Evan,

If Josh winds up being down for 2 months, would you anticipate a point where they move Elvis to the #2 hole? He doesn’t strike out, he DOESN’T seem over matched and he handles the bat extremely well. You could then drop Davis and Salty (with their Ks) to the 8-9 holes. You would really utilize the hit and run at the top of the lineup and put tough pressure on the pitcher with men on base.

I understand you don’t want to give Elvis too much too soon, but I would be intrigued by this lineup (at least until we trade for Nick Johnson and Brad Hawpe!!).

Hey, Evan! Great to see you bright and early!

@scooper: It’s good to be here.

feel free to let the rangers know that i am free for the boston series as well, if they need a third for this weekend.

thank you.

Yeah! Steve Busby has picked Tex as his “player to hex”!

@Evan. Any Ranger-related Tom Glavine news? (Sorry if this has been addresses in another Blog entry.)

Josh said: “Well, that sucks…” Does this mean he will be banned from the Ballpark?

Well Wang made that look easy.

Let’s see if McCarthy can settle down again after another rough first inning.

Whew!! Thanks, Tex for the double play.

This is looking like one of those days. Did everyone stay out until 5 in the morning or something?

At least the inning turned out OK!

@Clint: Routine fly to Murphy, he caught it squarely in his glove and it appeared to slip out of his throwing hand on the transfer from the glove. It was very casual and under control, no bobbling, etc. Terrible call by the ump. Wash came out and looked reasonably angry (for Wash).

Thanks Beer Guy and scooper, very helpful.

@clint: Murph was a little casual when taking the ball from his glove; he was watching to see if the runner was going to try to go to third.

I guess I can see how the ump could make the call, but it’s quite clear on replay IMO. Thankfully it didn’t hurt.

Much better inning for B-Mac

@beerguy: Murph lowered his glove almost to waist-level and was reaching for the ball before it fell out. Just the fact that it remained in the glove from above eye-level to almost waist-level should have been enough.

Way to go, Crush! I really think he’s coming out of it!

I like seeing Crush go the other way, had a couple long flyouts to left here recently, too. Still a long way to go, but even a little progress is nice.

@evan: do you think that Wang will be on some kind of a pitch count? If so, about how many? This is his first start after the DL and pitching out of the ‘pen.

Davis wanted to make sure that he touched home.

Listening to the radio broadcast now…

…it’s kinda brutal.

I miss Eric.

Right there with ya, Ghost… hope it improves as they move along…

@Ghost and Juboon: give the guys a break! this was an emergency start!

@Jed E: Don’t see the Rangers pursuing Glavine. Not at 43. There is no room for him in rotation at this point.

@Walrus: I would bet there is no way the Phillies would claim Padilla. They’ve already seen that act and I don’t think they would care to have any part of it. The Mets might be desperate enough, but they would have to be pretty desperate to take on $8 million in salary for an unpredictable starter with three trips to the DL in the last two years.

@beerguy: I still can’t believe a NL team signed him. There is nothing in his history to say that he could stay healthy enough to play in the field all year.

Death, taxes, and a home team yahoo who decides him catching a ball trumps his team’s fortunes. Three things you can count on.

@scooper: I’m being patient with them… it was meant to be more a statement about Eric’s quality than their lack thereof.

@jacklo – I agree about the old-time sound. The call on Cruz’ catch just now could have been from the 40′s if a little craclking and sound degradation was added!

@Ghost — and due to the reception inside this building, I’ve got that (lol). Sounds pretty cool, actually!

I think Davis may be back.

@Ghost: I agree, John Blake is TERRIBLE. I’m glad he used to do radio for Georgetown. But this is the big leagues, fellas, let’s please hurry up and get Busby in there. Blake was just as brutal in Spring Training, BTW. But, at least the games didn’t matter and you were just happy to hear baseball.

But on a happy note, sounds like the Rangers have Wang figured out.

@evan: do you think it is the “magic red thong”?

