The Depot: Rangers Live Game Blog, News, Notes, Etc.

Just going to throw The Depot thread up here for the time being. Going to grab some dinner – eating is what I do best – and will be back before game time. If you’ve got issues to address, you can get a head start on them now.

6:57: OF Josh Hamilton will NOT go on the disabled list today. He has been diagnosed with an intercostal muscle strain (thanks, Jeffrey!) on his left side and has been given a prescription of anti-inflammatory medication. As we mentioned earlier, the Rangers can afford to slow play making a decision on Hamilton because of the abundance of left-handed pitchers they will face this week. Dr. Keith Meister indicated that it would probably take about 48 hours to determine if the medication has any significant impact.

“We’ve got an opportunity to wait a day or two to make a decision,” general manager Jon Daniels said. “We can play it day by day right now. We will keep checking with him.”

The muscle strain rather than the bruising he suffered when he ran into the wall in Toronto last week could be the more significant injuries. Ribcage and side muscle injuries make it difficult to follow through on actions like swings that require torque.

7:32: Don’t worry about the strangeness of seeing Nomar Garciaparra in an A’s uniform. He’s left the game after that ole’ play. Bobby Crosby is now at third.

7:36: Made an interesting discovery that has absolutely no impact on this game, but I think is worth asking about for the weekend. You know what it is: Taylor Teagarden caught Matt Harrison one time in the majors last year; it was Harrison’s complete game shutout win over Oakland last September. Teagarden and Harrison worked very well last night, making adjustments in the game that led to a stunning turnaround. Wonder if it is just coincidence or if it is worth pairing them up again on Saturday when Harrison faces the Chicago White Sox.

7:53: A’s now move Crosby to second to replace Mark Ellis and Jack Hannahan becomes the third third baseman in three innings.

7:54: Ian Kinsler’s error to allow Oakland to tie the score at one in the top of the fourth was his first since August 1 of last season. It snapped a 33-game errorless streak for Kinsler.

8:07: Becca, you are still alive in hammy pool. Both Oakland players (Garciaparra and Ellis) left with left calf injuries.

8:08: Dot race: Blue wins.

8:20: In other injury news, RHP Kris Benson threw off a mound in the bullpen this afternoon and said the session went well. He threw about 45 pitches. It appears he will throw again before going on a rehab assignment. It sounds like Benson won’t be back before the middle of next week – at the earliest. At this point, it makes sense for the Rangers to go conservatively. There is Benson’s injury history to consider and the fact that RHP Scott Feldman pitched well in his first start of the season Saturday in place of Benson. Feldman will start again on Thursday.

8:43: While we have this break, just a reminder, in case you didn’t see it earlier, we are discussing possible InsideCorner night at Ballpark. If you are interested, we need to hear from you. Please go here and give us your thoughts.

8:45: Two on, no outs. Imperative Rangers get something out of this opportunity.

8:46: Andruw Jones: 5-for-6 with RISP this season.

8:54: Now, the Rangers have an issue following Chris Davis’ ejection for arguing balls and strikes. Do they move Hank Blalock to first (best defensive option) and lose the DH? Do they move Andruw Jones in from left and put David Murphy in the outfield? Do they move Saltalamacchia to first and put Teagarden behind the plate? Bad timing for Davis to express frustration, though it certainly looked like home plate umpire Eric Cooper encouraged the argument. Cooper may have been bothered because Davis said something after striking out in the fourth, but the idea is to diffuse an argument before it happens.

8:57: Jones it is.

9:00: So much for shutdown inning. Ryan Sweeney hits his first homer  of the year on the third pitch from Kevin Millwood in the seventh. And again the Rangers let a lead slip away as soon as they grab it.

9:05: Another interesting move, or rather non-move, here. Ron Washington sticks with Kevin Millwood to face left-handed hitting Jack Cust even though Millwood has allowed 10 hits and has thrown 106 pitches.  I’m assuming Cust was the whole reason Eddie Guardado was up in the Rangers bullpen. Guardado is now a left-handed situational guy, even if the Rangers don’t say as much. Guardado believes that’s what his role is and that’s what he’s trying to prepare for.  He’s come in to face one or two batters in each of his last three appearances over the last two weeks.

“I’ve just got to figure out a way to be ready more quickly,” Guardado said. “No excuses. I’ve been 2-and-0 on every hitter every time I’ve come in there and that’s no way to pitch, especially when you’ve just got one guy to get.”

9:12: And now that the seventh is done, the game should belong to C.J. Wilson. Confidence issues aside, he is supposed to be the Rangers’ setup man. Wilson is warming but apparently won’t enter to start the inning. Guess the Rangers are holding him for left-handed Travis Buck, due up third. He will pitch here with a tie game, but at home, you use guys in a tie game just as you would with a one-run lead.  I’d just as soon give him the ball to start the inning and go from there. But, then again, one goal has been to push the starting pitchers farther this season. Millwood, with 108 pitches and not his best stuff, is definitely getting pushed here.

9:23: Say this for Millwood: His offseason physical conditioning program seems to have done wonders. He was definitely pushed an inning tonight by going back out for the eighth. He handled the challenge magnificently with a 13-pitch 1-2-3 inning. It pushed his pitch count to 121 for the night. It’s the fifth consecutive time Millwood has thrown at least 110 pitches in an outing; that’s the first time in his career he’s had that kind of extended work load for that many starts. Also, it matched the highest total for pitches thrown by a Ranger starter in the Ron Washington era. RHP Vicente Padilla threw a 121-pitch complete game against Minnesota last April 27.

9:38: Frank Francisco closes it out with a six-pitch save. Very efficient.