Julio Borbon

Our New Fave Rangers Blog

The Hapless Texas Rangers Turn to their Farm System

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

The Resilient Rangers

Now that's more like it.​Okay, I'm impressed. Friday night's kick-to-the-crotch loss to the Boston Red Sox felt like that moment. Big game. Big crowd. Gigantic implosion. Frankie Francisco's blown save - six runs - felt like the big-bang instant in which a demoralized, gutted bunch of Texas ... 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: 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 >>

The Rangers May Be Out But They Are Not Down--Not Come Next April

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 >>

Moves by Rangers at Winter Meetings Has Our Baseball Weenie Harden-ing

Meet the Rangers' new ace: Rich Harden​Despite the financial restraints stemming from the team's unresolved ownership situation, Texas Rangers general manager Jon Daniels skillfully inked the most dominant free-agent starter at this week's Winter Meetings in Indianapolis without adding payroll ... More >>

Your Texas Rangers Have Money! And Vladimir Guerrero!!

​If you can't beat 'em, sign 'em? For years Vladimir Guerrero tormented the Texas Rangers. Now, in a sign that new owner Chuck Greenberg has money and moxy and motivation, the Rangers will this week sign the free-agent slugger to a one-year contract. While Tom Hicks, Jr. has some fun wit ... More >>

The Texas Rangers, With A New Owner And A New Season, Prompt A New Emotion: Hope

​If you can't beat 'em, sign 'em? For years Vladimir Guerrero tormented the Texas Rangers. Now, in a sign that new owner Chuck Greenberg has money and moxy and motivation, the Rangers will this week sign the free-agent slugger to a one-year contract. While Tom Hicks, Jr. has some fun wit ... More >>

Whitt's End: 2.19.10

​Whether you're at the end of your rope or merely the end of your week, welcome to Whitt's End: *I'm setting the over/under on Tiger Woods saying the word "sorry" in this morning's sanitized statement at 4.5, and I'm taking the under. I'll also be shocked if he cries. At some point he will, b ... More >>

96 Wins? It's Up to You, Josh Hamilton

​Last year, in the midst of camouflaging a late-night plunge from the wagon, Texas Rangers' outfielder Josh Hamilton arrived at spring training and predicted his team would win 90 games. Despite his shocking, anemic year of inproductivity, the Rangers managed 87 wins and held our interest in ... More >>

Tortured by His Bat for a Decade, Texas Finally Signs Rangers-Killer Vladimir Guerrero

​Last year, in the midst of camouflaging a late-night plunge from the wagon, Texas Rangers' outfielder Josh Hamilton arrived at spring training and predicted his team would win 90 games. Despite his shocking, anemic year of inproductivity, the Rangers managed 87 wins and held our interest in ... More >>

The Texas Rangers try to Sweep Ron Washington's Drug Episode Under Their Well-Worn Rug

​Last year, in the midst of camouflaging a late-night plunge from the wagon, Texas Rangers' outfielder Josh Hamilton arrived at spring training and predicted his team would win 90 games. Despite his shocking, anemic year of inproductivity, the Rangers managed 87 wins and held our interest in ... More >>

Would-Be Owner Chuck Greenberg has the Money and Moxie to Lead the Texas Rangers Back to Relevancy and into the Playoffs

​Last year, in the midst of camouflaging a late-night plunge from the wagon, Texas Rangers' outfielder Josh Hamilton arrived at spring training and predicted his team would win 90 games. Despite his shocking, anemic year of inproductivity, the Rangers managed 87 wins and held our interest in ... More >>

Whitt's End: 4.9.10

​Whether you're at the end of your rope or merely the end of your rope, welcome to Whitt's End: *Don't care if you're a puckhead or merely a fan of storybook endings, you had to have been moved (to tears?) by Mike Modano's swan song at American Airlines Center Thursday night. In his final hom ... 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 >>

This is the Problem I Have With Rangers' Manager Ron Washington

​I like Ron Washington. Really do. I don't necessarily trust his relentless optimism about everything and I lost a lot of respect for him for using cocaine in the middle of last season, but I like him. There is a part of him, however, that I don't like. His in-game decisions as a basebal ... More >>

Whitt's End: 5.7.10

​Whether you're at the end of your rope or merely the end of your week, welcome to Whitt's End: *Newy Scruggs is on vacation next week from 105.3 The Fan, which means two things: 1. I'll miss my pawdnuh. 2. At least one of the days I'll be joined by a very special, very familiar mys ... More >>

Texas Rangers: Fool's Gold or Gritty Perseverance?

