Rangers Notes: Benson has to go!

Tough night for the Texas team. Jon Lester carried a perfect game into the 7th inning before Michael Young broke it up with a double to left-center. Holland got the start and had his best stuff with his fastball consistently hitting 97 mph, but a balk in the 5th inning led to the Sox's 2nd run and the wheels fell off for young Derek.

Other Notes:
Kris Benson has to be designated for assignment immediately following the game. His line for the night: 2.1 IP, 4 runs, 3 ER, 3 BBs, and 1 SO. His E.R.A. is now up to 8.46.

Andrus was the only Ranger not to strikeout against Lester.

Michael Young had both hits for Texas.

Padilla pitches tomorrow....how do you think he will do?

Scott helps Sox beat Indians, 4-2

Podsednik goes 2-4 with a run, rbi, and 2 stolen bases as the White Sox defeat the Indians this afternoon 4-2.

Season Stats: .298 AVG, 0 HR, 9 RBIs, 7 SBs

Grading the Rangers: Outfielders

Here is part 4 of the 4-part series: the outfielders.

Marlon Byrd's Stats: .301 AVG, 4 HR, 25 RBI

Marlon has been solid throughout the season with his defense and the bat, but has recently been brought up in trade rumors. Every team should have guys like Byrd.
Byrd's grade: B+

Nelson Cruz's Stats: .289 AVG, 16 HR, 41 RBI, 9 SBs

Cruz has been incredible the entire season with his average hanging around .300 and his home runs always seem to go at least 20-25 rows up. He is on pace for 48 HRs and 123 RBIs which puts him in the running for AL MVP with his teammate, Kinsler.
Cruz's grade: A+

Josh Hamilton's Stats: .240 AVG, 6 HR, 24 RBI

Hamilton has been struggling with injuries all season and it looks like he is not coming back anytime soon. Hamilton's grade: Incomplete

Andruw Jones' Stats: .278 AVG, 5 HR, 14 RBI

I am hoping that Jones will make his greatest impact on the team in Hamilton's absence. He seems to have got over his struggles with the Dodgers and has been one of the few patient hitters Texas has. The next few weeks should be big for Jones.
Jones' grade: C

David Murphy's Stats: .231 AVG, 2 HR, 10 RBI

You can't help but like the guy despite he might be at best a 4th outfielder. He has seemed to take two steps back this year and his playing time as reflected this. On a team with too many solid OFs (without Hamilton) Murphy has to step up his play.
Murphy's grade: D

That is it for this series, now on to the remainder of the season!

Grading the Rangers: Infielders & Catchers

Let's take a look at the infielders through this point of the season:

Michael Young's Stats: .332 AVG, 7 HR, 21 RBI, 20 2Bs

Michael has played very well at 3rd base and seems to be getting better everyday. He has struggled with runners in scoring position (.133) but his average has been steady throughout the season. His power has come back this season with the 7 home runs and he is looking at hitting 60 doubles. Young's grade: B+

Elvis Andrus' Stats: .278 AVG, 3 HR, 12 RBI, 9 SBs

Elvis has surpassed everyone's expectations in the early season. His play at shortstop with his timely hitting has made him an instant sensation among Rangers fans. He has only scratched the surface on his potential.
Andrus' grade: B

Omar Vizquel's Stats: .333 AVG, 0 HR, 6 RBI

He has been a great mentor for young Elvis and when has been called on to play, he has held his own. This year he has been called to do something he has never done: play 2nd base and 3rd base and has done so very well. He is for the infielders what Everyday Eddie is for the bullpen.
Vizquel's grade: B+

Ian Kinsler's Stats: .281 AVG, 15 HR, 44 RBI, 11 SBs

Ian started off on fire and since has cooled down but his overall numbers are still startling. He is on pace for 45 HRs and 132 RBIs not to mention 33 SBs. Those are MVP numbers, but it would be nice if he could pick up the average to around .300. The big question is whether or not he can stay healthy. Time will tell.....
Kinsler's grade: A

Chris Davis' Stats: .210 AVG, 12 HR, 27 RBI

Much has been discussed on whether Davis should be in the lineup or not. He has been much better the last 3 games including going 3-4 last night. He is hitting .268 with runners in scoring position and his glove is keeping him at first for now. Hopefully Davis' struggles are behind him and we will be laughing about this by the end of the season. He is on pace for 36 HRs and 81 RBIs. Davis' grade: D

