Mad Max Ramirez Makes Most Of WBC At-Bats

The Rangers have been seething that C-1B Max Ramirez has been used so sparingly by Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic. They had been told he’d start regularly, at least during the first round. But entering Wednesday’s game with Team USA, he had just five at-bats in six games.

Well, he got his first start on Wednesday. And what did he do? After Venezuela had all but frittered away a six-run lead, Ramirez broke the game open with a three-run homer off LaTroy Hawkins to break the game open again. Venezuela won the game 10-6, the last three runs coming on Ramirez’s homer. Both teams are moving on to the semifinals in Los Angeles, but Venezuela goes down as the winner of the group.

Game Report: Rangers 9, Padres 4

RHP Brandon McCarthy pitched four no-hit innings in Peoria, Ariz., Wednesday and the lineup continued to throttle opponents. The Rangers put together their second consecutive four-run first inning and jumped out to a 6-0 lead behind 2B Ian Kinsler and CF Josh Hamilton (each 3-for-3). Hamilton’s day included two doubles and a bunt single. (more…)

Spring in his Step: Rangers’ Brandon McCarthy Continues Strong Training Camp With Sharp Outing Against Padres

PEORIA, Ariz. – This is quickly becoming Brandon McCarthy’s spring training.

The Rangers’ right-hander, a public whipping boy as the injury-prone return on the trade that sent Jon Danks to the Chicago White Sox, is finally looking like the starter general manager Jon Daniels thought he was getting in the Dec., 2006 trade.

McCarthy stood tall for four efficient innings Wednesday in a 9-4 win over San Diego. While he said he lacked his best mechanics, McCarthy still mowed through last year’s worst offensive team in the majors. He allowed two baserunners, both on walks, in his 54-pitch outing then headed to the bullpen for some extra pitches to continue stretching out his arm.

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Selecting the NCAA Selection Committee

Jay Bilas has made it clear he wants more members of the tournament selection committee to have basketball backgrounds, specifying more former coaches. Here is a link to the bios of this year’s 10 members (it appears four were basketball players/coaches). I talked with the only member from a Texas school – who happens to be the only female on the committee and only the second ever on it – Lynn Hickey, athletic director at UT-San Antonio. She said she could talk about the process in general but not about any particular school’s circumstances.

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Let’s Do This: Rangers-Padres Liveblog

I’m a little bored. I need you guys to pick me up. Let’s do a little live blogging/chatting/goofing around from the Rangers-Padres games. If you’ve got questions, send ‘em via the comments. I’ll be updating this post as the game progresses, but no more than once a half inning (per MLB rules). (more…)

Men With Facemasks, Bearing Sticks Invade SMU this Weekend

You know you are a big-time sports blog/website when you start getting official press releases about events. And you know you are really big time when you just start ignoring them. But we here at The Corner are nothing if not attentive to the needs of the North Texas Lacrosse Playing Community (NTLPC or Nottlepuck, if you prefer). Anyway, a bunch of high school and college lacrossters are descending on SMU’s Ford Stadium this weekend for the Patriot Cup, an event that benefits the Wounded Warrior Project.

You can read the full release and get the schedule after the jump. (more…)

Rangers Win $20,000!

Last winter, the Rangers traded RHP Wes Littleton to the Boston Red Sox for RHP Beau Vaughn and future considerations. Had Littleton made the Red Sox Opening Day roster, the Rangers would have received a second player. Littleton didn’t. He was placed on waivers this week and claimed by Milwaukee. So instead of a second player from the Boston system, the Rangers get the waiver claim price of $20,000.

Morning Medical Report: Mendoza to Mound, Wilson Not Quite Yet and Blalock Gets Another Day of Rest

Of the blistered pair of pitchers, RHP Luis Mendoza will climb to a mound first. He is scheduled to throw a bullpen session today. As I mentioned last night, Mendoza doesn’t have much shot to make this team, so his return can proceed at whatever pace is best.

The rest of the injury report: LHP C.J. Wilson (split callus) won’t throw off a mound today; 1B Hank Blalock (sore quadriceps) won’t play for the second consecutive day and RHP Vicente Padilla (tooth extraction) will pitch in a minor league game on Thursday instead of the major league game so the Rangers can better control the environment. RHP Kris Benson will get the start against Oakland, but manager Ron Washington said the decision was more about Padilla’s tooth than about giving Benson a bigger audition for the Opening Day roster.

More on the injury front: (more…)

Random Question: What Will Chris Davis Do This Year?

I ask this because Bill James, Grand Poobah of Sabermetric statistical analysis, projects in his 2009 handbook that Davis will hit 40 home runs this season. I have no idea exactly how James determines these projections, but he’s got Josh Hamilton for 36. James has only one AL player projected to hit more than Davis: Mirror-kissing, steroid-shooting Alex Rodriguez. (I promise you this was not a cheap post just to get the A-Rod photo shoot link on the blog, but it certainly was convenient).

Here’ s the question: How many home runs will Davis hit this year? I asked the man himself about Bill James projections.

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Let’s Continue This: The InsideCorner NCAA Tournament Bracket Fill It Out and Win Tournament Contest

I think we had about 200 people compete in last year’s D Empire tourney. We’re already up to 184 as of 9:46 this morning. Let’s try to top last year’s mark by noon.

Remember: The winner will receive a $200 gift certificate to any M Crowd restaurant: Taco Diner, Mi Cocina, The Mercury, or Mercury Chophouse.

Update: Turns out we only had about 120 or so last year. We’re already at 222 in this year’s group. Let’s keep ‘em coming.

Double Update [From Evan G.]: I’m in. Boom goes Celeste.

Developing Young Stars, Here Or Elsewhere

So the Stars, down in ninth place coming off last night’s 4-2 loss at Vancouver, face the Calgary Flames tonight at the Saddledome. Say hello again to Jarome Iginla, one of the brightest NHL stars since leaving the Stars’ organization in December 1995, just months after being drafted 11th overall, in the trade for Joe Nieuwendyk.

The other morning at the Stars’ practice in Frisco, yours truly was chatting with longtime DMN hockey writer Mike Heika and Mark Stepneski, who runs the excellent Andrew’s Dallas Stars Page, about Dallas youngsters who have gone on to blossom elsewhere. Can you think of many that you’d want go-backs on when also considering who came here in the trades?

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