Two more file.

Omar Vizquel and Andruw Jones both filed for free agency yesterday. Since I don't have cards of either of them I am posting this 1993 Sports Illustrated for Kids card of Nolan Ryan. The only possible connection might be that Nolan is still involved with the team and was a great free agent signing for Texas 21 years ago.

As far as Vizquel is concerned I would like to see him back next year. I wasn't really familiar with him before this past season but I liked what I saw on and off the field. He would be very helpful in a close pennant race. The big question will be if Omar will agree to stay in a utility infielder role.

It looks like to me that the team should let Andruw go. Nolan and the rest of the administration seem to agree as there are no plans to try and hang on to Jones. Andruw didn't have a bust of a season like he did in '08 for the Dodgers but he wasn't his old self either. I still don't think the Rangers should have let Frank Catalanotto go to keep Jones.

The free agent sweepstakes begins.

So the off-season movement has started. One of my least favorite things about modern baseball and the reason that most of my Rangers apparel has no players' names or numbers on it.

Ivan Rodriguez, seen here on card number 260 of the 1996 Fleer set, filed for free agency yesterday. He is interested in playing for two or three more years. The Rangers are at least moderately interested in having him back. No agreement yet though and it is unclear how hard Texas will pursue him. It would be nice to see Pudge retire in a Rangers' uniform but it isn't worth breaking the bank over.

Hank Blalock, Marlon Byrd, Eddie Guardado and Joaquin Benoit also all filed for free agency. I am unsure how the team views Benoit but they are planning on letting Blalock go. Guardado has talked about retiring this off-season and with his struggles towards the end of last season I just can't see the team dropping a lot of cash on him.

Byrd is on the list to re-sign. If it doesn't get done the team will have to look elsewhere for a right-handed bat. Jermaine Dye and Milton Bradley have both come up as possibilities. I would like to keep Marlon but would settle for Dye if need be. Bradley should be avoided at all costs.

In other news, Clint Hurdle has been named the new hitting coach. Hurdle did a decent job for the Rockies before being named as manager. It will be interesting to see how he adjusts to The Ballpark in Arlington as opposed to the Rockies' home.

Yankees jump on top of Phils.

Let me start off by apologizing for missing yesterday's post. Should have had a congratulatory post for the Phillies to recognize their win Monday night. Had to work extra though and am trying to wade through a home improvement project so my time got eaten up.

It's not looking good for the Phils tonight in The Bronx. Hideki Matsui almost single-handedly booted Pedro Martinez from the game as he racked up four RBI. Mark Teixeira, shown here on card number 55 of the 2005 Classic Clippings set, also got in on the act with a RBI single.

Ryan Howard has responded with a homer but it is still 7-3 in the Yankees' favor. Time is running out too since the game is in the seventh inning.

Looks like the moral of the story will be that money can't buy you friends or happiness but it can buy you a championship.

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.

Replacing Rudy.

The Rangers announced late yesterday that they are down to four finalists to replace Rudy Jaramillo as hitting coach.

Rusty Greer, shown here on card number 513 of the 1995 Donruss set, is probably the fan favorite but is likely the dark horse of the bunch. Rusty was a Ranger from 1994 to 2002. He played his entire career for Texas and was wildly popular with the fans. He also managed a career .305 batting average with a .387 on base percentage. Rusty has never been a hitting coach though and has never coached above the college level.

Clint Hurdle is interested in the job after getting fired as manager by the Rockies early this season. Before becoming Colorado's manager Clint was their hitting coach from 1997-2002.

Thad Bosley was the A's hitting coach from 1999-2002. This would have been at the same time Ron Washington was on the Oakland coaching staff. Bosley has a Rangers connection after logging the final two seasons of his career with them in 1989 and 1990.

Gerald Perry is the fourth candidate. He has been a hitting coach since 2000 for a total of four different teams. He is looking for work after getting sacked by the Cubs in June.

So it's down to the final four. These guys will all get face-to-face interviews. Who will get the job? Any thoughts?

Belated post.

Sorry about not posting last night. Had a work function in the evening and then watched the last part of game two of the World Series before running out of gas. Please consider this to be yesterday's post.

Have to post a card of Mark Teixeira as much as I would rather put one up to celebrate a Phillies win. Money Man, shown here with a piece of his jersey in Upper Deck's 2005 Game Jersey set, hit a solo home run off Pedro Martinez to tie the game in the fourth inning. A later shot by Hideki Matsui would give The Empire a one run lead and that would be all they would need. They did tack on an insurance run in the seventh though.

At least the 3-1 game wasn't the thumping the Phillies handed the Yankees in the first game. Hopefully the momentum hasn't swung and the Phils will be able to take advantage of being at home tomorrow night.

New hope.

In honor of the Phillies' 6-1 victory in game one of the World Series I am posting Jamie Moyer's 1991 Score card, number 437 in the set. I know Jamie is out hurt for the Series but he is the only former Ranger represented on the Phils that I am aware of.*

Anyway, good game guys. Awesome pitching performance by Cliff Lee and the offense never said die either. Gotta tighten up that ninth inning defense a little though or the Empire will strike back.

All the same, it did my heart good to see the Yanks trounced in their home park. Perhaps Philly can pull it off.

*Thanks to reader Raymond, I have been corrected. There are at least two other former Rangers with the Phillies. One is Chan Ho Park whom I have previously mentioned in connection with this post-season. Oops.