Atlanta Braves

Sinker Ball

Eastwood's return is a decidedly slow-pitch affair.

Why (and How) the Rangers Should Go All In as the Trade Deadline Looms

What a week for Your Texas Rangers. Nolan Ryan and Ron Washington took turns publicly ripping Josh Hamilton for the alarming lack of discipline he's displayed at the plate, increasing the likelihood that he'll be headed elsewhere this offseason. Fans booed the slumping slugger at home for the firs ... More >>

Exploring Texas Rangers' Options as Wheelin' and Dealin' Begins at Hilton Anatole

Photo by Sam MertenThe scene yesterday afternoon in the lobby of the Hilton Anatole.​Likely bracing for the departure of free-agent hurler C.J. Wilson, the Texas Rangers have already inked former Minnesota Twins closer Joe Nathan to a two-year, $14.5 million contract and announced Neftali Feli ... More >>

How Resource Center Dallas Played a Part In Getting MLB to Add Sexual Orientation to CBA

​Yesterday Major League Baseball sent word that it has a new labor agreement in place with the Major League Baseball Players Association -- this one, good for five years. It hasn't been signed yet; Tuesday's announcement, which follows, details the memorandum of understanding that will formally re ... More >>

Albert Pujols Better Than Joltin' Joe? Say It Ain't So!: Texas Rangers-St. Louis Cardinals World Series Preview and Game 1 Open Thread

Texas RangersGives you that warm, fuzzy feeling inside, doesn't it?​It's finally here. Pinch yourself. Your Texas Rangers are back in the World Series, and this time feels much different than last year's playoff run. There's a confidence flowing through my body that just wasn't there before, a ... More >>

Forever Young: Texas Rangers-Detroit Tigers ALCS Game 4 Preview and Open Thread

Photo by Sam MertenElvis Andrus and a beardless Michael Young haven't hit their strides yet at the plate, but that's about to change. ​As depressing as it was, I believe Game 3 of the American League Championship Series was an anomaly, much like Game 1 of the ALDS. Nothing seemed right. And w ... More >>

Rangers-Angels Take Baseball's Center Stage. Or at Least They Should.

​There are only two division races in baseball. And only one with playoff implications. As we play the regular season's final month the Tigers, Phillies, Brewers and Braves each have leads of at least 7 games with only 20 remaining. In the AL East the Yankees lead the Red Sox by 2.5, bu ... More >>

Rangers Partying Like it's, well, June 2010

​Your Rangers have done what good, potentially great teams do: Beat shitty opponents. When the Rangers begin their series in Anaheim against the second-place Angels Tuesday night, it will be their first opponent with a winning record in a month. Amazing. Since playing the Brav ... More >>

And Then ... There Was Baseball. Rangers, Your Move.

Yorvit Torrealba and the Rangers should get healthy against baseball's worst Astros ​When we last left our Rangers they and pitcher Derek Holland were clubbed around in New York by the Yankees. Not, no last Wednesday. Way back on April 16.It was hours after the Rangers' 5-2 loss in the ... More >>

A Rangers Repeat? History Suggests Odds Are Long.

One Hit Wonders

"With a Heavy Heart," Chuck Greenberg On Why He's No Longer a Texas Ranger: He and Nolan Ryan Have "Somewhat Different Styles."

Sam MertenChuck Greenberg at a press conference at the ballpark last August​Odd news to wake up to this morning: After being the man leading the charge to take control of the Texas Rangers last summer, and having been very much the public face of the franchise in the months since, Chuck Greenberg' ... More >>

Let's Get This DH Situation Addressed: Rangers Should Re-Sign Vladdy or Risk Getting Worse

Sam MertenVladimir Guerrero​While the Texas Rangers waited for Cliff Lee to make up his mind, the best options to fill the team's hole at designated hitter flew off the board. The Chicago White Sox snatched up the two best fits, re-signing Paul Konerko for three years at $12.5 million per season a ... More >>

The Case Against Cliff Lee

​Whether free agent Cliff Lee chooses to re-sign with the Rangers because of Arlington's proximity to his Arkansas home or bolts to New York for the extra dough, his decision undoubtedly shapes the future of both teams significantly. Yet in all that's been said and written about Lee, rarely do ... More >>

2010 ALCS GAME 5 - Yankees 7, Rangers 2: My Top 10 Observer-ations

​10. The better team didn't win Wednesday at Yankee Stadium, but the more desperate team did. The Rangers are on a magical, unprecedented playoff roll, but asking them to be good enough - to be mature enough - to sweep the 95-win defending champions in New York was unrealistic. Those of ... More >>

Texas Rangers Outfielder Josh Hamilton, "The Baddest Dude In The League," Is Producing An MVP Season.