Hank Blalock's Stats: .259 AVG, 12 HR, 29 RBI

Hank is sort of a mystery because there has been times when he has not played for several days in a row. Nevertheless, he is still on pace for 36 HRs and over 80 RBIs but his average is 15 points below his career average.
Blalock's grade: C+

Jarrod Saltalmacchia's Stats: .248 AVG, 5 HR, 23 RBI

His defense has been most improved this year while his bat has not been an issue. He is on pace for 180 strikeouts which is way too high and has struck out 20 times in the last 10 games. Overall, on pace for 15 HRs and 69 RBIs at the catcher position: not bad.
Saltalmacchia's grade: C+

Taylor Teagarden's Stats: .239 AVG, 0 HR, 6 RBI

I would have thought Taylor would get more playing time this season, but Salty has proven with his defense that he belongs in the everday lineup. Playing sparingly has hurt Teagaraden more than anything as he can't get in a routine. He played so great last September, I had high expectations for him.
Teagarden's grade: C-

Those are the grades: Agree or Disagree?

Grading the Rangers: Relievers

We have already looked at the starting pitchers, now it is the relievers turn.

Frankie Francisco's Stats: 19 games, 19.2 IP, 1-1, 12 Saves, 0.46 E.R.A.

He has been perfect in save opportunities, 12-12, with his only loss and run coming in the 9th inning against Oakland on an Adam Kennedy home run. He has had some injury trouble with a stint already on the DL, but he has been the leader of the bullpen in every way possible.
Francisco's grade: A+

C.J. Wilson's Stats: 25 games, 23.1 IP, 3-3, 4 saves, 4 holds, 1 blown save, 3.47 E.R.A.

He is the most polarizing player on the roster, but at the moment more people hate him than love him. Of course the fans are really fickle with Wilson much like his play. He is a very emotional player that has great stuff but he struggles between the ears. He blew the game on Thursday against the Yankees, but that was one day after he was dominant against them. One could argue that he should not have been in the game after pitching over an inning the day before but you have to get the job done. If you look at his stats over the course of the season, Wilson has been very good with a solid E.R.A.
Wilson's grade: B-

Eddie Guardado's Stats: 20 games, 14.1 IP, 0-1, 4 holds, 3.77 E.R.A.

He struggled early on in the season, but has hit his stride the last 10 games (0 Runs). He has lowered his E.R.A. to well below 4 and is the most beloved guy in the bullpen. He is a great mentor for the young guys.
Guardado's grade: B

Darren O'Day's Stats: 20 games, 17 IP, 2-0, 1 save, 4 holds, 1.06 E.R.A.

I am still not sure where this guy came from, but he has been the biggest surprise of the season. He is one of those guys that are fearless and do their job when called upon. JD gets major props for finding this guy.
O'Day's grade: A+

Kris Benson's Stats: 7 games, 2 starts, 20 IP, 1-1, 8.10 E.R.A.

Why is this guy still on the team? He has not shown any inkling of why he should be a part of the 2009 Texas Rangers. Only twice has he went to the mound in relief appearances and not given up a run. He only plays in mop-up duty which is maybe once a week. Pack his bags and get a guy from AAA in here immediately.
Benson's grade: F (I wish I could go lower)

Jason Jennings' Stats: 17 games, 26 IP, 2-1, 3.12 E.R.A.

Having watched Jennings at Baylor, I have a special interest in his career. When he came to Texas last season I had hoped he would resurrect his career and become a major part of the rotation, but it was not meant to be.This season, he has become the go-to in long relief for this team and has done a solid job. He has a good E.R.A. and has not given up a run in his last 4 appearances.
Jennings' grade: B

There's the grades, do you agree?

Grading the Rangers: Starting Pitchers

The Rangers are 1/3 of the way through the season and their record stands at 32-22 which means if they play like this the rest of the season they will finish 96-66. That record would be good enough to win the West and compete for the best record in the AL. This will be a 4-part series covering the Starting Pitchers, Relievers, Infielders, and Outfielders.

First, we evaluate the Pitchers:

Kevin Millwood's Stats: 12 Starts, 2 Complete Games, 85 IP, 5-4, 2.96 E.R.A.

He is finally starting to pitch like an Ace this season with 9 of his 12 starts going at least 7 innings including last night's start in Boston. Nolan has had an incredible impact on Millwood getting to go at least 1 more inning in each start. Millwood's grade: A

Vincente Padilla's Stats: 9 Starts, 53.1 IP, 3-3, 5.57 E.R.A.

