Post-Game Show: Rangers 5, Astros 0

After that miserable three days in Detroit, the Rangers are right back where they started the week, nine games above .500, as they return home to start a series with the New York Yankees. You can discuss these subjects, if you would like:

1. Brandon McCarthy just threw the first complete game and the first shutout of his career on 121 very impressive pitches. He’s pitched at least seven innings in each of his last three starts. For those folks (including myself) who have at least tossed around the idea he might move to the bullpen when Vicente Padilla returns from the DL, I think McCarthy’s got a little something to say about the matter.

2. Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira arrive in Arlington tomorrow. Just wondering: What kind of reaction do they get, particularly A-Rod from a sold-out crowd? In the past, Yankee fans have pretty much equaled Rangers fans in attendance. How will the crowd be divided on Monday.

3. The Rangers have a 3.197 ERA for May. Is your jaw at your ankles right now?

Coming Down to the Wire at the Nelson

UPDATE at 4:30 p.m.
It looks like it’s all over barring a Sabbatini meltdown on the final two holes. Currently, Rory Sabbatini is -4 on the back nine and if he pars out he will have shot a 64 to win the Nelson by two shots over a very game Brian Davis. This afternoon has had it fair share of excitement with several eagles on the par 5, 16th, a few temper tantrums by local media types writing and re-writing stories as the players scores change, and we even got word of a streaker on the course a few minutes ago. Who says there’s no excitement at the Nelson when the “big” names don’t play?

To update something I wrote earlier, Danny Lee’s three putt from four feet on 18 earlier cost him around $70,000. Ouch. Thanks to everyone who has actually read these updates from the course and please shoot me an e-mail if you have any golfy-golf info you want to pass along in the future. Until next year…

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There is now a two way tie at the top after Brian Davis birdied three holes in a row starting with the par 4, 9th. Davis and Sabbatini are both at -15, and there are two others at -13. As I type this, Scott McCarron just birdied 17 to go -7 on his round today and pull within one shot of the lead.

The conditions are hot and humid, but the players don’t seem to mind. Newly local (he bought a house in the Dallas area earlier this week) young gun Danny Lee looked like he was going to post a great number until he three putted from four feet on 18. He still finished at -9 for the tournament, but that three putt cost him a lot of money.

I’ll post one more update as the players finish up. It’s going to be fun…

The Depot: Partially Live/Partially Do-It-Yourself Game Blog, News And Notes

In this edition of The Depot: A look at AL West standings …  Why Chris Davis is in the lineup against LHP Mike Hampton …  The possibility of Nelson Cruz staying in the cleanup spot for a while … RHP Brandon McCarthy once again throwing curves … More amazing feats of flexibility at first base from Chris Davis … Miguel Tejada owns Brandon McCarthy … Rangers down to obstructed view and standing room only tickets for Monday’s game with Yankees; available beginning at 9 a.m. … Chris Davis breaks 0-for-25 slump.

Grab your float and jump on in the home run pool. And, if you are thinking about heading to Arlington for the Rangers-Yankees series, we’ve got some tips for you at the homestand helper.

11:46: Two things worth noting about your AL standings today. First, the Rangers gained ground on the L.A. Angels for the first time since the end of Texas’ three-game sweep last weekend. A Texas win and the Angels’ 5-4 10-inning loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers Saturday pushed the lead back to three games in the AL West. Second, the Rangers begin the day with the best winning percentage (.595) in the AL.

1:08: Though manager Ron Washington indicated that Andruw Jones would start twice this weekend, Chris Davis is at first again after extending his hitless streak to 22 at-bats with an 0-for-4 yesterday. Thre are a lot of reasons why Jones should be at first base today. First, Davis is struggling at the plate. Second, Jones would give the Rangers another right-handed bat against LHP Mike Hampton. Third, Jones has 37 career at-bats against Hamptpon (he is 9-for-37), so there is more familiarity. All that said, there is one over-riding reason to start Davis: He is far and away the best defensive option. We’ve spent paragraph after paragraph discussing Elvis Andrus’ stellar defense at short, but I think Davis has had as positive an impact on fielding as Andrus. Right now, I’m of the mind that even if Davis slips below .200, as long as he doesn’t carry those bad at-bats into the field, he stays in the lineup.

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The Final Day at the Nelson

UPDATE at 1:40 p.m.
The first showers of the day have officially moved through and left in their wake humid and steamy conditions. Scott McCarron is making quite the run right now, having birdied four holes in a row starting at the par 4, 3rd. He started the day six strokes back of the lead and is now just one shot behind going into the back nine. Co-leader Rory Sabbatini has gotten off to a slow start, as he did yesterday. But, I look for him to make a little run in the middle of his round today and then fight to stay ahead the final few holes.