​While I was gone the Texas Rangers, well, um, let's face it ... they crumbled. Starters not making it past the fifth inning. Bullpen overworked. Bottom third of the order about as effective as BP's oil spill plans G, H and I. Four consecutive losses. Division lead kaput. Not good. I keep app ... More >>

Rangers 12, Mariners 2: My Top 10 Observations

He's alive. And well.​10. Josh Hamilton may never return to the 2008 form in which he already had 17 homers and 67 RBI through 59 games, but all the sudden he's a pretty dang good hitter. The drop to fifth in the order and the loss of the toe-tap timing mechanism have done wonders. Ham ... More >>

Whitt's End: 6.11.10

​Whether you're at the end of your rope or merely the end of your week, welcome to Whitt's End: *The Southwest Conference lived to be 80. The Big 12 won't see its 17th birthday. Favorite part of the squabble is Texas A&M threatening to go to the Southeastern Conference without Texas. Yeah ... More >>

The Texas Rangers Are Putting Together a Winning, Weird Season

Where would the Rangers be without Colby Lewis? And others.​I was at Texas Rangers' spring training out in Surprise, Arizona the day they signed journeyman catcher Matt Treanor. Honestly, it registered a .5 on my 1-10 scale. The Rangers had their catchers of the future in Jarrod Saltalamacc ... More >>

Rangers Win Again on Field, Stumble Again in Court

​Tweak it. Or trash it. That's the charge from the bankruptcy judge in the Texas Rangers' proposed sale from Tom Hicks to Chuck Greenberg. When the judge decries that the Rangers have to modify their current plan - but not add more money to the deal - it seems like a win for the creditors, ri ... More >>

Your Texas Rangers, With Its Weird Winning Record Into July, Is Hardly The Baseball Team We Recognize.

​Tweak it. Or trash it. That's the charge from the bankruptcy judge in the Texas Rangers' proposed sale from Tom Hicks to Chuck Greenberg. When the judge decries that the Rangers have to modify their current plan - but not add more money to the deal - it seems like a win for the creditors, ri ... 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 >>

The Texas Rangers Thrive while Owner Tom Hicks' Sports Empire Crumbles.

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 >>

Rangers 3, Yankees 0: As Good As it Gets

​Same as we shouldn't get too low with the Dallas Cowboys, let's not get too high with the Texas Rangers. Because, well ... oh eff it. You know what, let's do get high. I know the Rangers didn't face C.C. Sabathia or Andy Pettite, but sweeping the New York Yankees in September is about as goo ... More >>

2010 ALCS: Yankees v. Rangers Position-by-Position Breakdown

​Gleefully, I was wrong about Rays in 5. In accordance, take this synopsis with a pinch of salt, a hint of lime, a chug of a six pack, then wake up Friday night and watch for yourselves. ALCS rosters won't be set until Friday at 10 a.m. so there could be some tweaks to the Rangers- Yankees b ... More >>

Werth It? Doing the Rangers' Math as Fat Contracts Swirl Around MLB Winter Meetings.

Photos by Sam MertenDamn. If Jayson Werth commands a seven-year, $126 million deal, how much is this guy worth?​Prior to the beginning of baseball's winter meetings yesterday at Walt Disney World Resort, a flurry of activity resulted in big-name players dealt and fat contracts inked. Predictab ... 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 >>

Thumbs Up: Adrian Beltre Makes the Texas Rangers Better

​The race is on today. Which big announcement/press conference will arrive first: The Dallas Cowboys hiring Jason Garrett or the Texas Rangers signing Adrian Beltre? Let's go with Beltre, as the free-agent third baseman and agent Scott Boras arrived in town last night and agreed to a fiv ... More >>

Texas Rangers Spring Training: My Top 10 Observer-ations

​10. Pitchers and catchers report today. Means backyard pool parties and bikinis can't be far behind. 9. Whatever happens the first week of camp, it can't be more shocking than a year ago when manager Ron Washington announced that he had snorted cocaine the previous season. 8. Last year' ... 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 >>

