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Major League Baseball's Screwball Economics

As another season begins, MLB faces an unsustainable future -- and you’re picking up the tab.

Big Thanks To Minnesota

Memo to Ron Washington: It's the, Um, Postseason, Just In Case You Forgot

Photos by Sam MertenPerhaps more than any of his players, Ron Washington needs to break out of his postseason slump.​After the Texas Rangers fired Buck Showalter following the 2006 season, general manager Jon Daniels interviewed five candidates. Of course, there was Ron Washington, a longtime ... More >>

Begin 2011's Post-Season Play By Reliving Texas Rangers' 2010 World Series Run in MLB Spot

​Thanks to my 8-year-old son's intense but not at all unpleasant love affair with baseball, I've spent way too many evenings in recent days glued to the MLB Network watching Tampa Bay and/or Boston slug it out to see which team lands the American League wild-card spot. Because if the Rangers beat ... More >>

Michael Young: Half Man, Half Hitting Machine

Though slumps and stardom, all Michael Young does is hit.

Rangers Closer to Raising AL West Pennant, Funds for Shannon Stone

​Yep, the Angels somehow lost to this laughable outfit again last night -- Anaheim has given up the division by going 5-9 against the A's -- shoving the Rangers' lead in the AL West up to 3 with 15 remaining and trimming their magic number to 13. Nelson Cruz should be off the DL and ... More >>

Last Chance to Get in Line for Rangers Playoff Tickets, Fingers Crossed, and Other Game Notes

It's Colby v. McCarthy tonight. Hang on.​Nice to see our sports columnist thinks the race for the AL West is "over." Still, though, coulda sworn the Rangers have 18 games left on the schedule, including three against the Angels at season's end; the magic number remains a far-from-over 17. Guess th ... 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 >>

The Rangers Keep Walking Off to Hold Off the Angels

​Driving back from San Antonio last night I was re-introduced to the Rangers. Hello, drama! After overcoming deficits of 7-2 and 3-0 in the 8th inning in wins over the Indians last weekend, the Rangers -- thanks to a bad, postpartum outing by Alexi Ogando -- spotted the lowly Mariners a 6-3 l ... More >>

Upon His Return to Arlington, David Clyde on His Bittersweet Legacy as a Texas Ranger

Via historicimages-store on eBayThe 18-year-old David Clyde being informed he's now a Texas Ranger in June 1973​We began talking at 11:55 Thursday night and wrapped up some time after 1 Friday morning. But, what else did he have to do? "I'm just drivin'," he said, "somewhere on I-45, a little clos ... More >>

Meanwhile, Your Texas Rangers are Suddenly Back Where They Started

​Been a little concerned obsessed with the Mavs. But I did catch some Rangers' baseball Saturday afternoon. Saw enough of Derek Holland to say "Wow!" And apparently he isn't alone. After swooning without Josh Hamilton, the Rangers tumbled from their 9-1 start into mediocrity. Don't look now, ... More >>

Whitt's Merten's End: 12.31.10

One of Sports Pickle's best photos of 2010​It's been a fun two weeks, sports fans. Richie's back on Monday, but before I give him back his blog, here are some week-end thoughts before I go. *Sunday's Cowboys-Eagles game looks like it might be the first NFL start for Stephen McGee as Jon Kitna ... More >>

My (Fausto) Carmona: Plan B Now That Cliff Lee and Zack Greinke Are Headed Elsewhere

Trading for Fausto Carmona would help ease the pain of losing out on Lee and Greinke.​Since we can all feel OK about losing out on the Cliff Lee sweepstakes, it's fair to evaluate Jon Daniels' Plan B, especially with the trade of Zack Greinke -- easily the best pitcher to be had on the marke ... More >>

Do the Rangers' New Owners Have the Money and Will to Build on a Winning Formula?

It's All In The Timing

Are the Texas Rangers Good Enough to Dare Get Better?

