July 29, 2009. Not too bad of a turn around for a guy who's probably swamped with autograph requests.

Hopefully the Red Baron will bring the Rangers some luck as they finish up their series in Baltimore and head home to face the Angels and Diamondbacks. Some luck and a hot streak would be just what the team needs to get their feet back under them.

Time for some decisions.

When playing MLB Showdown a well-constructed strategy deck was essential. I never used this Dugout General card from the 2004 MLB Showdown set because it could only be played late in the game. I held on to it though because it featured the Rangers.

Well, it's not late in the game but it's still time to choose and possibly discard. I am going to be updating my blog links list soon. Hopefully there won't be too many discards of defunct blogs but I would like to add to the list.

As you can see from the links list, not every other MLB team is represented. It would be great to change that. I would also like to add some Rangers blogs and possibly more set tour blogs.

If you have a blog you would like to see linked please leave a comment or shoot me an email. The blog can be your own or somebody else's, just so long as it's family friendly and a fun read. If for some reason you are already linked and would like to be removed please let me know that as well. If you're linked and haven't posted on your blog in awhile but don't want to be removed please let me know that as well. I won't be making the changes right away but will do so soon.

Best Seasons: Jeff Zimmerman - 1999.

Even though I am zipping through T.R. Sullivan's other lists, the Top 50 Seasons in Rangers history will remain one entry at a time. Seems only fitting to give a guy his due for a great campaign.

Number 29 on the list is Jeff Zimmerman's 1999 effort. Zimmerman, seen here on card 447 of the 2000 MLB Showdown set, had his career cut short due to injuries but that was still in the future in 1999.

The 26 year old rookie blasted into Major League baseball in 1999 as the setup man for Rangers closer John Wetteland. He appeared in 65 games and pitched a bullpen leading 87.2 innings. His ERA totaled to 2.36, the lowest on the pitching staff. His 0.883 WHIP was a team best by far. His strikeout to walk ratio was 2.91. Even serving as a late-inning guy he ended up with a 9-3 record.

I wasn't paying much attention to baseball when Zimmerman made his arrival but I remember hearing about him. My grandfather was impressed and mentioned him several times as "the new kid in the bullpen." Apparently he wasn't the only one impressed. Jeff made the All-Star team and came in third for the Rookie of the Year. Not too bad for a reliever.

Decisions: Going for Broke.

Time for another look at TR Sullivan's list of the Top 50 Decisions that shaped the Texas Rangers. Today we come to number 31 on the list - Going for Broke.

On January 26, 2001 the Texas Rangers signed shortstop Alex Rodriguez to a ten year deal. The signing was at odds with the youth movement the team was engaged in at the time but the club had suffered through a losing season in 2000 after appearing in the post-season in 1999. Owner Tom Hicks wanted to get back to winning and buying talent seemed to be the faster track than growing it.

2001 was not the return to winning the Rangers wanted. Manager Johnny Oates lasted just 28 games and the team ended up with only two wins more than the previous season. Time was ticking on the Rodriguez contract and management needed to justify the money involved. Winning now seemed to be the best option.

Overboard went the youth movement. In came veterans through trades and signings. Carl Everett, shown here on card 35 of the 2002 MLB Showdown Trading Deadline set, Chan Ho Park, John Rocker, Todd Van Poppel, Ismael Valdez, and Hideki Irabu all arrived during the off-season via trade or free agency. Former Ranger Juan Gonzalez returned as a free agent signing. It was one of the most extension re-workings of the Texas roster in team history. It also effectively ended the youth movement by blocking or trading most of the young prospects.

As might be expected, the moves didn't work. In 2002 the team lost one more game than they did in 2001 and remained in the American League West cellar. Manager Jerry Narron lost his job as did several of the new arrivals. Park was about the longest-tenured of the acquisitions, lasting until 2005. Texas didn't get much in return for any of the departures.

It was time to get back to the drawing-board and restart the youth movement. That would take some time though and, with the exception of 2004, the team remained stalled out at sub-.500 play until 2009. Tom Hicks never did get his championship and set the franchise hopes back almost a decade. Turned out the shortcut really wasn't.