Much has been said of Padilla on this website alone, so I won't bore you with repeating myself. If you look just at the stats I would give him a C, but you have to look at the whole picture.
Padilla's grade: F

Brandon McCarthy's Stats: 11 Stats, 1 Complete Game Shutout, 64 IP, 5-2, 4.92 E.R.A.

Much like Millwood, McCarthy is looking like he has turned a corner on his struggles. He had a rough start in New York, but that has more to do with the ballpark than his pitching. It is concerning that he is a fly-ball pitcher having to pitch in the Ballpark, but he has shown flashes of why the Rangers wanted him in the first place. Keep in mind that he is only 25 years old and is looking at finishing the season with 15 wins. The guy that the Rangers traded away for Brandon, John Danks, is 4-4 on the season with a 5.10 E.R.A. Give the edge so far in this season to McCarthy! McCarthy's grade: B-

Scott Feldman's Stats: 8 Starts, 54.2 IP, 5-0, 3.79 E.R.A.

Feldman has been consistent ever since he got into the rotation when Benson went on the DL. He is continuing to lower the E.R.A. with every start and he even beat the Yankees his last time out in New York. He is another young pitcher, 26, with a bright future.
Feldman's grade: A

Matt Harrison's Stats: 9 Starts, 2 Complete Games, 1 Shutout, 54.2 IP, 4-4, 5.43 E.R.A.

He is currently on the DL, but is looking to come off next week. The 23-year old pitcher has looked dominating at times this season with a complete game shutout under his belt already. But at other times he has struggled much like his age would suggest he would. In his last two starts, he has given up 12 runs in 10 innings.
Harrison's grade: C

Derek Holland's Stats: 2 Starts, 27 IP, 1-2, 6.33 E.R.A.

I have him listed as a starter because he is starting today in Boston (though he is headed for the bullpen) and he has been in the rotation the last few weeks. I watched his first start personally in Houston and he was brilliant except for the ball he left over the plate to Berkman in the 5th inning. His pitches have a lot of movement on them and he rountinely he throws his fastball between 93-95 mph. But like Harrison, he has flat-out struggled at times to get guys out. He is incredibly young, 22, and the sky is the limit. He is going to go through growing pains this season and the fans have to be patient.
Holland's grade: D

Would you have given any of these guys a different grade?

Rangers Notes

Rangers get a solid win tonight 5-1 over the Red Sox pushing the record back to 10 games over .500. Kevin Millwood wasn't great, but still gave up only 1 run and it wasn't earned lowering his E.R.A. to under 3.00.

Chris Davis went 3-4 with an RBI raising his average up to .210. He is now 6-12 in his last 3 games...so it begs the question: Is he out of the slump? Is it the power of the red thong?

More Rumors:

There is talk of Roy Oswalt coming to the Rangers, but know that Astros owner Drayton McLane loves Roy and if he was ever going to get rid of him, Texas would be the last team he would go to. Astros are still hurting over Nolan going to the Rangers 20 years ago, so it would be devastating if Oswalt went up I-45 to the Metroplex. IT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN, SO LET'S FOCUS ON MORE LEGIT POSSIBILITIES.

I will keep you posted on other rumors as they come in, but for now enjoy a good win in Boston and look forward to Derek Holland's start tomorrow. Peace Out!

West Spotlight: Scott Podsednik Update

For all those Pod fans out there, I figured you would appreciate an update on how Scott is doing with the White Sox. He currently has the third highest batting average on the team at .284 while adding 8 RBIs and 5 SBs. He is consistently batting leadoff while playing LF and some CF. Unfortunately, the Sox are 3 games under .500 at 25-28 and are in 3rd place in the AL Central but only 3.5 games out of first place.

***Update*** Tonight, Scott is 1-4 with his 6th double of the season, but the Sox lost 6-0 to the Indians.

I will continue to give Scott updates on more of a daily basis.

Trade Winds Blowing

Fox sports senior baseball writer, Ken Rosenthal, had an interesting article today talking about the Rangers. This is what he had to say:

"The Rangers still would consider trading a hitter for a reliever even if they lose outfielder Josh Hamilton for a prolonged stretch. Hamilton should learn Monday whether he needs surgery for an injury that is effectively a sports hernia.

If the Rangers trade, say, outfielder Marlon Byrd or infielder Hank Blalock, they could replace that player internally, promoting Class AAA outfielder Julio Borbon, Class AAA catcher Max Ramirez or Class AA first baseman Justin Smoak.

