Neftali Feliz

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 >>

After Club Signs Nathan, Moves Neffy to Rotation, Rangers Offer Wilson Arbitration

​My bad. Been meaning to get back in here and post something, anything, of note, and there's been plenty in recent days. And as Josh's Broken Groin notes, it's been way too long. So then, to today's Breaking, or Broken, Rangers News: The club has offered salary arbitration for next season to C.J. ... 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 >>

Guts, Not Gaffes Give Texas an Opportunity for the Kill Shot: Rangers-St. Louis Cardinals World Series Game 6 Preview and Open Thread

Texas RangersMike Napoli celebrates his game-winning double in the eighth inning of Game 5.​The intellect of one of the best managers and greatest players in baseball history short-circuited at the worst possible times for the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 5 of the World Series, but Monday night ... More >>

Leaving on a High Note: Rangers-Cardinals World Series Game 5 Preview and Open Thread

Texas RangersSouthpaw Derek Holland exits last night's masterpiece in style -- something C.J. Wilson and the Texas Rangers hope to emulate tonight.​I expected Derek Holland to finally realize his potential as a top-of-the-rotation arm in the American League Championship Series. That, of course ... 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 >>

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 >>

Whitt's End: 7.29.11

​Whether you've reached the end of your rope or merely the end of your week, welcome to Whitt's End: *I know one practice doesn't make a career and, as Bill Parcells says, let's hold off on shipping that bust to Canton, but Cowboys' first-round draft pick Tyron Smith looks like a beast ... More >>

Triumph Over Tragedy: Rangers Roll Into All-Star Break

​Thursday: The lowest point in the history of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. Sunday: The high point of Texas' baseball season. Was sitting at a blackjack table in Las Vegas when I looked up and saw Nolan Ryan in front of a microphone on TV. As the closed caption scrolled "Josh is very di ... More >>

Why We Love Sports in America: 2011

​Since I'm out on vacation next week let me get to this Fourth of July tradition a little early: Happy Birthday, America. Our country turns the ripe old age of 235 on Monday. Between burgers and beers and bikinis, I'll make time this weekend remembering how friggin' fortunate we are to have a ... 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 >>

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.

The Rangers Aren't Winning, and Now C.J. Wilson is ... Whining?

​Hello, win column! third place.The Rangers started 9-1. But since Josh Hamilton broke his arm on that daring/dumb dash for home plate in Detroit on April 12, they're 9-17.That equals 18-18. That equals -- for the first time since April 30, 2010 -- third place in the AL West behind the Angels ... 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 >>

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 >>

Whitt's End: 3.25.11

​Whether you've reached the end of your rope or merely the end of your week, welcome to Whitt's End: *Like me, do you think the Texas Rangers are kinda getting caught with their pants on the ground with their pitching staff exposed? The time to go get a reliable closer is not next year, it' ... More >>

Rangers Re-Do: Frankie Francisco for Mike Napoli

​Mike Napoli may help the Texas Rangers win some games this season, but right now he's a big pain in the butt. How's that? Because think of the team's landscape had general manager Jon Daniels not acquired Napoli from the Toronto Blue Jays on January 25 for reliever Frankie Francisco. If tha ... More >>

Michael Young: Still Here. Still Hitting.

​Don't know what else to call it, I'm just getting a weird vibe here in Surprise, Arizona. The defending American League champion Texas Rangers somehow only have two starters (C.J. Wilson and Colby Lewis) inked into the rotation. Their elite closer (Neftali Feliz) might be a starter but ... 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 >>

Whitt's End: 1.14.11

​Whether you're at the end of your rope or merely the end of your week, welcome to Whitt's End: *Jerry Jones is desperate to break the Super Bowl attendance record, set at the Rose Bowl back in 1980. To do so, he needs to pack 104,000 into Cowboys Stadium. Or around it? He wants to sell ticke ... More >>

Rangers Considering Trading Michael Young, Because No One - Almost - is Untouchable

​The Texas Rangers aren't pro-actively shopping Michael Young. They're simply listening when other teams call to talk about him. We can't have a problem with this, can we? As I noted occasionally in the playoffs, Young's limited mobility at third was on the verge of making him a defensive lia ... More >>

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

Whitt's End: 11.19.10

​Whether you're at the end of your rope or merely the end of your week, welcome to Whitt's End: *Next Tuesday Josh Hamilton wins AL MVP. Right? *The good news: Greggo's "pus pockets" are gone. The bad: He's been told not to talk for 10 days. Ten! Means a couple things. 1. Summon RoboGreggo fr ... More >>

Stop it. Ron Washington Did Not Get Hosed.

