Ian Kinsler

Watch Ian Kinsler's Magnificently Terrible Slide into Third Base

Eric Nadel's vocal talents aside, there are some things you miss listening to Rangers on the radio, as I do when the kids aren't yelling too loud. One of those things in last night's 10-4 victory over the Tigers was Ian Kinsler's magnificent slide. Kinsler gets points for making it safely to third ... More >>

Josh Hamilton to Address Whatever Happened on Monday at Press Conference Today

​Several Friends of Unfair Park have asked: Why nothing about Josh Hamilton's alleged "relapse"? Well, because for now, we don't know much, just that the recovering (and re-recovering) addict may have had something alcoholic (not sure what or how much) at Sherlock's (no shit) on Monday and that Ia ... More >>

Rangers GM on Hamilton's Addiction: "This Is Not a Baseball Story." This is Real Life.

An hour and a half after Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton met the media to address the fact that, yes, he did have a few drinks earlier this week, team general manager Jon Daniels hopped on the phone with local media. Hamilton took no questions; Daniels had no choice. And almost immediately, a ... More >>

"It's All Just One Big Happiness": Meet Ian Kinsler's Dad, Howard, Who Seems Awful Swell

​Those following along with our World Series open threads -- and, programming note, Sam's Game Six'er opens at around 6 -- know by now that my 8-year-old's favorite present-day Texas Ranger is Ian Kinsler, who he stuck with even during that awful 1-fer mid-summer slump. But after the jump, courtes ... More >>

Stealing the Mojo: Rangers-Cardinals World Series Game 3 Preview and Open Thread

Texas RangersIan Kinsler completes the best defensive play I've seen in my 25 years watching the Fall Classic -- a diving stop by Elvis Andrus and flip to Kinsler with his glove to end the fifth inning of Game 2. Just spectacular athleticism displayed by Andrus.​If you've read my piece about S ... More >>

If Nothing Else, the Rangers Need to Win World Series Just to Spruce Up Cooperstown Exhibit

​The video you'll find after the jump was posted two days ago by the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York. So far it's been viewed 60 times. In it, John O'Dell, curator of history and research, provides a brief tour of Rangers artifacts in the Hall -- brief, because t ... More >>

Rangers Take Another Step Toward Peaking ... and October

​Seven games up with 38 games remaining. Magic number down to 32 (smallest in baseball along with the Brewers and Phillies). Three of the first four in the bag already in Anaheim, with a chance to sweep tonight. For those of us who make a living bitchin' and moanin' about this or that with ... More >>

Rangers 8, Angels 4: My Top 10 Observer-ations

​10. Eerie. On July 19 the red-hot Rangers went into Anaheim with a 4-game lead and -- with Alexi Ogando on the mound -- got back-to-back homers (from Josh Hamilton and Adrian Beltre) in a series-opening rout. And on August 15 the red-hot Rangers went into Anaheim with a 4-game lead and -- wi ... More >>

It's Never Too Early For Playoff Baseball

Josh Hamilton just before he drove in Ian Kinsler to win last night's ballgame​Took the boy to the ballpark last night, where, Chuck Morgan told us, we were joined by a little more than 25,000 others -- not bad for a 193-degree start-timer against the lowly Mariners, but not great either. Not now, ... More >>

Bet On All-American Good Times

Give Ron Washington Credit for His Desperation Flip-Flop

​Rangers' manager Ron Washington loves status quo. Likes the same ol' routine of it all. When something extraordinary happens in the game he delivers his pet philosophical phrase: "That's the way baseball go." But in the midst of watching his team lose seven of nine games and seven of eight ... More >>

While the Bullpen Further Implodes and the Losses Mount, There is Good Texas Rangers News

​Watched Rangers second baseman Ian Kinsler totally half-ass and boot a grounder Sunday afternoon in Oakland. On Monday Elvis Andrus made his seventh error of the season. Thought to myself, This team is getting lazy. Suddenly the laziness is compounded by the losing. Last night the beleaguer ... More >>

Welcome Back to Earth, Texas Rangers. Welcome Back, Colby Lewis?