​Let's don't talk too loud - might wake them up - but your Texas Rangers are suddenly 5.5 games ahead of the Anaheim Angels in the American League West. Another good start by Colby Lewis, another pivotal hit by Michael Young, another save by Neftali Feliz and, presto, a 4-3 win over ... More >>

As Rangers Look to Add Another Game to Division Lead Tonight, a Reminder of the Architect of This Surprising Bunch

Photos by Sam MertenAll-Stars Josh Hamilton and Elvis Andrus​As Richie mentions in this week's paper version of Unfair Park, the Texas Rangers could be headed toward their winningest season in franchise history, as they nabbed their 50th win of the season last night and increased their lead to ... More >>

Future Headline: Rangers Fan Seriously Injured Scrambling for Homer on Greene's Hill

Greene's Hill​The Texas Rangers - and the fan who tumbled over the railing and fell 30 feet into a lower deck while chasing a foul ball - were lucky last night at the ballpark in Arlington. As Cleveland Indians manager Manny Acta said, "A fatality could have happened there." The adult male fan wa ... More >>

Sorry, But Michael Young Isn't an All-Star in 2010

​While June begat nothing but good news and great play for your Texas Rangers, July so far is about as much fun as a Roman Candle to the belly button. They were thumped by the lowly Cleveland Indians Monday night and have now lost five of seven after that 13-1 stretch. Out of n ... More >>

Boom Or Bust?

The Resilient Rangers: Episode XLV

This Rangers' playoff run has had more twists and turns than a ... well, you know.​At this point don't fear the valleys, just enjoy the roller-coaster. Just when - yet again - it seemed your Texas Rangers were going to fall out of playoff contention by not scoring a single run in their last ... More >>

The Texas Rangers and Their Holland Tunnel

Now isn't the time for potential. It's the time for production. Right?​The Rangers' past is sucky and their future is murky. There are frightening skeletons in the closet and financial potholes down the road. The present, however, smells delicious. That's why Derek Holland should be taken o ... More >>

Texas Rangers: Soar, Then Stoop

Some days the Rangers seem legit; others full of saline.​Got this "friend" named Newy Scruggs. He has his theory that the Texas Rangers "play well against the big boys." Hogwash I'd tell him, until the Rangers took two of three against the Angels last weekend. Then I watch Texas last night ... More >>

After a Dynamic Season Opener, Rangers Fans are Seeing Red

The Rangers' debut was shockingly accessorized by pitching, defense and, don't look now, relevance.

Steeeeerrrrriiiiiiiiike One!

Bush league. Minutes after two jets shook our loins with a flyover, the 43rd President of the United States strode to the mound - the mound, not the rubber - and fired a ceremonial first-pitch strike to Rangers' outfielder Josh Hamilton. The Prez, who somehow received nary a boo, then&nb ... More >>

The 2009 Starting Pitcher for Your Texas Rangers: Dubya

  This is not the time to talk politics. It's the time to talk baseball. I'll put my liberal left leaning on hold today because the Texas Rangers have announced - no surprise - that former Prez and former co-owner George W. Bush will throw out the first pitch before next Monday's season ... More >>

Rangers Spring Training Grades

TexasRangers.com The kid's catching on pretty fastOnly 19 days until the Texas Rangers open the 2009 regular season at home against the Cleveland Indians. In other words, time for some mid-spring training grades. So far, so good I'd have to say. No major injuries. Josh Hamilton is pound ... More >>

So ... Will the Sheets Hit The Fan?

With the New York Mets signing Oliver Perez, the Texas Rangers' chances of landing free-agent pitcher Ben Sheets just got stronger. Likewise, their radio signal for 2009 is also beefed up. The announcement that Rangers' weekday games will be broadcast on 105.3 The Fan means that 110 of Texas' 1 ... More >>

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 >>

10 Steps to Fixing Your Texas Rangers

Hey, Look Over Here. It's Next Year!

The Rangers' Milton Bradley, the Hot-Head with a Hot Bat, Has Gotta Go

The Rangers are Sending a Pitcher to the Mound Tonight. Duck!

Ask A Mexican

Laughter is a universal language; comedy isn't

Texas Rangers Making Contingency Plans In Case This Uptick is a Mirage

Ask A Mexican

There is no fool like an April Fool.

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

Chief Beef, Joey Kendall, Veloura

Thursday, September 6, at Andy's, Denton

Oh and 162?

Déjà Boo

Another Rangers season ends in a familiar Hunt for Dead October

The Hunt for Dead October

Juan Gone...to Long Island

Ay Caramba!

Catcher Einar Diaz must take over for Pudge and educate our columnist

Break a Leg

For injured star rookie Ruben Mateo, the only certainty is his comeback isn't a sure thing

Journeymen of summer

Root, root, root for the home team -- whoever they are

A bush league of their own

Long before the Texas Rangers, major-league baseball was played in Dallas by a minor-league team called the Dallas Eagles

Here's the pitch

The Texas Rangers can't buy a win unless you pay up

The making of Mike Hargrove

It took a tender Texan to get the Cleveland Indians into the World Series

Bad start

Everything seems different at the Ballpark--except on the field