Wouldn’t You Like to Be a Dr Pepper Sports Snapper, Too?

Erin and Mia are going through a stage where they argue about everything, but there are two things they agree upon. Having a Dr Pepper at Dr Pepper Ballpark is greatness, but having a Dr Pepper at a Rangers game with Evan Grant is even greater.

Don’t forget: You wanna hang with Mr. Evan P. (the P is for “Party”) Grant at a ballgame? Post some pics of you and your wingmen (or wingchicks…or wingkids) digging a Dr Pepper at a sporting event in the Dr Pepper Sports Snaps for a chance to win a family four-pack to cover a Rangers game with Our Leader.

The Smoak House

Told you, I’d pummel you with Justin Smoak puns. But this one might actually be useful. Let’s say the dude gets to Arlington, goes off for his career and so forth. I can see a chain of barbecue joints all across the Metroplex with Smoak’s visage. I’m going to copyright it right now.

Earlier, I asked your thoughts on where Smoak should begin the year. When I got to Arizona, I was convinced that Bakersfield should be his destination. But when you factor in his age and his refined approach to hitting, I think it’s plausible to skip advanced Class A. I say send him to Frisco and if he follows the Chris Davis path, he’ll be in Oklahoma by the All-Star break and by September I assume he’ll be scouting locations around Rangers Ballpark for the first Smoak House location.

Latest on Lehtinen, Richards

Jere Lehtinen, who last played on the Stars’ most recent swing through San Jose, skated on Mike Modano’s line along with Brendan Morrison over on the left side during this morning’s practice in Frisco and might be in the lineup tomorrow night in Vancouver. Brad Richards, who broke his right wrist four weeks ago today, could return by the end of this Vancouver-Calgary-San Jose trip.

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Question of the (Off) Day: Justin Smoak Get in Your Eyes?

I swore I wouldn’t do this. Like crossed my heart and everything. But, I too have come down with a man crush on 2008 first-round pick Justin Smoak. Every hard core Rangers fan is already worrying what to do about the Smoak-Chris Davis logjam at first base, even though Smoak only has 56 professional at-bats and Davis, according to sabermetric poobah Bill James, will hit 40 home runs this season. My mantra coming to spring training was not “Serenity Now,” but rather it was to “Stop Smoaking.” (Please brace yourself for many Smoak and fire puns and heaven help you if the Rangers ever sign a player named Jimmy Mirrors). The whole thought process was: The Rangers have a monster of a young first baseman in Davis; Smoak needs to go play in relative anonymity in the minors this season to establish a baseline. Bakersfield (the Rangers advanced Class A team) would have made a lovely summer home.

It took less than a week to question my own thought process. Now, I’m wondering where should Smoak start this year and asking myself where he might finish.

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Evan On The Ticket: Our Fearless Leader Talks InsideCorner and Rangers

Yesterday, Mark Elfenbein of The Ticket spoke with Evan Grant about the new website and all things spring training. Give it a listen with your ears.

Friendly Advice: You Should See The Dr

Possible winner

Definite loser

Can you spot the differences in these two pictures?

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Perfect Storm: Cold Kentucky Rain

Former Texas A&M basketball coach Billy Gillispie gets to play another home game at Rupp Arena this week, one of the worst things imaginable if you’re a University of Kentucky basketball fan. Consider the confluence of events surrounding his ‘Cats:

1. Their longshot of using the SEC tournament as a springboard into another NCAA Tournament didn’t happen. At 20-13, they miss the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1991 (on probation). In Gillispie’s first season, they got in as a No. 11 and lost.

2. Louisville and Rick Pitino is the No. 1 seed in whole dang Tournament.

3. Tubby Smith made it with Minnesota.

4. A&M made it again.

5. Of the four SEC teams in the NIT, Kentucky is the lowest seed. The NIT selection chairman is Kentucky athletic director C.M. Newton.

Stars’ Week Could Make or Break

Thanks to home wins over Carolina and Minnesota late last week, the Stars are back above water but just barely. They’re  seventh in the West with 74 points, but four teams trail them by only one or two. They’ll be headed back out on the road this afternoon for their last long Western trip of the season, and it figures to be one of the most difficult of the year considering the quality of opponents and distance traveled.

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