Best Seasons: Francisco Cordero - 2004.

Those A's just won't go away. They sneaked in and grabbed another win last night 1-0 in Arlington. Time to get back to T.R. Sullivan's list of the Fifty Best Seasons in Rangers history.

Number 24 on the list is Franciso Cordero's 2004 effort. Cordero, shown here on card number 14 of the 2004 MLB Showdown Pennant Run set, was the Texas closer that season. Closers are supposed to be good but Cordero bordered on other-worldly.

In 67 appearances and 71.2 innings pitched Francisco compiled a 2.13 ERA and a 1.284 WHIP. Those numbers are good but it was the 79 strikeouts and 49 saves that really sparkle. Better than a strikeout an inning.

The saves were even more impressive. They still stand as the team record. That's noteworthy. What's even more so is that the 2004 Rangers won 89 games. That means Francisco Cordero saved more than half of the team wins. Francisco did blow five save chances that year but his save percentage was still 91%. Can you imagine if he had been able to convert another chance or two?

Odd Moments: Conflicts.

Loss to the Cubs last night. To the Cubs. Sigh. Guess that's what happens when all semblance of control deserts your starting pitcher. Time to get back to the Top Fifty Odd Moments in Rangers History list. Got several installments today.

Number 28. WWF pitch selection - May 24, 2005 in Kansas City. Rod Barajas, shown here on card 329 of the 2005 MLB Showdown set, was the starting catcher. Ryan Drese took the hill for Texas. The result was a 4-3 Rangers win but not before a tense moment in the dugout. Chanelling Ray Chalk and Lefty Williams, Barajas and Drese mixed it up in the dugout over pitch selection. At one point the pair was rolling on the floor and had to be separated by teammates and manager Buck Showalter. Buck declined to comment on the incident after the game. Barajas shook Drese's hand when the latter gave way to a reliever.

Number 29. Preparing for the worst - For a short period after the Rangers left Arlington Stadium for the final time it was empty and vacant. Scheduled to be torn down, the park was the source of alarm when gunfire was heard from inside. Apparently an employee gave the FBI permission to use the stadium as a training ground for anti-terrorist drills. Good idea. Even better would have been to tell someone about the pending training.

Number 30. Bopping practice - Not wanting to mix it up only with teammates Rangers catcher Gerald Laird got into a fight with Angels infielder Adam Kennedy during batting practice in 2005. Tom Hicks and Arte Moreno were chatting nearby and were not thrilled with the altercation.

Number 31. Zip it - Not everyone liked Howard Cosell. A Rangers batboy made several disparaging remarks about the announcer during a broadcast. Unfortunately the on-field microphones picked it up. The next time the Rangers were on national television the batboy appeared with a piece of tape over his mouth.

Ok, quick update on the card giveaway. The Red Sox are spoken for and a package is being assembled. Nothing else has been claimed. Help me out and put in your order. Promise no doubles in the lot. I would rather ship than toss these cards.

Odd Moments: A night in Oakland.

Ok, so the past two nights in Detroit have been frustrating. Enough to get me a little wound up. Not as wound up as several Rangers players got in a bizarre incident in Oakland in 2004. That's the next installment in T.R. Sullivan's 50 Strange Occurrences list.

September 13, 2004. Texas was in Oakland to play a set at the Coliseum.

One thing that's important to know about the Coliseum and A's fans - the razzing of visiting teams. C.J. Wilson commented on that on his blog a season or two ago. During the 2001 season my brother was stationed at Monterrey, California. He is a big A's fan and took advantage of the situation to go to the Coliseum. Even he commented on the fans giving the visiting bullpen a hard time during the games. In 2003 a fan threw a cell phone and hit Ranger Carl Everett on the back of the head.

The stage appeared set for confrontation. Manager Buck Showalter would later complain of the lack of security and state that the Rangers had always had trouble in Oakland.

