Your 1st Place Texas Rangers

[SUMG]

Rangers draft LHP Matthew Purke, of Klein High School in Spring, Texas....in the first round of the MLB draft tonight. This is a good pick...if they can sign him. There are varying stories of how much he wants for a bonus (From $3 million up to $7 million). Apparently Nolan called his agent before the pick and asked what they wanted....so I'm guessing the Rangers will get this kid.

GTR

[Censored by Laurie]

Rangers draft LHP Matthew Purke, of Klein High School in Spring, Texas....in the first round of the MLB draft tonight. This is a good pick...if they can sign him. There are varying stories of how much he wants for a bonus (From $3 million up to $7 million). Apparently Nolan called his agent before the pick and asked what they wanted....so I'm guessing the Rangers will get this kid.

GTR

It was either going to be Purke or Shelby Miller...Miller wasn't trying to drive his price up so he was a back-up pick and ended up going 19th to St. Louis. This should mean Purke came down off of some unreasonable demands and the Rangers have a contract all but signed. You can probably thank Nolan for that.

[UNTLifer]

Here's a nice article on Purke from the end of May in the Houston Chronicle. You can also search his name at www.chron.com to read more stories from this past season. Good kid, good family and a good pick. This is the school my kids will attend if we are still in Houston when they hit high school.

Houston Chronicle: Richard Justice article

Edited June 10, 2009 by UNTLifer

[Green Guy Bass]

The Rangers theme for the next few days: Patience

I do like the raw talent of the young arms they picked up in the draft. They are all at least 3-4 years away. Patience.

The Rangers offense, please God have some patience at the dish tonight and for the rest of the homestand. Making Brian Tallet look like a world beater is ridiculous. This team can't draw walks, and with no J-Ham for a month or two they can't afford to be too aggressive. Patience at the plate.

3 games up on the Angels, too close for comfort. It's only June 10th. Patience fans.

Hopefully Millwood can stop the bleeding tonight.....oh before I forget, does anyone else here like the Grilli signing? I would rather have him over Madrigal, Benson, and maybe after a few more clean outings Jason Jennings.

[Censored by Laurie]

Just more of Norm being wrong.

Ranger fans: Blaylock, Danks and Diamond for Josh Beckett. Takers?

[Quoner]

Just more of Norm being wrong.

Ranger fans: Blaylock, Danks and Diamond for Josh Beckett. Takers?

What if we threw in Gagne?

[UNT90]

The 4 words I thought I'd never say this year:

This offense worries me.

[UNTLifer]

When's the last time the Rangers won a game 1-0 at home, much less on the road?

[Quoner]

When's the last time the Rangers won a game 1-0 at home, much less on the road?

Only the fourth time they've done it since the new park opened.

[Quoner]

Also, this Newberg report is being hailed far and wide as one of his best "big picture" columns ever: http://www.newbergreport.com/article.asp?articleid=1451

[Green P1]

El Duque anyone?

[Censored by Laurie]

El Duque anyone?

Welcome back...just wish you would've chosen to make your return in a different thread.

[Green P1]

Welcome back...just wish you would've chosen to make your return in a different thread.

I love the RANGERS.

Off to summer bash.

[UNT90]

Back to back shutouts. If only the hitting could match the pitching. Wow...am I living in an alternate universe?

5 1/2 up on SEA

5 up on ANA (still playing).

[Green Guy Bass]

Back to back shutouts. If only the hitting could match the pitching. Wow...am I living in an alternate universe?

5 1/2 up on SEA

5 up on ANA (still playing).

It is going to be a while like this offensively for a while I fear, but I do love Byrd getting AB's everyday. I just hope that the Pitching and defense can steer the ship as well as they have as the temps near triple digits. Great win tonight though. Beating the best team in baseball (record-wise) says a lot about the make-up of this team after a very shaky series against Toronto. Diamondtalk is a lot of fun right now. I hope many of you are tuning in, a lot of fun to discuss good baseball.

Lets just hope that Feldman or Wonderboy can have a good showing this weekend and they can make it a series win. Good times.

[UNT90]

I just hope that the Pitching and defense can steer the ship as well as they have as the temps near triple digits.

I don't buy the argument that the "Texas heat" zaps a team in July or August. If the Florida Marlins can win it playing in that humidity, there is no heat excuse for the Rangers. I think humidity is a heck of a lot more draining than heat.

[Green Guy Bass]

I don't buy the argument that the "Texas heat" zaps a team in July or August. If the Florida Marlins can win it playing in that humidity, there is no heat excuse for the Rangers. I think humidity is a heck of a lot more draining than heat.

I think heat and humdity go hand in hand here in N. Texas. Like 97and03 said, the ball carries more when it gets really hot at this park. That is my biggest concern.

[FirefightnRick]

Also, this Newberg report is being hailed far and wide as one of his best "big picture" columns ever: http://www.newbergreport.com/article.asp?articleid=1451

Given how the Texas lineup shapes up, we’d probably be talking about a DH.

What about Brad Hawpe, who is reaching base 41 percent of the time? He earns about $3 million the rest of the way this year and $7.5 million in 2010 (his $10 million club option for 2011 voids if Colorado trades him). (Incidentally, two years and four days ago, the day after the Beavan/Main/Borbon/Ramirez/Hunter draft, I wrote: “And who knows, maybe three years from now, Rangers general manager Jon Daniels [yes, that’s right] trades Main and third baseman Emmanuel Solis, both of whom are starring in Frisco, and big league left fielder Chad Tracy to Colorado for free-agent-to-be outfielder Brad Hawpe, who helps Texas separate itself from the Angels on the way to a playoff berth.”)