The Top 10 Greatest Players in the History of Your Texas Rangers

​If you watched Sunday's 7-2 win in Milwaukee, you'd think Texas Rangers pitcher Colby Lewis (two hits, including a key two-run single) is a better hitter than first baseman Justin Smoak (0-5 with five strikeouts). If you've been watching forever, you're convinced it's time to ... More >>

A Poignant Farewell to Bobby Bragan

Bobby Bragan, during his brief tenure as Pittsburgh Pirates manager in the mid-1950s​Anyone who loves baseball 'round these parts knows the name Bobby Bragan -- his association with the Fort Worth Cats alone (in the late '40s and early '50s, then again in '05) was enough to make him legend, not to ... More >>

Neftali Feliz is a fireballin’ pitching phenom who has brought the surprising Texas Rangers Christmas in September.

Rangers’ GM Jon Daniels Has Matured Into One of Baseball’s Best Brains

Whitt's End: 5.22.09

Whether you're at the end of your rope or merely the end of your week, welcome to Whitt's End: *You'll have to savor this offering like a cow with its cud, because this morning I'm headed out to the Byron Nelson to chug margaritas and chase girls in The Pavilion watch golf and conduct research ... More >>

New-Look Rangers!

Kris Benson made the Rangers' roster. Safe to say his wife will show up on a couple of lists in the very near future.Okay, now I'm intrigued. For all the Texas Rangers' promise of a better future, yesterday they made moves geared at providing fans an improved today. I squawked last week about ... More >>

Last Night: T.I. at Nokia Theatre

T.I.Nokia TheatreMarch 11, 2009 Better than: Watching T.I.'s Road To Redemption on MTV, which is no Rock of Love, that's for sure. During one of his (too) many monologues to a crowded--but not nearly sold out--Nokia Theatre last night, T.I. thanked God for allowing him to reach t ... More >>

Andruw Jones: Yay or Nay?

Your Texas Rangers have signed outfielder Andruw Jones to a minor-league contract. Ideally, I wish they would sign guys at their peak instead of with one foot in the grave, but I'm cool with the transaction. If Jones is good, he'll be the team's best center fielder since, I dunno, Garry Ma ... More >>

The Hapless Texas Rangers Turn to their Farm System

A Christmas List for Jon Daniels

Here in The Sportatorium, every now and then we like to talk baseball. I mean hard-core, balls-and-strikes baseball. By "every now and then" I mean this morning. And by "we", of course, I mean seamhead colleague Sam Merten. Sam, the floor is yours: For those of you distracted by Sean Avery's ... More >>

Pitch Perfect

The Grand Prairie AirHogs are willing to do whatever it takes to make you a fan. And that includes win.

Found It: A Reason For Rangers Fans To Remain Optimistic

Past the Halfway Mark, the Rangers Look Like Contenders and Pretenders

Mark Teixeira: Grade the Trade.

Reading the Mitchell Report, Way Too Quickly, So You Don't Have To

Taking the "Tex" Out of the Texas Rangers, Looks Like

This Week's Day-By-Day Picks

Hart Attack

Everybody loves a winner? Tell it to Rangers GM John Hart.

The A-Team

Love it when a plan comes together? Not so fast. Sure, they've got A-Rod and I-Rod, but what about Rusty Greer hitting leadoff, Tim Crabtree closing, and Johnny Oates acting human? John Gonzalez goes to Texas Rangers spring training to look for answers.

Buzz

Teed off

Buzz

Head hunting

Buzz

The official word from the DMN on its arena investment

Do over

Todd Van Poppel doesn't have to be great anymore, just good enough

Stealing home

Tom Hicks bought a baseball team, but he'll own an empire

Damned Rangers

The Texas Rangers better win the pennant this year, if only to atone for subjecting fans to two decades of baseball hell. Mike Shropshire chronicles the team's cursed early years in an exclusive Observer excerpt.