NCAA Tourney Update

I’m tied for 173 (Adam’s Hat), clearly showing that Eric (Tim’s Roids Problem) knows more about basketball than I do (he’s tied for 53). Not sure what Evan’s bracket name is (in our office pool, he’s in dead last). Finally, I thought I’d draw attention to my favorite bracket name (that tried) in the worst position, which is: John Wiley Price’s Bird Poop. Go, Dr Pepper!

Farm Futures — Live from Surprise (3/20)

I’m going to have to dedicate this edition of Farm Futures to our good friends at Lone Star Ball because their community-favorite prospect was The Man on the back 40 today.

All eyes were on 2008 first rounder Justin Smoak who manned first base for the Double-A Frisco roster in today’s game against the White Sox farmhands, but it was the Rangers fourth rounder from the 2006 draft who stole the show. That’s right LSBers, today it was all about Marcus Lemonwho led off the game with a no-doubt homer to right and added a frozen rope double to right-center in a 2-for-3 performance while getting time at both second base and shortstop as his father, the great Chet Lemon, looked on.

I’ve got a little more Lemon and a small harvest of equally delicious, nutritious notes from the morning workouts and afternoon Double-A and Triple-A games for you after the jump.

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And Afterwards, You Can Stop By Ikea And Get A Funky-Sounding Bedroom Suite

But first, you can stop by our favorite-named stadium in all of America tomorrow morning and pick up some tickets to see the Frisco RoughRiders this season. We know this to be true because we just got a press release announcing that single-tickets go on sale. MJH and his adorable kids are regulars out at the park, so he can attest that a fun time can be had by all. But if you want the full details of the press release from PR man and InsideCorner’s official NFL draft guru, Dane Brugler, just jump on through to the other side: (more…)

Today: Evan Grant-Tim Cowlishaw Death Match!

We’ll be taking a short break from our administrative duties in aabout 90 minutes away.  With the super friendly Ben & Skin and engineer extraordinaire Ted Nichols-Payne serving as our special referees on 105.3-KRLD FM “The Fan,” I’ll be squaring off against my nemesis – Hellooooo, Cowlishaw – at 5:56 p.m. (CDT). Two men put on headsets; one man walks out.

If you’ve got baseball-related topics you’d like me to hear about, now is the time to start sending in suggestions. I do plan to ask Tim if he’s going to be doing any photo shoots with Details Magazine anytime soon. Or maybe about who wrote his Wikipedia page. But not Radiohead.

Blogging Forecast For Friday Afternoon: We’re Majoring In The Minors And Cryptic Comments

Believe it was the great former Ranger Mark McLemore who once explained the veteran’s perspective on going to road games when the club trained in Florida.

There were two rules:
1. He didn’t do Forts or Ports.
2. No more than one long bridge over water.

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NCAA Tourney Update

After 19 games, two of our 500 contestants — High Post and the incorrectly named Adam Morrison Isn’t A Tool — are 19 of 19. I’ll be filing updates over the weekend once the day job doesn’t get in the way.

Andruw Jones Update

Both Andruw Jones and Rangers GM Jon Daniels acknowledged that the outfielder will remain with the team for at least three more days.

“I’m here and I want to be here with these guys,” Jones said. “But we’ll see what happens. I’ll keep working with [hitting instructor] Rudy Jaramillo and maybe if things don’t work out here, other clubs will see the effect he’s had on my swing. This gives me more chance to work with him.”

Daniels has informed Jones that it is unlikely he’d make the major league club for opening. There are however some scenarios out there that could change the landscape.

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Andruw Jones Likely To Stick Around For At Least A Couple More Days

According to a source close to the situation, Jones is not expected to officially opt out of his minor league contract today. He will give the Rangers at least several more days to evaluate him. While Jones has not started an “A” game for a week, he has apparently started clobbering balls in minor league games. He hit two homers in a game earlier this week.

Jones is in camp today and has not cleared out his locker. He is getting prepared for a workout, but is not travelling to Tucson with the club for the afternoon exhibition.

Off to Surprise

This is a modified reprint of something I wrote in 2006, but it’s one of the few pieces I ever wrote that I actually liked and I know I’ll never find a better way to express my thoughts on why I enjoy spring training — specifically minor league spring training — so much.

Make the jump and you’ll find out why my two passions — horse racing and minor league baseball — have so much in common and command my interest in much the same way for many of the same reasons.

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Game Report: Rangers 8, Athletics 5

In Surprise, Ariz., the Rangers overcame a four-run, first-inning fiasco by RHP Kris Benson to win their fourth consecutive game Thursday. Benson, who said he felt physically fine but lacked velocity on his fastball, allowed four runs in the first and left the bases loaded. But he rebounded to pitch three more scoreless innings and the Rangers rallied behind him. Texas scored six runs in the third to take the lead and added two more in the eighth to clinch things. (more…)