San Diego Padres

Major League Baseball's Screwball Economics

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

A Texas Rangers Midseason Report: It's Time to Go All In

With the baseball season at the symbolic halfway point, we asked former Unfair Parker Sam Merten to root around in his beard and see if he could come up with anything to say. He obliged ... and obliged ... and ... Sports are unpredictable. That's why we watch. And there's no greater evidence than t ... More >>

If Signing Yu Darvish and Prince Fielder Are Mutually Exclusive, The Texas Rangers Might Be Better Off If Darvish Returns to Japan

As Wednesday's 4 p.m. deadline nears in the negotiations between the Texas Rangers and Yu Darvish, the most significant hang-up is reportedly the 25-year-old's request for a five-year contract and the team's preference for a six-year deal, according to Yahoo! Sports' Jeff Passan. Understandably, Dar ... More >>

Rangers: 2 Losses 2 Trades = Better Team

Newest Ranger Mike Adams​Your Rangers lost two of three in Toronto over the weekend, and came out of it a distinctly better team. How's that? Texas was handcuffed by (again) Brett Cecil Friday night and by Brandon Morrow Sunday afternoon. But more importantly, GM Jon Daniels pulled off ... More >>

Yo, Adrian! Rangers Officially Ink Beltre to Six-Year, $96 Million Contract

Photos by Sam MertenJon Daniels, Adrian Beltre, Ron Washington and Scott Boras celebrate Beltre's new contract. Nolan Ryan, Chuck Greenberg and Thad Levine were also on hand for the occasion.​As we speculated on the night Cliff Lee agreed to his contract with the Philadelphia Phillies, the Tex ... More >>

Pending Brandon Webb Signing Shouldn't End Rangers' Pursuit of Starting Pitching

Webb is a nice addition, but Texas should continue looking for another starter.​As expected, the Texas Rangers inked Brandon Webb to a one-year, incentive-laden contract reportedly worth around $3 million guaranteed with a potential for the veteran right-hander to earn between $8 million and $10 m ... 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 >>

Rangers Reeling, But We're Not Worried. Yet. Right?

​The Texas Rangers haven't won a game since last Wednesday. They've dropped four in a row - including a 7-2 Labor Day thrashing at the hands of the Blue Jays in Toronto and one of the wildest, worst endings to a game you ever did see on Sunday in Minnesota - and seven of their last nine. Pitc ... More >>

Baseball Saying Yes to No

Ah, the good ol' days. Are they here again?​Tampa Bay Rays' pitcher Matt Garza tossed a no-hitter last night. It was the fifth this season in Major League Baseball, most since 1991. Funny thing is, now the San Diego Padres and New York Mets are the only current teams wit ... 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 >>

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 >>

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

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

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 >>

Yeah, But What If Baseball Went To The European Football Table?

I know the Texas Rangers swept the previously mighty Boston Red Sox and we're all atwitter about the American League West division race heading into August ... September ... maybe even October? But what if baseball were governed according to, say, European football standards? You know, the top ... More >>

Will Your Texas Rangers Ever See First Place Again?

Maybe we starting celebrating singles?Notable deaths in the last week: Ed McMahon. Farrah Fawcett. Michael Jackson. Billy Mays. The Texas Rangers? After getting 1-hit last night by someone named Chad Gaudin and losing two of three to a San Diego Padres outfit that hadn't won a serie ... More >>

Whitt's End: 6.19.09

Whether you're at the end of you're rope or merely the end of your week, welcome to Whitt's End: *If you saw the abortion that was Joe Buck Live on HBO Monday night, know this: It could have been much worse. How's that? Guess who Buck begged and pleaded to have on his virginal voyage? That's ri ... More >>

Last Night in Washington, Republicans Needed More than "Candlesticks" from Joe Barton

Patrick MichelsRep. Joe Barton, doing his best La RussaWASHINGTON, D.C. -- With Arlington's own Rep. Joe Barton at the helm last night, the Republicans suffered a tough defeat in Washington, out-fielded and out-hit 15-10 by Democrats in the annual Congressional Baseball Game.Barton, a 22-year vetera ... More >>

Whitt's End: 3.27.09

Whether you're at the end of your rope or merely the end of your week, welcome to Whitt's End: *Dallas Police Chief David Kunkel can apologize all he wants for the indefensible actions of Robert Powell, but unless the officer is fired it will be a complete and utter injustice. Powell, who detai ... 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 >>

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

Just How Did Josh Hamilton Wind Up the Texas Rangers' Savior, Anyway?

A Move Tom Hicks Can Be Proud Of? Believe It

Your Texas Rangers Are Bidding on Hosting the 2015 All-Star Game

Forever Young

Boy Blunder

Is baseball's youngest general manager man enough to rebuild the Rangers?

Danks For Nuthin'

Cold Stove Rangers

The Lone Ranger

Déjà Boo

Another Rangers season ends in a familiar Hunt for Dead October

Eaton Up

The Texas Strangers

Balls Out

How to throw a no-hitter on acid, and other lessons from the career of baseball legend Dock Ellis

Hart Attack

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

Going Deep

The Cowboys want to move back to Fair Park--so, there goes the neighborhood?

No Limit Tour

Starplex Amphitheatre, August 6

Perfect game

When Reid Ryan wanted Round Rock voters to build a stadium for his minor-league baseball team, he turned to the one pitchman no good Texan could refuse -- his dad, Nolan

Stopped short

Kevin Elster was through with baseball once, but it was not finished with him

Stealing home

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

Hall of Fame hunt

Nolan Ryan takes aim--at birds instead of batters