The Rangers, operators of the game's top-ranked farm system according to Baseball America, also will consider pursuing a starting pitcher such as the Mariners' Erik Bedard or Indians' Cliff Lee."

The name that interests me is Cleveland's Cliff Lee because I don't see Mariners trading within their division and they are only 2 games under .500. So lets take a look at Cliff Lee, the reigning Cy Young award winner:

2009:
3-6, 2.96 E.R.A., 82 IP, 59 Ks, 17 BBs

Cy Young Season 2008:
22-3, 2,54 E.R.A., 223.1 IP, 170 Ks

Those numbers are extremely impressive, so what do you think about going out and getting Lee? He would automatically become the ace from a talent standpoint (though I think from a leadership point of view, Millwood still is it) and would be a another great veteran for the young guys to look up to. We would have to give up either Byrd or Blalock and at least one young pitcher, but I have already mentioned that the Rangers have to put their chips all in for THIS year. Share your two cents on this hot topic!

Padilla clears waivers

No surprise here: Padilla cleared waivers meaning no team in baseball wanted to take on his remaining $8 million contract. This means that Padilla will start on Sunday against the Red Sox. The Rangers are hoping that this move was a wake up call for Padilla and that he will start playing for the team instead of himself. Do you think Padilla will straighten up?

Other Notes:

Don't expect Hamilton to come back anytime soon. He is not feeling any better and he has been diagnosed with a sports hernia. If surgery is required (good possibility) than he could be out as late as September. There is a new surgery out there that only requires 2 to 4 weeks recovery time that Hamilton is hoping to take which would be welcomed by Rangers' fans all around.

In hindsight, how does the Andruw Jones pick up look now? He is an 8-time gold glover that Wash is hoping steps up in Hamilton's absence.

Jones' 2009 Stats:
.278 5 HR 14 RBI

Mavericks Spotlight: Chris Bosh

The Mavericks surprised everyone by making it to the 2nd round of the playoffs, so what is next for an encore? This off-season is going to be interesting with Jason Kidd and Brandon Bass, are top two free agents, looking for a big payday. I fully expect Kidd to be with the Mavs next season because the way the money works out, Dallas can offer him the biggest contract. Bass on the other hand will probably find another team (which is sad because I like him a lot) that can give more than a mid level exception.

One of the players possibly coming to Dallas according to Tim McMahon from dallasnews.com is Chris Bosh. According to the Morning News, Bosh has made it clear that he will not re-sign with the Toronto Raptors next season and he is expecting a max contract after the 09-10 season.

Here are the stats on Bosh from nba.com:

Height: 6-10
Weight: 230
College: Georgia Tech
Exp: 5 years
Went to Lincoln High School in Dallas.

2008-09: 22.7 PPG, 10 RPG
Career: 19.6 PPG, 9.6 RPG

He made 14.4 million this past year so Dallas would probably have to trade Eric Dampier and Jerry Stackhouse to match his contract. Would Toronto go for that or would they want Josh Howard instead of Damp? Do we want to make a big time trade for one guaranteed season of another finesse PF?

Tell me what you think? Do you want Bosh, a hometown guy, playing for the Mavs next season?

Cowboys Spotlight: CB Mike Jenkins

Now that CB Anthony Henry has via trade to the Lions for QB Jon Kitna, it is time for the young CBs to step up their game from last year. Nobody needs to do that more than Mike Jenkins after having a disappointing first season and 5th round pick Orlando Scandrick playing much better than him.

Quick Numbers on Jenkins:

Height:	5-10
Weight:	190
College:	South Florida
Years:	2

He was selected in 2008 with the 25th pick overall in the first round, but only had 19 tackles on the season.

CB Terrence Newman is the only veteran left in the group and he is constantly hurt so it is up to Jenkins to show that he was worth grabbing in the 1st round. If the Cowboys are going to go anywhere this year, it has to start with guys like Jenkins to play up to their potential. Keep an eye on him through OTA's and training camp.

Elvis Andrus is Mr. Web Gem!

If you were not able to see the game last night, than you missed Elvis making not one, but TWO web gems. Baseball Tonight had him as the #1 last night with TWO web gems and they probably could have picked a few more.

To see THE play, go to www.texasrangers.com and go to Andrus' bio and the video is there. I tried to place a link on here, but it failed so happy hunting!

Keep in mind he is only 20 years old!

Spotlight: Pedro Martinez

The odds of the Rangers going out and getting Pedro Martinez to fill Padilla's shoes are slim to none, but nonetheless we will scout him out because he his a Hall of Fame pitcher sitting at home.