So Alexi Ogando is human. The Rangers' bullpen is shaky. Julio Borbon's center-to-home throws look like Mat McBriar's punts. And Nos. 1-2 hitters are cooler than a New York night. Admit it, right now Texas' 10-5 feels more like 5-10. After Ogando gave up three homers last night, A ... More >>

Even Ron Washington is Making the Right Calls During Rangers' 9-1 Start

​The Rangers are 9-1, their best start in franchise history. They've outscored their opponents a ridiculous 60-26. They've beaten the aces of Boston (Jon Lester), Seattle (Felix Hernandez) and now Detroit (Justin Verlander). They're hitting homers, getting immaculate starting pitching and winn ... More >>

Which Of Your Texas Rangers Has The Coolest Intro Music?

​Last week, the Morning News' Rangers beat writer/columnist Evan Grant shared the music being used at the start of this baseball season by most of your Texas Rangers players -- either at-bat music or welcome-to-the-mound stuff, naturally.The best news that wasn't? Grant reported that catcher Mike ... More >>

Rangers 26, Red Sox 11: My Top 10 Observer-ations

​10. That, my friends, was about as thorough a three-game sweep as you can produce. The Rangers out-scored Boston by 15 runs and slugged 11 homers. And that wasn't the Royals, remember -- it came against the team most experts predict will represent the AL in the 2011 World Series. 9. Mos ... More >>

It's Never Too Early For Spring Training Knee-Jerk Reactions

Photo by Sam MertenIan Kinsler could be gearing up for a career year.​You hear it every year around this time: Spring training stats are meaningless. And, sure, while that can be true for guys like Doug Deeds -- the 29-year-old career minor leaguer who's hitting .357 with two homers and four RBI f ... More >>

Making the Best of a Bad Situation: What Texas Should Do to Resolve Michael Young Mess

Photos by Sam Merten​Even before Michael Young demanded to be traded, the likelihood that he'd swap uniforms before the expiration of his contract in 2013 seemed like a long shot at best. Despite a résumé that includes six All-Star nods, a batting title, an (undeserving) Gold Glove and five cons ... More >>

Do You Believe in Miracles?! - YE ... Nope.

    Saw Duke's Kyle Singler on ESPN making a shot at Duke's Cameron Indoor Stadium. Off the floor. Off the backboard. From the rafters. Having seen and remembered this video of LeBron "making" LeShot, I know what trick 'em-dick 'em photography can do. So, no, I ain't buying it.

Rangers Win! Hicks Loses!

TexasRangers.com​As last night's Game Five wore on, the damnedest thing began to happen: My neighborhood, in Northwest Dallas, began echoing with mighty, mighty shouts of joy. A few friends reported the same thing in other parts of town -- you didn't even need to have the Rangers-Rays game on to k ... More >>

He Isn't MVP, but Ian Kinsler is a Critical Ranger

​It's common sense that Ian Kinsler should not have been suspended. It's also becoming pretty clear that he's vital to the Texas Rangers' post-season success. Loved me some Andres Blanco. He filled in with OK defense, scrappy base-running and even some pop in his bat. But in  ... More >>

An All-Star Game Tradition: The Rangers Make 'Fake-Baseball' News

​The Texas Rangers are frequently at their very best when real baseball is not being played. Last night's All-Star Game in Anaheim isn't "real baseball.'' In a sport where nothing much ever changes (I swear some of the Lords of Baseball would just as soon not have bothered getting the flannel u ... 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 >>

Praising Josh Hamilton While Solving the Claw

​A nod to old Dallas wrestler Fritz Von Erich? A psychological ploy by hitting coach Clint Hurdle? Fallout from last year's swine flu? After seeing two more Texas Rangers smack extra-base hits last week and then make bizarre hand gestures -- Ian Kinsler did a wide-arm double claw and Josh Ham ... More >>

Which Rangers' Pitcher Do You Most Fear?

