Down And Out: Texas Rangers Elect Not To Play For Comeback In 12-3 Loss To Kansas City

• D-tails – Boxscore: Royals 12, Rangers 3; Post-Game Show comment thread; The Depot live blog

ARLINGTON – On yet another night when Rangers pitching collapsed in a heat, the team still found itself at the intersection of Unlikely Comeback Boulevard and Meaningless Stats Way.

And that’s when the Rangers chose a most curious alternate route: The Surrender Expressway.

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The Post-Game Show: Royals 12, Rangers 3

Perhaps the easiest stretch of the season is the 12 games to start the year that feature nine games at home and none against teams that had winning record in 2008. And with two games left in the stretch, the Rangers can do no better than .500. This is a what you call a wasted opportunity. So where does the blame go for this sub-par start? You can only pick one.

• The bullpen, which has an ERA of 8.63.

• Manager Ron Washington, whose career winning percentage in April is .387. Kevin Sherrington discussed potential ramifications from another poor April this morning.

• The starting rotation, which has produced just three quality starts and has a 5.98 ERA for the season.

The Depot: Live Game Blog, News, Notes (Vs. Royals 4/17)

The answer is: A cracked bat used to double in the first inning. The question: What did Ian Kinsler donate to the National Baseball Hall of Fame from his 6-for-6/cycle game against Baltimore the other night? So that mystery has been solved.

5:33 weather update: We are still expecting to play out here even though we’ve currently got a light shower going and the tarp is on the field. Remember, however, the Rangers have been known to entertain crowds during rain delays.

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TGIF At The Home Run Pool!

Rules, rules, rules:  In order to be eligible for free stuff, you must guess the first Ranger to homer tonight against Kansas City RHP Gil Meche along with the inning and the number of men on base. First tie breaker is the count. Second is the distance. Also, you can guarantee yourself a win in the pool simply by giving me a good seat to J. Buffett tomorrow night.

So, here ya go, peeps: 2B Ian “The Cyclist” Kinsler, 3B Michael Young (17-for-31, 2 HRs vs. Meche), CF Josh Hamilton, DH Hank Blalock (13-for-34, 3 HRs vs. Meche), LF Marlon Byrd, RF Nelson Cruz, 1B Chris Davis, C Jarrod Saltalamacchia, SS Elvis Andrus and pitching for the Rangers. … LHP Matt Harrison.

I’ve given you the rules, the lineups and the ability to bribe the judge. There is not much more that I can do!

Weekend Update: Reasons To Tune In From Home, Too

We know a lot of folks come to The Corner during their work day and we are happy to contribute to lowering the productivity of America’s work force (we prefer to think of it this way: procrastination is part of the creative process). But here’s a reminder why you don’t have to leave us when you leave work on Friday. Here’s a teaser on some of what we have planned for the weekend:

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Zac Crain: Really Smart Mavs Analyst

So says the greatness that is Henry Abbott, who links to this Zac Crain-Mike Fisher playoff analysis over at The Two Man Game and describes it as “two really smart guys” discussing the Mavs series. Of course it is.

Homestand Helper: Rangers vs. Royals

Uh, oh: The forecast is not looking very promising for tonight. Thunderstorms will supposedly be socking in the area all day. The dog right now is shivering at my feet. She does not like thunder. Kansas City is not scheduled to return to Arlington this season, so we may be looking at a doubleheader tomorrow or Sunday. In the event everything goes off as scheduled, here’s your weekend homestand helper:

WEATHER UPDATE: According to the Rangers Meteorological desk, forecast improves greatly for this evening. I’ve been relying on weather.com. And they’ve been know to be wrong before.

Friday: Rangers vs. Royals, 7:05 p.m., (KRLD-105.3 FM, FOX Southwest)

Probable starters: Rangers LHP Matt Harrison (0-1, 6.35 ERA) vs. RHP Gil Meche (0-0, 3.21)

Worth noting: The Royals had to put star-crossed star-in-waiting 3B Alex Gordon on the DL with a hip injury that will require surgery and is expected to keep him out of action for a good eight-to-10 weeks. The Royals will move OF Mark Teahen to third to replace Gordon and they called up OF Mitch Maier to replace Teahen. It means former Ranger backup 3B Travis Metcalf, who was claimed off waivers by the Royals in the first week of the season, remains at Triple-A Omaha.