2008 Stats w/New York Mets:
5-6, 5.61 E.R.A., 109 IP, 87 Ks, 20 starts

Comments:
His strikeout rate is good but if you notice he only pitched 109 innings in 20 starts which comes out to a little over 5 innings pitched an outing....not something Nolan would be happy with.

2009 Stats in the World Baseball Classic:
6 IP, 1 hit, 6 Ks, 0.00 E.R.A., 2 starts

Comments: He pitched very well in the WBC for the Dominican and many people thought someone would take a flyer on him much like the Astros did on Pudge with his good showing in the Classic.

This is a good topic for us bloggers, but I don't believe anything will come of this rumor. I will try and post more legit possibilities as they come across my desk. Do you want the Rangers to grab Pedro?

One last odd fact: He is a fan of cockfighting!

Elvis has the Yanks all shook up!

Thoughts on tonight's game:

HELLO WIN COLUMN!

Scott Feldman: Has been incredible has a starting pitcher and now we need him more than ever with Padilla's future up in the air. His line tonight: 6.1 IP, 5 hits, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 Ks.

Elvis Andrus: He is a Freakin' Man-Beast at 20 years old! He made two web gems tonight and was inches away from another. He also went 2 for 3 and 2 stolen bases. You can rest assure that the Yankees know who Elvis is by now.

Chris Davis: It seems like everyday we are on Davis watch and tonight is no different: He went 1 for 4 with a RBI and only 1 strikeout again. It was good to see him finally get a hit tonight and is batting average has CLIMBED to .191.

C.J. Wilson: He had his A-game tonight with his fastball reaching 97mph. His line tonight: 1.2 IP, 1 hit and 2 Ks. He was constantly throwing strikes and never really got behind in the count.

Padilla placed on waivers...

Vincente Padilla was placed on waivers today, meaning that the Rangers are looking to trade him to another team and lose his $8 million dollar salary for the remainder of the season. In reality, Texas would take on some of that salary in exchange for a low grade prospect.

This is what I wrote last night after the game:

Padilla was off from the beginning tonight, his line: 3.2 IP, 7 R, 7 ER, 4 BB, 1 SO He also balked in a run and hit Teixeira twice. Are you concerned with Padilla?

Obviously the Rangers were concerned with his erratic behavior last night during the game. He has always been a guy that was concerned more with himself than the team and this team will not tolerate that (see: Sidney Ponson--2008).

Well now what happens? There is a good chance Padilla will still be here after the waiver deadline has passed (12:00 PM Friday) and that means he will start in his normal spot on Sunday. But if a team WAS to trade for him, than it would leave one to think that Holland takes his spot in the rotation...........in the words of Lee Corso, NOT SO FAST MY FRIEND!

With Holland struggling lately, he could be headed to the bullpen after his start this Saturday in Boston. There is whispers of the Rangers going out and looking for another veteran to step into the rotation. Could this veteran be Pedro (who is out there for the taking)? There is a reason Pedro has been on the market this long, but it would be an intriguing move. What do you think, should the Rangers take a flyer on Pedro, look elsewhere for an arm, or keep Holland in the rotation?

Vincente Padilla's Ranger stats:

2006: 15-10 4.50 E.R.A. 200 IP Best year and his last contract year (before this year).
2007: 6-10 5.76 E.R.A. 120.1 IP
2008: 14-8 4.74 E.R.A. 171 IP
2009: 3-3 5.57 E.R.A. 57.1 IP

Padilla YANKED early in 12-3 loss.

Thoughts on tonight's game:

Padilla was off from the beginning tonight, his line: 3.2 IP, 7 R, 7 ER, 4 BB, 1 SO
He also balked in a run and hit Teixeira twice. Are you concerned with Padilla?

Derek Holland struggled again giving up 3 hits and 2 runs in 1.1 innings raising his E.R.A. to 6.33. These outings are good for developing his maturity as a big league pitcher.

Nelson Cruz hit a 3-run blast to left field in front of his family in New York. It was his 15th of the season and he has been on a tear lately (8 HRs in last 13 games). I am loving what I am seeing right now from Cruz, the future is bright.

Chris Davis.....what can you say? He ONLY struck out once tonight against a good strikeout pitcher, but still hitless going 0-4 with 3 flyouts. Now he did make contact 3 times and I guess at this point we should be happy with that. He did do his best impression of a woman again by making a stretch play at first base. His defense is keeping him in the lineup at this point, but for how long? Batting average sits at .189......yikes!

