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

By Robert Wilonsky

Nov 23, 2011

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...

From Penn State to the Dallas Stars, the Good, Bad and Godawful News in This Day in Sports

By Robert Wilonsky

Nov 10, 2011

Don't think for a second this small attempt to resurrect a sports blog is an afterthought. We'll get there ... sooner than later. But on a day like today: Where to begin? Penn State, no doubt, far from home for most but not for all, and certain top of mind...

Rangers 7, A's 2: My Top 10 Observer-ations

By Richie Whitt

Sep 21, 2011

10. Only thing funnier than Oakland trusting Rich Harden is Comedy Central's Tosh.0. 9. Michael Young countdown to 3,000 hits is at 953 ... 952 ... 951. 25 3-hit games most ever by a Ranger in a single season and the guy most of us thought wouldn't be a Ranger...

The Real Rangers' Race is in Detroit, Not Anaheim

By Richie Whitt

Sep 20, 2011

Nothing like a good baseball pennant race. Too bad this year there ain't one. No divisional "race" is closer than 5 games in the season's last week and even the Wild Card is producing nothing more dramatic than a two-game edge. With another Angels' loss Monday the Rangers inched closer...

Josh Hamilton Floored by His $500,000 Homer

By Richie Whitt

Sep 15, 2011

Rangers pound out another 12 hits. Rangers score another nine runs. Rangers win again. Lead in the AL West remains three games. Magic number shrinks to 11. Rangers are 21 games over .500 for the first time since 1999. Not that good great baseball is boring, but the West...

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

By Richie Whitt

Sep 13, 2011

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...

Moneyball My Ass. The Oakland A's are Flat-Out Embarrassing.

By Richie Whitt

Sep 12, 2011

The much-anticipated movie Moneyball opens in theaters next week. Perhaps the Oakland A's should insert Brad Pitt into their give-a-shit lineup, because he can't be any worse than what they're currently trotting out there. Didn't see a lot of Texas 8, Oakland 1 Sunday because I was fixated on Jets...

Time For Y'all to Admit It: C.J. Wilson is a Bona Fide Ace

By Richie Whitt

Sep 7, 2011

No doubt Kenny Rogers is the Rangers' best all-time left-handed pitcher. But is C.J. Wilson already No. 2? He further helped his cause Tuesday night in Tampa, somehow resisting his stupid, "instinctive" urge to bare-hand comebackers long enough to shut out the Rays in a complete-game, 8-0 victory. Combined with...

Rangers-Angels Take Baseball's Center Stage. Or at Least They Should.

By Richie Whitt

Sep 6, 2011

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...

The Curious Case of Alexi Ogando

By Richie Whitt

Sep 1, 2011

I know it's dangerous to knee-jerk in baseball, but suddenly Rangers' pitcher Alexi Ogando is disappearing faster than Benjamin Button. And from what we've seen the last two night I'd lean more toward giving the ball to Scott Feldman than the team's early-season ace. Thanks to the lowly Mariners' late rally...

Rangers Win on Weird, Loud Night in Arlington

By Richie Whitt

Aug 31, 2011

Wasn't a full moon Tuesday night in Arlington, but it was an evening saturated with unique entertainment. Perhaps the most fun 2-0 Rangers win you ever did see.There were two guys in bear heads sitting behind home plate, likely trying to top Katy Perry's VMA gaudy headgear and definitely pissing off analyst...

Nelson Cruz' Departure = the Arrival of the Rangers' Future

By Richie Whitt

Aug 30, 2011

First line of my Observer column from May 19: He'll be here before you know it. Sooner than we all expected. He is Leonys Martin. And the future of Texas Rangers' center field is now. Trying to remain calm. And I know Martin -- though he'll take the Rangers' roster spot...

Rangers 9, Angels 5: My Top 10 Observer-ations

By Richie Whitt

Aug 29, 2011

10. Love ESPN's on-screen strike zone and other unique camera angles and, for the most part, I dig Bobby Valentine's analysis. But when he says a change-up low and away will get David Murphy out "every single at-bat" it's just makes him sound silly. 9. Down 4-1 and facing Jered...

Don't Look Now, But We've Got Ourselves a Rangers' Pennant Race

By Richie Whitt

Aug 25, 2011

Well, that didn't take long. From almost 8 games a week ago tonight, the Rangers' lead in the AL West is suddenly down to 2.5. The magic number, seemingly tumbling toward the 20s, is now stuck at 30. This is a good thing. Because, seriously, if the lead stretched to...

Rick Carlisle Throws a Better Pitch Than Colby Lewis Before Rangers' Loss

By Richie Whitt

Aug 24, 2011

Not much good to say about the Rangers' 11-5 loss to the Red Sox Tuesday night. Colby Lewis gave up two more homers, both to Adrian Gonzalez. Texas' lead in the West is down to 3.5 games with 32 remaining. But ... Before the game Mavericks' head coach Rick Carlisle threw out...

My Rangers Fantasy Finish

By Richie Whitt

Aug 23, 2011

Sure, let's get greedy. In June, Mavericks fans were presented with a utopian climax: Sweep the hated Lakers and then rally to beat the even-more-despised Dwyane Wade and the Heat in the NBA Finals behind an MVP performance from long underrated, underappreciated star Dirk Nowitzki. I've pretty much given up...

Rangers Lose Big For the First Time in a Long Time

By Richie Whitt

Aug 22, 2011

What started so promising ... ended with a whimper. The Rangers won the first six games of the 10-game road trip. Late last Thursday night they were three outs from an eight-game lead in the AL West. Then Mark Trumbo took Mike Adams deep, Texas' offense evaporated in Chicago and,...

Rangers Take Another Step Toward Peaking ... and October

By Richie Whitt

Aug 18, 2011

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...

Being Pummeled by the Rangers, Angels Look Ready to Tap Out

By Richie Whitt

Aug 17, 2011

It's August. But after watching the Rangers clobber the second-place Angels the last two nights it sure feels like October. As in, the West is all but won. On to the playoffs already. For the second consecutive night the Rangers' offense pounced on an overwhelmed Anaheim starter and staff. Monday night...

Rangers' Good Intentions = Bad Shannon Stone Statue?

By Richie Whitt

Aug 16, 2011

I appreciate what the Rangers are trying to do with the announcement of a Shannon Stone statue at the Ballpark in Arlington. By all accounts he was a great guy and a good dad and loyal firefighter who simply made a questionable decision that turned fateful on July 7. I...

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