During the game the fans taunted and harassed the Rangers bullpen as per the normal routine. By the ninth inning nerves were wearing thin. What happened next though was totally unexpected. Pitcher Doug Brocail, shown here on card number 112 of the 2005 MLB Showndown Trading Deadline set, claimed that a fan began to taunt him about his recently stillborn child. The fan, Craig Bueno, later got a lawyer and refused to comment on what he might have said. Dave Rinetti, A's vice president of stadium operations said that the fans never swore or yelled racial slurs at the players. Don't have to do that to get into a stillbirth. Whatever was said, Showalter claimed that it, "went over the line."

Brocail lost his cool (understandable if his account was accurate) as did several other members of the bullpen. A scuffle broke out and the dugout cleared. During the melee Frank Francisco picked up a plastic chair and threw it into the stands. The chair hit Jennifer Bueno, Craig's wife, in the face. The blow broke her nose and left a cut that took stitches to close. Doug Brocail was restrained by coach Mark Conner and several teammates as he screamed at a male fan (probably Craig Bueno). Security quickly rushed to the area and ended the altercation.

Frank Francisco was arrested the next morning on a $15,000 bond. The Buenos would later file a civil suit that was settled out of court for an undisclosed amount in 2007. Tom Hicks apologized for the players actions. The A's finally beefed up security. Commissioner Bud Selig wasn't happy. Frank Francisco received a 16 game suspension that was later reduced to 15 games. He also pled no contest to the criminal charges and had to attend anger management counseling. Doug Brocail was suspended for six games. Carlos Almanzar was suspended for four games. The incident effectively gutted the Rangers bullpen for the remainder of the season.

Kansas City bound.

So the Rangers sold Matt Treanor to the Kansas City Royals today. Royals catcher Jason Kendall is down with a sore shoulder and they needed somebody for opening day. Matt was available and expendable. Too bad, I was liking Treanor. I'd post a card of his but I don't have a Rangers card of him.

As the club moved Treanor they also moved Alexi Ogando, internally though. Ogando is moving to the starting rotation to take Tommy Hunter's place. I'd post a card of Alexi but I don't have a Rangers card of him.

The resulting hole in the bullpen will be filled by Mason Tobin. Tobin makes the team in part because the club wants an extra deep pen and Treanor's departure leaves an extra roster spot. No bother even checking to see if I have a Rangers card of Tobin.

Mike Napoli just had his duties reevaluated. He was supposed to split time between DH, catcher, and first base. With no Matt Treanor he will be the number two catcher. That will cut into his time at first and will severely limit his DH at bats. No Rangers card of Napoli either.

I did find this 2002 MLB Showdown card of Michael Young, number 342 in the set. Why post it? Well, each of the other players discussed has benefited from the Matt Treanor trade. I would argue that none have been impacted more than Young has. With Napoli pretty much out at DH Mike will get more at bats there. With a light bench to make up for the extra deep pen there is one less player to sub in. That will give Mike more playing time in the field. Napoli will need to be saved for catching so Mike will also possibly get more time at first. Looks like Michael Young gets more playing time no matter how you cut it.

Guess Matt Treanor was the one who became expendable once the Rangers traded for Mike Napoli, not Michael Young. All along Matt Treanor should have been concerned about being squeezed out. Perhaps that's why he went to the media and made a big deal about feeling slighted and wanting to be traded. Wait, you say that wasn't Matt Treanor? Well, well, well.

Well, that didn't take long.

So the Rangers announced their 2011 starting rotation just after lunch today. As set the rotation is: C.J. Wilson, Colby Lewis, Matt Harrison, Tommy Hunter, and Derek Holland. Brandon Webb will start the season on the Disabled List. Neftali Feliz and Alexi Ogando are returning to the back-end of the bullpen. Michael Kirkman will go to Triple A and continue to start there.

At 1656 this afternoon T.R. Sullivan reported that Tommy Hunter had strained a groin muscle in today's game against the Reds. Tommy is saying that he will be ready for opening day but the club isn't so sure. The official word is that he is questionable. This is the third verse of this particular tune for Hunter. Somewhere Michael Kirkman's ears just perked up.

The bullpen is in flux as well. Apparently Mark Lowe has pitched himself out of being a lock for a slot. Now he, Pedro Strop, Brett Tomko, Dave Bush, and Mason Tobin are in the hunt for the final two bullpen spots. Could be a day before decision there.