The conditions have gotten quite a bit more difficult in my opinion, as anyone who has played golf after it rains can understand. When you have a tighter lie, you have no idea if the area your ball is in has soaked up the rain and become a bit mushy, or if it has drained well and remains firm and solid. You have to constantly guess how your ball and the grass will respond, even on a clean lie in the fairway. I think we will still see some good rounds come together, but it will be much more impressive when they do.

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Homestand Helper: Rangers Vs. Yankees

First a word of advice: If you are planning on attending Monday’s game, you might want to act fast. As of late Saturday, there were only about 2,000 seats still available. Also, you might want to check out this traffic/parking advisory update from the Rangers. With Lone Star Park running in the afternoon, Six Flags and Hurricane Harbor both open, ongoing construction around Rangers Ballpark in Arlington and all, you might want to pack a Memorial Day picnic for the drive.

And now for some help in planning your homestand activities. Oakland follows the Yankees in over the weekend, starting with a double-header on Friday.

Monday: Rangers vs. Yankees, 1:05 p.m. (KRLD-105.3 FM, FOX SW)

Starting pitchers: Rangers LHP Matt Harrison (4-3, 4.71 ERA) vs. RHP Phil Hughes (2-2, 7.06)

Worth noting: The Rangers won the short season series with the Yankees last year, 4-3. It was the first time since 2003 the Rangers have won the season series. The Rangers were 2-2 against the Yankees in Arlington last year. Marlon Byrd’s walk-off grand slam on August 4 ended a 10-game home losing streak against the Yankees. While this three-game series is the Yankees only Arlington visit of the year, the Rangers will go to new Yankee Stadium twice.

Promotions/Giveaways: Bud Light Texas Artist Brandon Rhyder Pre-Game Concert (11 a.m., North Lawn; free admission with game ticket)

Ticket deals: All You Can Eat Seats in Upper Home Run Porch include all you can eat grilled chicken sandwiches, hot dogs, nachos, peanuts, popcorn, and soft drinks served in the enclosed, air-conditioned Upper Home Run Porch Grill.  All for only $39 at texasrangers.com.

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Memorial Day Home Run Pool Party!

3B Michael Young is back in the lineup with his Grade 2 (moderate) sprained right ankle. And manager Ron Washington still has that same feeling in his gut: RF Nelson Cruz is hitting cleanup again. So, here’s your full Rangers lineup against Houston LHP Mike Hampton:

2B Ian Kinsler, 3B Michael Young, CF Josh Hamilton, RF Nelson Cruz, LF Marlon Byrd, 1B Chris Davis, C Jarrod Saltalamacchia, SS Elvis Andrus and RHP Brandon McCarthy.

Go.

Road To Arlington: Rangers Minor League Report (5/24)

Bakersfield's Blake Beavan

It’s a 26.8 mile drive from Irving High to Dr Pepper Ballpark in Frisco. Should take about a half hour or so…or three years, depending on whether you take Airport Freeway to I-35, to the LBJ and then the Tollway or the route that goes through Clinton, Iowa and Bakersfield, California.

After last night’s seven-inning, two-run performance, Blake Beavan is currently on a run of four straight quality starts that includes a complete-game shutout. He’s poised to go from point A in Irving to point B in Frisco in about two years, and that’s as fast as you could want a 20 year old kid to make the trip. I’m not saying he’s been promoted yet, just that he’s putting himself in position to see Frisco this summer.

Take out one disastrous performance (eight runs in 2.2 innings on May 2) and his ERA for the year is 3.57. Take it out and his May ERA is 2.17 in 29 innings of work. His ERA at tiny Sam Lynn Ballpark in Bakersfield is 2.97 (33.1 innings).

His peripheral numbers are ordinary at best. With one exception: he’s walked just ten batters in 53 innings. He’s a strike throwing machine whose command, according to Baseball Prospectus minor league expert Kevin Goldstein, is “borderline special.” His K rate is below average (6.28 K/9) and the league is hitting .272 against him (.253 if you take out the May 2 start).

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UFC 98 – Almost Live Blog

Here is the UFC 98 experimental live blog that wasn’t really live because I didn’t tell anyone it was coming. Perhaps, we will really do a live one for UFC 99. Is that something you might be interested in?

Rashad Evans versus Kyoto Machida; Matt Hughes vs Matt Serra – Live from Vegas, Baby.

9:04 – UFC invites you to text in who you think is going to win because boy, we really want to know who you think is going to win.

9:06 – Rogan points out that Serra has called a name that rhymes with stick about 500 times. Seriously, Serra has a mouth on him. No one has ever doubted his ability to speak quickly – but has he ever really done more than his shocker over GSP? One lucky punch is something that MMA has no answer for. No one is invincible, and no one is useless. 1 punch can put everyone down. Unlike boxing, there is no such thing as invincible.

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