Whether you've reached the end of your rope or merely the end of your week, welcome to Whitt's Merten's End:
*Well, that was quick. Chuck Greenberg formed the current Rangers ownership group, and less than seven months after the sale was complete, he's out. No longer managing partner. No longer chief executive officer. No longer a co-owner. Gone for good.
My well-placed source says Greenberg tried to be Jerry Jones -- in charge of everything -- and obviously that didn't play well with Nolan Ryan, who told the board if Greenberg didn't go, he'd bolt instead. Greenberg, who's supposedly receiving a nice severance check, balked at answering questions about players or contracts when I interviewed him at length back in November. He deferred to Ryan and Jon Daniels. Apparently, though, that's not what he was doing behind the scenes.
Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram offers his take about what happened. Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated says Greenberg pissed off Ryan.
*Even though he'll miss the beginning of the season with a broken rib suffered during a basketball game, former Cy Young winner Zack Greinke would have been a great addition to the Rangers. But now that we know what it would have taken to nab him from the Royals, I'm glad Daniels didn't pull the trigger. According to Heyman, Kansas City asked for Derek Holland, Tommy Hunter, Michael Kirkman, Jurickson Profar and Engle Beltre.
Thanks, but no thanks.
Perhaps it would be worth considering with Holland pulled out of the deal, but even then it would be a tough decision.
*Yahoo's Jeff Passan and CBS Sportsline's Scott Miller think Neftali Feliz is headed into the Rangers rotation. While I would love for Feliz to step in and pitch like a frontline starter, I'm still not sure now is the right time, and I predict the Rangers will ultimately agree.
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*Losing 4-3 to the Calgary Flames Wednesday night was actually one of the best games of the season for the Dallas Stars. Down 3-0 less than 14 minutes into the contest, the Stars battled back to earn a point after losing the shootout. Match-ups at home tonight against the Minnesota Wild (puck drops at 7:30 p.m.) and Sunday against the Los Angeles Kings are hardly must wins, but if the club wants to solidify its place among playoff contenders, you gotta beat the teams you're supposed to beat. And with Brad Richards back in the lineup, there' s no reason why they shouldn't.
*Rick Carlisle should call his team soft more often, as the Dallas Mavericks easily dismissed the New York Knicks last night, 127-109. A win against the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday might be enough to convince me that the Mavs are on the verge of reestablishing themselves as the best team in the league.
*While watching a spring training game late last night, one of the announcers repeatedly used the term "RBIs." Maybe it's the journalist in me, but this drives me insane every time I hear it. RBI is already plural. The only thing that bothers me more is when people say, "I'm a Ranger fan," or "I'm going to the Ranger game tonight." No, you're not. You're a Rangers fan or headed to the Rangers game. C'mon, people. It's not that hard.
*In high school baseball news, Lake Highlands clobbered W.W. Samuell to the tune of 54-0 in just five innings. Samuell managed no hits, and Lake Highlands had just six extra-base hits because the coach told his players to stop at first no matter how far the ball went. Worst. Ass-kicking. Ever.
*The Dallas Cowboys are apparently interested in free agent free safety Michael Huff. If Jerry can only lure Huff's favorite stripper to town. Twenty-five grand on lap dances? Wonder what he pays for a lady of the night.
*Some high school kid jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge just for fun and somehow survived. He fell 220 feet and only suffered a bruised tailbone and torn lung. Is it me, or are the younglings becoming dumber by the year? More evidence of idocracy? Two kids tweeted about it after it happened.
*Thanks to this piece in The New York Times, we learn that President Barack Obama has told folks it would be so much easier being president of China. Yeah, that whole communism thingie they've got going on over there makes the gig pretty simple. You command. People obey.
*Not once have I seen an episode of Two and a Half Men. That is, until I stumbled on a repeat last night and watched only because I now want to know what the fuss is about. After two minutes, I changed the channel, yet I've been glued to Sheen's unraveling in the media. Who are you people who like that show? Seriously. I want to know.
*Finally, I feel compelled to apologize for this week's coverage. One post a day doesn't cut it. But, as I mentioned earlier, filling in for Richie was news to me. Find me tomorrow on Lower Greenville, and I'll buy you a beer. I'll be the one passed out in the sea of green.