In unrelated news, the Rangers scouted Doug Davis today. Davis, shown here on a signed 2002 MLB Showdown card, is a free agent after a very questionable season with the Brewers last year. I like Davis' story but I am just not sure that would be a good signing right now. He is a lefty though and so must be given his chances.

Well, at least Michael Young and Jon Daniels have supposedly kissed and made up. Now to get the pitching settled and healthy on Opening Day.

Frank flies to the Jays.

So Frank Francisco, shown here on card number 140 of the 2005 MLB Showdown Trading Deadline set, is no longer a Ranger. Yesterday Texas traded Frankie Frank and some cash to Toronto for Mike Napoli. Not sure what I think of this deal. I can see some potential upsides and several possible downsides.

Francisco had a rough season in 2010. He lost the closer's job just a week or two into the season. After that he spent a couple of stints on the Disabled List. In fact, he wasn't even able to make an appearance during post-season play. In spite of all that he was still able to lower his ERA by .007 and appeared in 5 more games than 2009.

Long term though, what is Frank looking like? Perhaps his best season to date was 2008 when he posted a career best 3.13 ERA in 63.1 innings over 58 appearances. He had just five saves that year. His WHIP was a decent 1.153. All of his numbers were dramatic improvements over 2007. That at age 28.

Two years later there are signs of potential trouble. Frank's ERA has crept up to 3.76 in 2010 and his WHIP was 1.272. There is also the fact that he is now 31. That age isn't a redline but it is handy to remember Frank's injury history and the fact that he relies on the ball "jumping out of" his hand rather than on guile to get batters out. When the ball doesn't "jump" Frankie doesn't get the outs. Still, he probably has several good seasons left and might have been nice to have in the middle innings or possibly as a setup man.

Mike Napoli on the other hand is a year younger than Francisco and a position player. His power numbers have been gradually increasing but dipped last year. At 29 that dip could have been a minor blip or the start of a gradual descent. In 2010 he played almost equal time between first base and catcher. This gives the Rangers a little flexibility and could make Chris Davis an expendable commodity. That could translate into either some more ripening time for Davis at Triple A or possibly a young pitcher in return for him.

All in all I think the jury is still out on the trade. It pains me to see Texas trade decent pitching for a position player. On the other hand, they have a little depth in pitching and it could be that they managed to move Francisco at just the right time. This is one of those trades that it will take looking back on to see if it was a good one or not.

Contest - final week.

So the Rangers go out with a whimper in the Strat-O-Matic contest. Both teams lose their final matchup.

The MLB Showdown team got into trouble early but staged a sixth inning rally to tie the game. That gave way before a Brian Shouse meltdown in the Philly half of the seventh. An eighth inning rally tied the game back up but Jim Kern lost it all on a walk-off homer in the ninth. Carl Everett, shown here on his 2003 Showdown card, was a bright spot for Texas. He went 5-for-5 with a double, two RBI, and two runs scored. That wasn't enough though as the Phillies win 10-7. One point if you predicted the Rangers to lose this game.

The Strat-O-Matic game was much lower scoring. The Rangers were no-hit through seven. Josh Hamilton rapped out a single in the eighth to break up the no-no. That would be it offensively for Texas however. Phillies win 2-0. One point if you predicted the Rangers to lose this game.

The MLB Showdown team won the scoring race 7-0 this week. One point if you predicted the Showdown team to score more runs.

That brings us to our final point standings in the contest. Congratulations to Deaconblues for winning the contest. Shoot me an email with your address Deacon and I'll get your Strat-O-Matic computer game sent out to you. While I wish that we could have had better participation I do appreciate those who entered the contest. Thanks for your support guys. Here are the final point standings:

Deaconblues - 11
Night Owl - 8
Jon - 2

Contest - week six.

Shocker week in the contest. There were several surprises this week in the two games the Rangers played in San Diego against the Padres. The result is a little bit of tightening in the points standings.