One can only Hawpe.

Brad is a personal friend of one of the guys at my station whose son played with Brad at Boswell High School. We have followed his career ever since.

Thank you for the link Q.

Rick

Edited June 13, 2009 by FirefightnRick

[UNT90]

Even if the heat does sap the life out of the players, the heat does increase the home runs. We have been making some impressive defensive plays lately, but it is hard to do that when they hit it out onto the lawn in centerfield.

You know what decreases home runs? Good Pitching.

You know what increases home runs? Poor pitching.

Everything else is just an excuse for a pitcher who is pitching poorly.

[KRAM1]

OK, so after the 13 game span against teams with winning records the Rangers went 5-7 (1 was postponed) and still lead the division by 2.5 games over the Angels. Are you "baseball guys" happy with 5-7 over the span? Short of what they did against the Dodgers...not much...they seemsed to do pretty darn well. So, what's your take?

[TheTastyGreek]

OK, so after the 13 game span against teams with winning records the Rangers went 5-7 (1 was postponed) and still lead the division by 2.5 games over the Angels. Are you "baseball guys" happy with 5-7 over the span? Short of what they did against the Dodgers...not much...they seemsed to do pretty darn well. So, what's your take?

What do I think about a 5-7 record?

I think that not just good, but GREAT things are happening for the Rangers! Sounds like their years and years of patience are finally paying sweet dividends to Rangers fans!

(I missed you, KRAM. Really, no disrespect intended here. Also, I never pegged you for a Norma Rae, especially not for the cause of jackassery. Swing by the tailgate and we'll have a hot dog for you or something.)

[Green Guy Bass]

OK, so after the 13 game span against teams with winning records the Rangers went 5-7 (1 was postponed) and still lead the division by 2.5 games over the Angels. Are you "baseball guys" happy with 5-7 over the span? Short of what they did against the Dodgers...not much...they seemsed to do pretty darn well. So, what's your take?

Not that pleased because the offense is in such a bad way at the moment. The only real dissapointment over the stretch was the Jays series. Really should have done better against some fair to spare pitching. However, with 2/5's of the rotation on the DL along with the closer essentially and Josh out for 4-6 weeks, things could have been a hell of a lot worse. They have series against HOU/SF/ARZ/and SD before wrapping up the month with the Halos. If they surrender their lead before the Angels series I will be dissapointed, but not totally shocked because the Angels are getting their wheels back on.

If Texas is going to have a 22 and 23 year old in the rotation the rest of the way, we can't realistically expect this team to put distance between themselves and an Angels club that has owned this division in recent years, even in they are a weaker version. Also, may we thank our lucky stars that nobody claimed Padilla a few weeks back. I doubt if anyone would want to take the rest of his salary on at this point of the season, but it would have really sucked if they did.

Today's off day couldn't come at a better time. Maybe a day at Hurricane Harbor, excuse me Wet and Wild, can help Kinsler and company figure out what the hell is going wrong at the dish. Sports.

Edited June 15, 2009 by Green Guy Bass

[Quoner]

Not that pleased because the offense is in such a bad way at the moment. The only real dissapointment over the stretch was the Jays series. Really should have done better against some fair to spare pitching. However, with 2/5's of the rotation on the DL along with the closer essentially and Josh out for 4-6 weeks, things could have been a hell of a lot worse. They have series against HOU/SF/ARZ/and SD before wrapping up the month with the Halos. If they surrender their lead before the Angels series I will be dissapointed, but not totally shocked because the Angels are getting their wheels back on.

If Texas is going to have a 22 and 23 year old in the rotation the rest of the way, we can't realistically expect this team to put distance between themselves and an Angels club that has owned this division in recent years, even in they are a weaker version. Also, may we thank our lucky stars that nobody claimed Padilla a few weeks back. I doubt if anyone would want to take the rest of his salary on at this point of the season, but it would have really sucked if they did.

Today's off day couldn't come at a better time. Maybe a day at Hurricane Harbor, excuse me Wet and Wild, can help Kinsler and company figure out what the hell is going wrong at the dish. Sports.

Rudy J. is either terrible at reaching extremely coachable white guys or something is seriously afoot right now. I think others are starting to point this out, but have you noticed how easily the team is fooled by early count off-speed pitches and anything down and away? I know he's the master of getting the most out of guys who get busted for steroids later, but the lack of approach and the ease at which everyone - including guys like Young, Kinsler and Byrd - get themselves out is just amazing right now.

I also fully hope this is my Bob Sturm rant moment and we put up 30 on Houston tomorrow.

If they can't play at a .600 clip over the next four series, then this season wasn't meant to be. However, the next decade is still looking pretty good.

[KRAM1]

Kram,

I would be concerned with the "or something" in that sentence...

But, I do like hot dogs...in fact I am planning on creating a Jimmy Carter Dog this evening for dinner....a grilled hot dog, toasted bun with peanut butter (yes, you heard that...peanut butter) and some chopped Georgia onions.

Yep, just wanted to show all my "liberal friends" here on GMG.Com that I would name a "taste delight" after a democrat. I'll tell you tomorrow how it worked out. Really, I'm not kidding...my wife, of course, thinks I am nuts when it comes to hot dogs...hey, how did she find out????

[Green Guy Bass]

Alright folks. The Rangers are facing a lefty tonight with an ERA under 3. Millwood goes for the good which is good. Hopefully he will get some runs support, but if not the west lead will continue to shrink(has no faith in Giants). If the bats stay cold I do urge you to tune in and call into Diamondtlak tonight after the game. We are going to try and fix a few things with the offense, and start looking at different lineups that the old school brutha could possibly use. We would love to hear from some of you.