Flaws.

So Josh Hamilton appears today, sort of, on card number UH112 of the 2008 Topps Updates and Highlights set. This card has got to be one of the most flawed in my Rangers collection. Not only is Josh poorly pictured but J.D. Drew manages an awkward pose. Aside from the photographic issues I have yet to figure out what makes Hamilton and Drew a "Classic Combo." They have never played on the same team and really don't have similar life stories as far as I know. Topps doesn't explain their choice on the back of the card either.

Speaking of flaws, the Rangers have had their fair share lately. I actually got to see some of them on display in the 8-2 loss to Oakland in Texas on Sunday. Colby Lewis was not sharp. Neither was the rest of the team. Only Josh Hamilton hit like he meant it. Lewis and Michael Young both botched plays. Lewis got booed and later expressed his frustration with the fans to the media. Not good.

Cliff Lee has been flawed as well lately. Tonight he is getting shelled by the Royals. Yes, the Kansas City Royals. The team that wasn't exactly a powerhouse to begin with and has now traded off most all offensive threats they had to start the season. They have made Cliff throw 80 pitches through four innings and have put four runs on the board. Lee's last two starts didn't go much better and one of them was against the Baltimore Orioles. It's gotten to the point that the radio team was speculating tonight about C.J. Wilson possibly teaching Lee how to win. Not good.

Josh Hamilton's right knee has been acting up. He has been at DH several times in the past few games. Now the word is that he will have "lubricant" injected into the knee tomorrow. Doesn't sound good.

Rich Harden is a lost man. The big off-season signing has had a couple of great starts. Most of the time though he acts like he has no idea where the ball is going when it leaves his hand. It is rumored that Nolan Ryan talked to him to no avail. He's in the bullpen now. Not good.

None of the flaws are insurmountable. Teams hit skids and that's part of the game. The team also has some great things going on as well and I will try to talk about some of those in a future post. For now though I am hoping that the team starts firing on all cylinders before too much longer.

Minor League Monday - Steve Kemp, 1987 ProCards.

The Oklahoma City Eighty-Niners were the final stop for Steve Kemp. Kemp, seen here on card number 143 of the 1987 ProCards set, spent more time in the minors at the end of his career than he did to start things off.

Steve was the number one pick in the 1976 draft. By 1977 he was starting with the Detroit Tigers. In 1979 he was on the All-Star team. Following the 1981 season the Tigers traded Kemp to the White Sox straight up for Chet Lemon. After one season with the ChiSox Kemp signed a free agent deal with the Yankees and things started to go downhill.

Two years and several injuries later the Yankees sent Steve to the Pirates. In May of 1986 the Pirates released him. In June he signed with the Padres but never got to the Majors. San Diego released him in September of 1986.

On March 4, 1987 the Rangers decided to take a chance on Kemp and signed him. He was assigned to Triple A Oklahoma City. He would spend all of the 1987 season and most of 1988 with the Eighty-Niners. In 1988 he would get the call to Texas. He would appear in 16 games for the Rangers but his power and ability to draw walks were gone. That would be the end of the professional line for Steve Kemp as a player.

Senators Saturday - Ed Hobaugh, 1961.

Ed Hobaugh, shown here on card number 129 of the 1961 Topps set, was drafted from the White Sox in the 1960 expansion draft. At the time Ed had no Major League experience but had spent three years in the Sox system and two in Uncle Sam's system (military service in 1957-58).

Coming straight from Triple A, Hobaugh jumped right into the fray as he made the Senators' starting rotation. Well, he sort of made it. In 26 appearances for Washington Ed started 18 games. He would post a 7-9 record and a 4.42 ERA. In the 126.1 innings he pitched he would strike out 67 batters while walking the same number.

Ed's 1961 numbers were unimpressive. Of course, so was the team's record. It wasn't like there was a lot of competition from within the organization either. With the castoffs from other franchises composing the team, a rookie like Hobaugh might be able to learn on the move and snag a full-time job as a part of the pitching staff. He would have to move quick though.

No thanks.

So, T.R. Sullivan reports that the Rangers might talk to the Dodgers about Manny Ramirez.

Uh, anyone remember the guy pictured on card number 49 of the 1993 Pinnacle set? Supposed to be a real lift for the team. Didn't work out so well. Especially in the clubhouse.

Take a pass on Manny guys. Please.

Roster adjustments.

Thanks to all who left comments for Spiff Jr. on yesterday's post. He really enjoyed me reading them to him. Ya'll made his day.

So the Rangers are looking to shake up things a bit it seems. The day before yesterday they designated Joaquin Arias for assignment. Joaquin is shown here on an autographed 2007 Moments & Milestones card. To replace Arias Texas called up Alex Cora from Triple A. Alex is Joey's brother and was released by the Mets earlier this season. When he was released he was batting .207 on the season with a .265 on base percentage. That is not as good as Arias' .276 average and .290 on base percentage.

Where Arias has gotten himself in trouble is his fielding. He just hasn't been the same since he blew out his shoulder in Spring Training in 2007. As a result he can only play a limited number of positions because of his weak shoulder. In addition Joaquin is a tad fragile and has taken several trips to the Disabled List this season, mostly for his back. Probably the finishing touch is that Cora's .989 fielding percentage on the season is slightly better than Arias' .983.

Not sure what I think of the move. Hopefully it works out and Arias can either land on his feet somewhere or get it back together in the minors.

Guest columnist.

Well, here we are one year after the first guest columnist post. Once again it is Spiff Jr.'s birthday. This time it is number six. To mark the occasion I have again allowed him to pick a card from his card book to post and tell you about. Because of the author's age the following has been dictated...

"I am posting this card because Josh Hamilton is my favorite player. I like his cards. We will be going to a game soon and I hope I will see him there. I like to see him hit home runs. I hope the Rangers will win the game when we go.

I have other cards of Josh Hamilton. I posted this card because he is out on the field with his bat. The card looks nice.

I guess that's it." - Spiff Jr.

1973 Topps - Mike Thompson.

Today we come to the end of the 1973 Topps Rangers team set with card number 564, Mike Thompson. Mike is sporting some great looking sideburns in this Spring Training shot. On the back of the card we find that Mike liked to go golfing and hunting as hobbies.

The card back also mentions Mike's only win ever in the Majors. In 1971 he shut out the Angels. That 16 game stint in 1971 was Mike's only Big League appearance with the franchise. He would spend the entire 1972 season at Triple A.

On March 31, 1973 the Rangers sent Thompson to the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for Charlie Hudson. Mike would last a season and a half with the Cards and one and a half with the Braves before his MLB career came to a close.