The first surprise was the shutout that the 2009 Rangers suffered in the Strat-O-Matic game. The first time the Rangers offense has been entirely shut down in the contest. Texas pitching managed to match the Friars' staff for eight innings but it was the two runs that Kevin Millwood coughed up in the first that sealed the deal. Padres win 2-0. One point if you predicted the Rangers to lose the Strat-O-Matic game.

The next couple of surprises came in the MLB Showdown game. Texas started Ismael Valdes. You can see how he appeared in the game on card number 297 of the 2003 MLB Showdown set. Valdes turned in a very uncharacteristically dominating performance. He allowed just one run in eight innings while striking out eight and walking just one. He also went 2-for-3 at the plate with a double and a run scored. Amazing for one of the weak links in the starting rotation. The offense was not stingy in backing Valdes as they plated seven runs for him. Brian Shouse came in to mop things up in the ninth and the day got ugly. I pulled Shouse after he allowed three runs and had two men on. In came Jeff Zimmerman. The first batter to face him was Ricky Henderson. He took Zim's first offering over the wall for a game tying home run. Jeff then got the last out of the inning. Bottom of the tenth, game tied. Ugueth Urbina in for Texas. Leadoff batter Ryan Klesko hammers a walk-off long ball. I was stunned. Padres win 8-7. One point if you predicted a Texas loss in the MLB Showdown game.

Due to the shutout in Strat and the slugfest in Showdown the MLB Showdown Rangers won the scoring contest 7-0. One point if you predicted the MLB Showdown Rangers to score the most runs.

Ok, on to the next match-up. This week the Mets come into Arlington to face off for a second time with the Rangers. Time is running out in the contest so make sure you get your predictions in as to how the Rangers will fare in each game and which Rangers team will score the most runs.

For details on how this contest works please see this post.

Contest - week three.

Alex Rodriguez, shown here on card number 19 of the 2002 MLB Showdown All-Star set, was the big bopper for Texas this week as the MLB Showdown team defeated the Mets 5-6. Alex went 2-for-5 with both hits being home runs. One point if you predicted the Showdown Rangers team to win.

The Strat-O-Matic game was once again a basic level game and was more of a pitcher's duel than the Showdown game. Tommy Hunter managed to out pitch Johan Santana as Texas pulled out a 2-0 win. Julio Borbon hit a pinch hit home run in the 8th inning to put the game on ice for the Rangers. One point if you predicted the Strat-O-Matic Rangers to win.

The MLB Showdown Rangers once again won the scoring battle. This time 5-2. One point if you predicted the Showdown Rangers to score more runs.

I am finding it interesting that the more I play Strat-O-Matic the simpler MLB Showdown seems. Not that Strat is complicated, I am still playing the basic level. More that Showdown lacks the detail that Strat has. For example, Frank Francisco closed out this week's win. He did commit an error though that allowed a base runner. That would never have happened in Showdown. I would rather have the possibility as it is more realistic and true to the actual game.

Ok, on to the next game. This week the Rangers will host the Phillies in Texas. Remember to get your guesses in early as to how you think the MLB Showdown and Strat-O-Matic Rangers will fare and which will score the most runs. This week will mark the midway point in the contest. Four more games to play after that. If you haven't been entering the contest now is the time to start.

For details on how this contest works please see this post.

Contest - week one.

So the matchup for the contest this past week was Rangers versus Padres in Texas. The results were mixed to say the least.

In the first game the MLB Showdown Rangers smashed the hapless Padres 14-4. Kenny Rogers, pictured here on card number 53 of the 2004 MLB Showdown Pennant Run set, came away with the win. Carl Everett, Rafael Palmeiro, and Alex Rodriguez all went deep in the rout. One point if you predicted this team to win.

In game two the 2009 Rangers faced off with the 2009 Padres in a basic Strat-O-Matic game. This time the Rangers came up on the short end of a 5-1 score. Kevin Millwood took the loss as the Texas offense was lulled to sleep by the Friars' pitching. One point if you predicted this team to lose.

The MLB Showdown Rangers won the scoring contest this week 14-1. One point if you predicted them to score the most runs.

Ok, a couple of initial thoughts on Strat-O-Matic versus MLB Showdown from a guy who has just played his first full Strat game.