Welcome back.​Another weird game at Rangers Ballpark last night: *Something I've never seen: With Ian Kinsler caught dead along the third-base line during an aborted steal of home, Oakland A's starter Gio Gonzalez panicked and half-balked, half-wild-pitched him home with a crazy ass throw ... More >>

With a 22-Game Taste, Let's Circle the Bases: Last-Place Rangers Have First-Place Potential

Ian Kinsler makes his season debut tonight against the Mariners and lefthander Cliff Lee, who's also making his first appearance of the year. ​While Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has cryptically blamed the refs yet again for his team's fourth first-round exit from the playoffs in the last seven y ... More >>

Texas Rangers Pitch In to Help Cedar Hill High, While Tom Hicks Jr. Apologizes (Again)

​Let's start this item with some kind words for (for now) Tom Hicks Sr.'s baseball club, which, at 12:30 p.m. today will help out Cedar Hill High School, where students returned from the winter break to find the baseball team's field house ransacked and more or less destroyed by vandals. Texas Ran ... More >>

The Texas Rangers May Trade Kevin Millwood, But They're Giving Away Holiday Cheer

Danny FulgencioCraig Gentry was called up to the bigs in September, and now he's spreading major-league cheer at Children's.​Our Danny Fulgencio trailed some of Your Texas Rangers -- among them, Chris Davis, David Murphy, Ian Kinsler, Derek Holland and new hitting coach Clint Hurdle -- as they mad ... More >>

Sorry Rangers Fans, You Don't Deserve the Playoffs

​I raised the white flag a while back. Apparently you guys finally gave up, um, last night. With the Texas Rangers in the middle of a pennant race for only the fourth time in their 37-year history and Cy Young candidate Scott Feldman pitching against a very beatable opponent, a ... More >>

Batter Up

Texas Rangers: The Hits Keep a Comin'

Neftali Feliz likes him. So should you.​I have no idea who or what Omega El Fuerte is. But if it's good enough for Texas Rangers' fireballin' phenom Neftali Feliz, it's good enough for me. When the ridiculous rookie enters a game over the weekend in a crucial series against the Seattle Mari ... More >>

Rangers Win Again; Chris Davis Finally Loses

Who will we see in Arlington next: Him or Justin Smoak?Let's play three strikes with your Texas Rangers. Your first-place Texas Rangers. Yes, I am surprised. And impressed. Steeeriiiike One - Chris Davis demoted. Davis is a good guy with a great glove, but the Rangers could afford to be patie ... More >>

O, Sweet Baseball

One Kosher Statistic About Ian Kinsler's Hitting for the Cycle We'd Hate to Pass Over

Now, Texas Rangers second baseman Ian Kinsler doesn't necessarily identify himself as Jewish -- his dad is, his mom ain't, and the guy was never bar mitzvahed. Though, as he told ESPN.com last August, he knows he's beloved in the Jewish community: "If you have any kind of Jewish ancestry attached to ... More >>

The Top 10 Most Impressive Individual Sports Achievements and 10 Cool Things I'd Like to See Achieved

Even back in '05 we knew he could hit. But like this?Last night was one of those nights. In a season of 82 Mavericks' games and 162 Rangers' games, we'll remember April 15. For it was last magical night that we were treated to two - almost simultaneous - rare individual athleti ... More >>

We Have an Elvis Sighting!

How's this for Elvis Andrus' Major League debut? A two-out double down the right-field line, with reigning American League Cy Young winner Cliff Lee on the mound and former President George W. Bush in the TV booth offering his thoughts on Fox4. Not bad, I say. Especially for a 20-year ... More >>

You Could Use Some ... Baseball?

Has there ever been a better team player in the history of Metroplex sports?Approximately 5,000 fans braved freezing temperatures and decades of losing at Saturday's Rangers Fan Fest in Arlington. I was one of them. The highlights: *General manager Jon Daniels says he's recently tal ... 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 >>

We’re No. 2! We’re No. 2!

Home On the Rangers

The Arlington boys take on Seattle

Yeah, Bunt I Wouldn’t Have Bunted

God Bless America. And Sports.

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

Your Rangers Officially Don’t Suck

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

Arm-Chair Managing in the Hours Before Ron Washington's Fired

Play Ball! Notes from Texas Rangers Spring Training, Thus Far.

The Rangers are No Hit. Literally.

Pick Your Pleasure (or Poison)

The Texas Strangers