Giveaways/Promotions: Big Bang Friday Fireworks

Ticket deals: FANtastic Fireworks Fridays. Enter FIREWORKS as the coupon code on texasrangers.com to purchase tickets regularly-priced up to $25 for only $10.  Plus, all cash parking will be just $5.  Offer is also available in person at Rangers Ballpark or via phone at 972-RANGERS, all compliments of 105.3 The Fan.

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Rockies Flamethrower on Waivers

Evan’s buddy Tracy Ringolsby reports that the Rockies have placed flamethrowing right-handed reliever Juan Morillo on waivers.

I would not be the least bit surprised if Morillo ends up in the Rangers system. The 25 year old can bring triple-digit cheese and I’ve seen him deal 92 mph sliders (while sitting next to one of the Rangers pro scouts who was basically giddy at what he was seeing).

Somehow, his results have never remotely reflected his physical ability, but given the club’s need to find a power RH setup man to replace Jack Benoit, I can see Texas taking a flyer on Morillo.

Sturm Picks Mavs, Water is Wet, Ice is Cold

You know it is playoff time, because this morning I find myself obsessed with reading the San Antonio papers (Buck Harvey, a Spurs cheerleader without the cleavage), and getting all obsessed with match-ups on the eve of taking on the hated Spurs in Game 1 on Saturday night in the Alamo City. Those myopic Spurs fans will be packed tightly into an arena where together they will once again agree that NBA refs are paid top dollar to cheat their Spurs.

I love this.

Yes, I realize this may all be over by May 1. Yes, I realize that pulling for the Mavs against the Spurs is sort of like pulling for Texas Tech to win the Big 12 South or the Rangers to win the pennant. But, I cannot help it. It sounds stupid to claim to be a MFFL when you grew up rooting for Sidney Moncrief and Don Nelson’s fish-tie, but I won’t pretend to be unbiased. I moved to town 4 weeks after the Mavericks traded for Dirk on draft day, and 18 months before Mark Cuban bought this team. I attended games at Reunion Arena that had roughly 3,000 people in the arena. I was there on March 29, 1999, and saw Mavs Man blow his ACL on a trampoline stunt in front of a small crowd as the Mavs lost to Seattle on the very night UConn won the 1999 NCAA Tournament with Rip Hamilton.

I do love the Mavericks.

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Viral Video: Rangers Prospect Tommy Hunter

Marlon Byrd talked to InsideCorner on Wednesday, then went out and piled up five hits. Tommy Hunter talked to us yesterday ahead of his first start of the season for Double-A Frisco tonight? Is it a good luck charm to visit with us. We shall see.

Especially like the freeze frame producer, director and lighting coordinator Ted Price of Rangers Podcast in Arlington caught of Hunter at the start. He’s looking at me like I’m nuts. Well, I am. More video coming over the weekend.

Road To Arlington: Rangers Minor League Report (4/17)

With one exception, the pitching down on the farm yesterday was pretty pedestrian. But there were some interesting offensive lines and while it’s still very early, there are plenty of guys sending out strong signals that they could be sitting on breakout seasons at the plate.

You might have already grown tired of my fawning over Marcus Lemon (I’ll do some more of that this morning, btw). I like what I’ve been seeing from OKC outfielders Greg Golson and Julio Borbon — and I like it even more after last night. Hickory’s tremendous defensive CF David Paisano is finally starting to hit a little bit and my man Jose Vallejo, Frisco’s blindingly fast 2B, has shaken off a mini slump to go on a tear over the last two games.

But for me and many of my fellow prospect gazers, the most exciting offensive performance on the farm through the first week of action is probably the one that’s been delivered by the guy you are looking at right now. Because even though many people believe that the Rangers are loaded with some of the best high-end young catchers in baseball, you never know when the day might come that you could use some Manny Pina.

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