When it comes to price I think the games about even out. A Showdown starter is cheaper but you don't get as many full teams as you do with a starter Strat set. Nice to be able to plug and play so to speak with Strat. Going to have to give the setup nod to Strat.

As far as storage I will have to go with Showdown. The cards are the same size as regular baseball cards so I already had the cases and such when I started playing the game. Strat cards are just a slight bit smaller than a 3x5 and so are a little more difficult to store. The game came with a rubber band for each team but I am not impressed with that idea. Showdown will have to come out on top for storage.

Ok, on to this week's matchup. Using a random process I have come up with the Astros in Houston. Make sure to get your predictions in quick. Remember, if each Rangers team will win and which one will score the most runs. Night Owl has the only point so far but can be caught if you get in now.

For details on how this contest works please see this post.

Playing games.

Royce Clayton finds himself on today's card. This particular card is number 432 in the 2000 MLB Showdown First Edition set.

I have mentioned before that I didn't discover Showdown until after the game was out of print. That didn't stop me from trying and liking it. In fact Mrs. Spiff also liked it. We got my Dad and brother hooked on it and formed a league that just finished its second season. Lots of fun.

I do have a couple of gripes with Showdown though. The primary one is the lack of cards. The cards were only issued from 2000 to 2005. A few Cooperstown cards were made for Hall of Fame players. Occasionally a custom card or two pops up on Ebay. Other than that you're stuck, no current players and precious few from before the 1999 season.

Kind of a bummer. I like the game but wish I could use some current players. After all, it would be nice to have Josh Hamilton, Ian Kinsler, and Nellie Cruz in the lineup. My Dad would like to see a few of the Cardinals of his youth and my brother has been trying to figure out a way to introduce injuries into the game.

All that got me to thinking that as much fun as the game is, there might be a better option. A quick look around turned up Strat-o-Matic and APBA Baseball. I haven't ever player either and am kind of leery about shelling out too much money just to take a look see. Looking for some feedback here. Has anyone out there ever played either or both of those games? If so which did you like best? Why? What are the pros and cons of either or both? Any additional thoughts are also welcome.

Arrival and departure.

The Rangers voided Kahlil Greene's contract today. Apparently his social anxiety disorder is really hammering him and it didn't look like he was going to make it to Spring Training. This move will take some of the pressure off of him as he attempts to deal with the situation. Hopefully he can get things worked out and get his feet back under him.

As Greene leaves the Texas fold this 2000 MLB Showdown card of Mike Venafro came back to my collection. I had sent it and another card to Mr. Venafro on February 12th of this year and had asked him to sign them. He did so and get them back to me today. Thanks a bunch Mike!

Yanks within one.

Alex Rodriguez hammered a double to help the Yankees top the Phillies last night 7-4. Alex, seen here on card number 333 of the 2004 MLB Showdown set, was also hit in the first inning by pitcher Joe Blanton. That makes the third time A-Rod has been plunked by Philly pitching during the World Series. Is it intentional or just the hurlers trying to go inside and going too far?

The win last night puts the Yankees to within one of winning the series. The Phillies would have to win three straight to pull off a comeback. Not to sound pessimistic but I doubt they can do it. I fear we will see a Yankee title and have to suffer through the off-season hearing about it.

On "E".

I have to admit that I just don't think they can do it. Sure I'm a true fan and would love to see post-season ball in Arlington. There's a time to be honest though.

The season has been a great one and I feel a success. The Rangers have played over .500 ball and well over everyone's expectations. The pitching has been great. The defense improved. The offense has even been known to show up from time to time.

I think the guys are out of gas though. This card is from the 2000 MLB Showdown Strategy set but it might as well feature Kevin Millwood. He tossed some great ball to start off the season and is still battling but he's got nothing left. The rest of the team is not far behind him.

If the club sticks to its strategy and Jon Daniels can keep the core players, then I think the Angels had better be prepared to fight for the division the next few years. Things could be exciting to watch in the next few seasons.

Tough loss.

5-4 in ten innings and a loss of a game in both the AL West and the Wildcard. There are days that the expression on this card sums it all up perfectly.