Ever Wonder What Happened to Jeff Zimmerman? He Signed With The Mariners

Yes, it's Jeff Zimmerman news.

I don’t even know where to begin, but comes news from Seattle today that the Mariners have signed former Rangers closer Jeff Zimmerman to a minor league deal. Wondering if Zimmerman was ever going to pitch again after his terrific 2001 season became quite the topic of conversation on my old newsletter at my former place of employ. Well, apparently I finally have an answer: He’s going to try and pitch again this season at age 36.

Here’s an interview he did with FOIC (Friend of InsideCorner) Grant Schiller, who will one day take every remaining sports writer’s job away.

NCAA Tourney: Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner

2009 Frisco RoughRiders

Evan and I attended media day at the greatest minor league ballpark of them all — Dr Pepper Ballpark in Frisco.

The great Ted Price came along to shoot some video and later today you’ll want to come back to catch our interviews with Justin Smoak and Kasey Kiker, but until then, make the jump to learn a little bit about the 2009 edition of the RoughRiders, who open in Springfield (thanks for the correction Jack Daddy) on Thursday, April 9th. The home opener is on April 16.

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Why Do They Cut Down The Nets?

As UNC Coach Roy Williams cuts down the nets, our “Big Sports Email of the Day” comes to us from Jason:

Hey Bob-

Tonight is the reason I love college basketball–the tournament. After tonight, is there any doubt that my beloved Carolina Tarheels are the best team in the country? Not one bit and that’s because no one voted and said they were the best. They went out there and just destroyed every team in the way.

I also have an ask sports sturm for you. What is the history behind cutting down the nets in college basketball?
Jason

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The Day After: Five Significant Things About The Rangers’ Opening Day Win

Looking good: The Rangers were sharply dressed in their new red unis, but were even sharper on the field (Photo: R.P. Washburne)

Some quick thoughts on stuff that lingers with me (longer than the migraine that wrecked my night) about Opening Day. Just a heads up: As much as the red uni tops grew on me over the course of the game, they don’t make this list. That’s how good a day it was for the Rangers. And if you’ve got your own list, please, please, please, feel free to send them along.

1. RHP Kevin Millwood:  113 pitches. Quality start. As I’ve said about 200 times this spring, this team will go as far as Millwood and Vicente Padilla can carry them. If these two guys consistently deliver this kind of effort, Rangers will win more than they lose.

2. The left side of the infield: No fewer than four outstanding plays by the new look combo of SS Elvis Andrus and 3B Michael Young. Andrus made a play up the middle that simply does not get made last year – or perhaps ever – by the Rangers. Young charged and made throws on two slow rollers that would have been hits last year. That’s the value of having a quicker-than-average, more athletic-than-average and stronger thrower-than-average third baseman.

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Draft Ty Lawson!

I tried to watch the Final 4. I tried to get into the crowning of North Carolina Monday night.

To me, it just wasn’t a very memorable tournament. 

Sue me.  It made me yawn.

A Tournament that normally gives you memorable characters, teams, or events did not keep its end of the bargain in 2009. 

I don’t believe I remember 1 shining moment.

I might not have looked hard enough, and maybe now I am paying the price for not filling out a bracket.  But, I was more interested in reading about the Rangers opener during the hours of 8pm and 10:30pm last night than watching the Men’s Final that was over with roughly 38 minutes to play.

I sort of feel the same way for the entire 2009 NCAA Tournament.  I told you a few weeks ago that I watch the Tournament from a “Who is going to be in the NBA making an impact next season” perspective . Last season , I had so many to watch. Derrick Rose, Kevin Love, Michael Beasely, the Lopez brothers, OJ Mayo, DJ Augustin, and even a guy like Roy Hibbert. It felt like a wave of NBA guys were coming. This year? After Blake Griffin, who looks like they will impact the league? Thabeet?

I just never felt anything compelling to hold my interest. My mind wandered. And it wandered all the way to wondering how the Mavericks could get better next season…

So, I grabbed me some google on my laptop and looked for hope.

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Opening Day Miscellany & Observations

This was the first thing that struck me: During batting practice, Chuck Morgan showed highlights of the Rangers’ September 23, 2004 comeback victory over Oakland that ended with David Dellucci’s walkoff two-run double off of Octavio Dotel. It was the Rangers’ fifth win in a row and moved them to second place, just two games behind the A’s. Michael Young and Hank Blalock stood shoulder to shoulder, watching the highlights intently without saying a word to one-another. When it was over, Young nodded his head once and turned to Blalock as if to say — without saying it — that he was hungry to experience that feeling again.

Much was made of Elvis Andrus’s play at short — and rightly so, especially his fifth-inning gem to get Shin-Soo Choo — but the entire infield defense was exceptional. While it’s certainly true that no shortstop who has worn a Rangers uniform in the past ten years other than Andrus could have made that fifth inning play on Choo, it’s also true that no third baseman the Rangers have run out there in the past ten years could have made the play that Michael Young made to get Grady Sizemore in the sixth. Young’s quickness coming in on that ball was exceptional.

If / when Marlon Byrd is traded, it will leave a pretty large void in that clubhouse. Now I know why the guys who have been around this club every day for the last couple of years are pretty much unanimous in their support of him. Every time I saw him, either before or after the game, I thought “that’s what a great teammate looks like.”

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