Vote Early, Vote Often!

Since the Texas Rangers are in first place (though getting pummeled currently by the Yanks) in the American League, the least you could do is vote those hard working ball players into the All Star Game. You can go online to www.texasrangers.com and vote up to 25 times for your beloved Rangers. Get out and vote!

Here are the Rangers in voting currently:

2B Ian Kinsler--1st 787,619
OF Josh Hamilton--2nd 685,463
3B Michael Young--2nd 441,912
SS Elvis Andrus--3rd 393,606
C Jarrod Saltalmacchia--3rd 401,375
1B Chris Davis--5th 320,912
OF Nelson Cruz--9th 390,903

Other Rangers Notes:

Josh Hamilton went back on the DL as of this afternoon due to an abdominal strain. I don't think he was ever quite healthy after coming back the first time and then he made an amazing catch in the outfield a couple of weeks ago and re-aggravated his groin and ab problems.

Hopefully he be rested and come back at full strength and get back to the Josh that we have come to respect here in Texas.

Cowboys release Greg Ellis

Last week it was announced that the Cowboys would either trade or release Ellis which is news that is not shocking considering how many LBs they drafted in April. The move saves Dallas $4.5 million dollars in cap room and gives Anthony Spencer the opportunity to start after being drafted in 2007.

Ellis long ago worn out his stay in Dallas after continuing to battle the front office over his contract the last several years. Some people in the media will tell you that Greg was a good leader and clubhouse guy, which could be true, but he was constantly whining about something each of the last 3 off-seasons. Ellis will always be known most for being picked in the 1998 draft instead of Randy Moss. A goof that Moss did not let Mr. Jones forget each and every time the Cowboys played the Vikings in the years after that draft.

Anthony Spencer Profile:
Height: 6-3
Weight: 255
College: Purdue
Exp: 2

Picked 26th in the 1st round of the 2007 draft.

Sound off on whether or not this was a good move for the Cowboys?
Are you going to miss Ellis?
Do you think Spencer is ready to start?

4th and Long: Review

4th and Long is a reality show on Spike TV that comes on at 9 p.m. CT on Monday nights. If you are a die hard Cowboy fan than you should be watching this show. It is not too late to get involved because Spike TV runs re-runs on the episodes before the new show begins on Monday nights.

The premise is for Michael Irvin to find Jerry Jones a man to fill his roster before training camp. In the competition is 6 DBs and 6 WRs. Many of these guys are looking for one last chance to make the NFL because they have a history of injuries, troubles in college, or chose family over living their dream. Don't be mistaken, these guys have legitimate talent but they all have at least one flaw with several of them having several bumps along the way.

Bill Bates coaches the DBs while Joe Avezzano coaches the WRs, but Michael Irvin makes watching the show worth it. It is very clear that if he wanted to, he would be a GREAT coach at any level. He is so intense and you find yourself hanging on every word he says.

Who will make camp with the Cowboys? Watch and find out.

Grade:
Cowboys fans: A+
Football fans: A

Are the Texas Rangers ready for a Red October?

Now that the Texas Rangers have completed 30% of the season and are still in first place, what do you think? Is it time to get excited or do we wait until after the All-Star break to crack a smile?

For the last several years, the battle cry from the front office was 2010 is our year! There are several problems with this outlook:

1. Ranger fans have no more patience for rebuilding! (Neither do the players for that matter)
2. The West division is obviously down this year with Oakland looking dismal, Seattle not playing up to their expensive payroll (again), and the Angels suffering catastrophic injuries to start the season and Vlad Guerrero struggling in the few games he has played (1 HR & 5 RBIs in 14 games).
3. Millwood and Padilla are in contract years, meaning they will never pitch better than this year in search of a big contract.

These are just a few reasons for the fans to scream this is OUR year! If we wait until next year to put our chips all in, then we are taking a huge gamble that is not worth the price. Oakland is not going to stay down forever, Seattle has to be good again eventually, and every other year LA is going to win 95 games. 2009 has to be the year for RED OCTOBER!

Now that we can agree that this is the year, the Rangers have to be willing to make the right moves to win without jeopardizing the future. It needs to include the following:

1. Getting another veteran pitcher via trade (I will discuss options in a later post).
2. Figuring out what to do with Chris Davis.
3. Making sure Josh Hamilton is healthy.
4. Grooming Neftali Feliz to handle major league duty in a potential post All-Star break coming out party.

We are now in a hunt for a red October and let us hope that it is in the very near future!