​Texas Rangers' manager Ron Washington deserves credit. But not a trophy. I was neither surprised nor disappointed yesterday when Minnesota Twins' skipper Ron Gardenhire was named American League Manager of the Year. While he led his team to 94 wins and a division championship despi ... More >>

You Like the Texas Rangers More than Las Vegas

​Witnessed lots of folks outside Rangers Ballpark last night who believe in their baseball team. The Rangers Rally was a warm hug on a chilly night and the theory goes like this: The present belongs to the San Francisco Giants, but the future belongs to the Texas Rangers. You buyin' it? ... More >>

The Top 10 Best Moments From the Texas Rangers' 2010 Playoff Run

​And what a ride it was ... 10. After an generous incorrect no-call on a check swing, Michael Young blasts a three-run homer to center field on the next pitch as Texas races to a 5-0 lead in Game 2 of the ALDS en route to a 2-0 series lead in Tampa Bay. 9. Presidents Bush and Dubya ... More >>

2010 World Series GAME 3 - Rangers 4, Giants 2: My Top 10 Observer-ations

​10. Yes metroplex, for the first time ever there will be baseball ... in November. Regardless of Tommy Hunter in tonight's Game 4, Game 5 will be Monday night, Novembrer 1, at Rangers Ballpark at 6:57. And oh, by the way Giants fans, you know where you can stick those brooms. 9. During the ... 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 >>

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

​10. I've never seen a scarier, more intense 5-run baseball game in my life. With closer Neftali Feliz flying 98-mph fastballs all over the joint in the 9th, the tension felt as though it were 3-2 instead of 7-2. 9. I know Elvis Andrus gets credit for manufacturing a 1-0 lead with his "A ... More >>

Whitt's End: 10.15.10

​Whether you're at the end of your rope or merely the end of your week, welcome to Whitt's End: *There's probably some heart-over-head at work here, but I'm picking Rangers in 7. If Neftali Feliz doesn't blow a save and if the Rangers can avoid letting the Yankees' mystique force a mis ... More >>

The Rangers In The Playoffs: What In The Wild World Of Sports Is Going On?

Cliff Lee, The Texas Rangers New Pitching Ace, May Have A Sweet Stay In Arlington, But Also A Short One.

Fab 50: Half A Hundred Power Brokers Who Shape Our Local Sports Scene.

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 >>

Texas Rangers: More Buck For Their Bang

​Strangely successful season for your Rangers so far. In spring training manager Ron Washington admitted to using cocaine. Their catching tandem is Matt Treanor-Max Ramirez, instead of the planned Jarrod Saltalamacchia-Taylor Teagarden. Chris Davis is gone, and forgotten? Their elite closer ... 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 >>

Atta Boy, Jon Daniels

​Texas Rangers general manager Jon Daniels took a lot of crap early in his career. Altogether now ...    Chris Young and Adrian Gonzalez to the San Diego Padres for who?! If you remember the answer is Adam Eaton, you have an idea of just how far Daniels has progressed. As if sque ... More >>

Texas Rangers: Less Fireworks, More Fun?

​And now, for two facts that have never ever gone together in the past: 1. The Texas Rangers are 10th in the American League (out of 14 teams) in home runs. 2. The Texas Rangers have a winning record. I know. Weird. When the Rangers beat the woeful Kansas City Royals on Sunday, they did it wi ... More >>

Whitt's End: 3.12.10

​Whether you're at the end of your rope or merely the end of your week, welcome to Whitt's End: *I said upon hearing the Josh Howard-for-Caron Butler trade during the NBA All-Star break that the Dallas Mavericks were not only re-shaping their roster but re-booting their playoff prospects. I h ... 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 >>

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 >>

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

Whitt's End: 8.14.09

​Whether you're at the end of your rope or merely the end of your week, welcome to Whitt's End: *Lots of you asking for a breakdown of the latest Arbitron PPM radio ratings for July. Not worth a separate item these days because - yawn - The Ticket's dynasty just rolls on. Dunham & Miller ... More >>

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 >>

Whitt's End: 1.16.09

Whether you're at the end of your rope or merely the end of your week, welcome to Whitt's End: *My summation of Thursday's dramatic plane crash/rescue in New York's Hudson River: It's a bird! It's a plane! It's Superman!! *Found it funny that, although the crash happened at 2:30, Larry Ki ... More >>

Why Can't the Texas Rangers Always Play the Kansas City Royals?