You've Got Questions, Ron Washington Has Answers

​Let's make this simple, shall we? Sat down with Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington yesterday here in Surprise and asked him what I thought were some pertinent questions. Allow me to paraphrase, in the spirit of keeping this short and sweet in the wake of last night's 3.5-hour, come-from- ... More >>

My Top 5 Worries About the Texas Rangers at Spring Training

​I know that stats are usually meaningless during baseball's spring training. But trends and feels aren't. The San Francisco Giants won the Cactus League in 2010 with an 23-12 record, but their opponent in the World Series - your Texas Rangers - went a last-place 10-19. Pitchers are usua ... More >>

Bronze Beltre

​I know that stats are usually meaningless during baseball's spring training. But trends and feels aren't. The San Francisco Giants won the Cactus League in 2010 with an 23-12 record, but their opponent in the World Series - your Texas Rangers - went a last-place 10-19. Pitchers are usua ... More >>

A Rangers Repeat? History Suggests Odds Are Long.

One Hit Wonders

Your Texas Rangers Are the Best Slow-Pitch Softball Team in the Majors

​Well, it seems like it. If you're counting at home -- and I know you are -- after last night's 6-4 win over the Seattle Mariners, that's 13 homers in 32 innings for the Rangers. At this rate they'll ... man I'm really bad at math be really hard to beat. You know things are going right when I ... More >>

If the Texas Rangers Pitch Like This They'll Go 162-0

Alexi Ogando: Another quality start. Another win. Ho-hum.​I don't trust Mark Lowe. Mason Tobin doesn't yet belong on a Major League mound. And Julio Borbon makes me a little nervous in center field.But that's it, the extent of my minuscule Texas Rangers concerns through five games. 5-0, ... 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 >>

Whitt's End: 5.6.11

Whether you've reached the end of your rope or merely the end of your week, welcome to Whitt's End:*Mavericks-Lakers and Rangers-Yankees in our town in the same weekend. Delicious. If you had a front-row ticket to just one, which would it be? Are there really semi-sane humans who'd choose ... More >>

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 >>

Of Baseball's Litany of Dumb Rules, the Wet Dream Tops the List. Right Mitch Moreland?

​Going to Frisco tonight for the debut of Cuban defector/Texas Rangers' stud prospect Leonys Martin. Or am I? Maybe I'll go and sit in traffic and have a hot dog and two cold ones and Martin will dazzle with a two hits and a stolen base and ... then it will rain and I'll drive home like i ... More >>

Whitt's End: 5.13.11

​Whether you've reached the end of your rope or merely the end of your week, welcome to Whitt's End: *Went and watched the American professional debut of Cuban defector/Rangers' prospect Leonys Martin last night in Frisco. In a word, wow! With his father and agent in the stands at Dr Pepper ... More >>

Leonys Martin's Long Ride to Center

The Rangers' newest prospect fled communism in Cuba for center field in Frisco. He won't be there for long.

With Josh Hamilton and Cliff Lee Looming, the Rangers are Somehow Surviving

​Adrian Beltre got the big hit. Ian Kinsler made the defensive play. And, in a first, Mark Lowe salvaged what Neftali Feliz ruined. The Rangers beat the Royals in extras last night and -- pending a weekend visit through Cliff Lee and the formidable Phillies' pitching staff -- might avoid ... More >>

Well, That Didn't Take Long: Welcome Back, Josh and Nelson

​Yesterday I surmised that the Rangers' offense would suddenly improve with the returns of sluggers Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz. But not me -- nor even Texas -- thought it would happen that fast. Or that far. Fresh off the disabled list, Hamilton homered in his first at-bat and Cruz ad ... More >>

Whitt's End: 6.10.11

​Whether you've reached the end of your rope or merely the end of your week, welcome to Whitt's End: *In 31 years of basketball, the Dallas Mavericks have won a combined (regular season and playoffs) 1,349 games. One more in Miami either Sunday or Tuesday and they are NBA Champions. *Histor ... More >>

Breaking Down the Texas Rangers Offseason Plans in the Wake of Coming So Close

Photos courtesy Texas RangersNo need to place all of the blame on Nellie. There are plenty of other folks at fault for losing the World Series.​No matter how hard you try to find a scapegoat, the story of the 2011 World Series doesn't have a chapter about its version of Bill Buckner, nor shoul ... More >>