Davis looking like a hitter today!

thongs just give me wedgies. but if they give davis doubles, i can’t hate them that much.

@becca: I guess he better get used to wedgies. that thong may not be coming off for a while.

BMac is BACK!!!

@Rodney: Before this year, was he ever really here?

@Rodney: True, this is what they thought they were getting when they traded for him originally.

What a smash! Way to go, Nellie!

I can just see his dad up there: “That’s my son!”

cd deserves a new nickname since he’s not a minor league lifer. I propose el lobo in reference to the Longview lobos.

The Yanks cut their Wang off…Oh Noes!

Did Josh actually just say “The Wanger is done for the day”? Oy…

I’m listening to the Yankees feed on Gameday Audio right now. You ought to hear these guys. They’re like, “Yeah, this is exactly what the Yankees wanted from Wang today.” Really? 4.2, 5 runs, 7 hits, a walk and a wild pitch?

Guess Girardi didn’t want to leave his Wang hanging out there…

Come on CD, another 2 RBI double would be nice

@Marcus: The times I have listened to the YES announcers, it’s amazing. They have the most incredible talent of spinning things…being pro-home team is expected, but those guys are beyond delusional.

D@mn you MLB for games during work hours!!! @Evan: I’m ready for my Burn Notice!!!

@becca: that’s an image i didn’t need.

Looked like it landed in the middle of the bullpen, but it might have fallen back there, I’m not sure.

Dangit, why do Rangers pitchers still melt down when spotted a nice lead.

I’m starting to think that McCarthy has gone to the same mental toughness school as CJ.

Trust your stuff and your much improved defense.

@ The Beer Guy: These are actually the radio announcers, one guy and a girl. They had a 3rd wheel stop in for an inning or so.

Dang it!

I just realized that the HBP game might be getting retired or waived!! (however you want to look at it)

i hate tex

Nice glove work by Young as well.

Trust me, Jennings will wipe ‘em clean as we’ll be down.

All after having a four run lead.

I hate pansy pitchers.

I’d rather a guy go out and throw heat and get beat than have a guy get spotted a lead and walk, walk, nibble, etc.

My goodness, still nobody out. This is about to get real ugly.

@Phil: You predicted he would both suck and mow them down. That’s a prediction you can’t lose!

@phil: where have you been hiding? you only seem to come out for a visit when bad things happen.

@beer guy: LOL.

I meant that he would give up the lead. He never keeps guys from scoring.

Local guy or not, Jennings is terrible, and I’ve never understood JD’s love affair with him (see: Galaraga).

@scooper: It’s a character flaw of mine…I only vent went things are going bad.

When things are good, I usually just sit back and enjoy the ride.

I’m not saying it’s right, but it’s just my way of dealing with my frustrations.

@phil: maybe eddie guardado needs to give you a hug.

Woo-hoo!!!! Go Ian!!!!

There we go!

Kinsler!

(See, I can change. LOL)

this is the way to come back! we can’t be intimidated by those guys! also, i would much rather see Tex frowning.

@Phil & @BeerGuy – Evan says that Jennings has allowed 50% of inherited runners to score this year. (Sometimes scrolling to the top of the page is a pain.:) )

On getting an Eddie hug: Uhh, no.

fine.

@Michael: D’oh! Thanks, I always forget that Evan posts updates way up there hehe – 50%? Yikes, that’s no good. I did find the leaderboard on that stat…#1 is that dude from Oakland, Wuertz at 6.7%. O’Day is #13 at 22.2%

I don’t necessarily think so: it was a shot, on the line, with a lot of spin. It would have been great if he had made the play, but I don’t think you can EXPECT that play to be made.

And I believe Wuertz was picked up for a couple of low level prospects.

yeah… check out Putz @ the Mets. got demoted from 8th inn. role

@AJM: I go 50-50 on Young being able to make the play. I do think, however, he could have done a better job stopping the ball. I think to do that though, you have to be content to allow a single and not get an out. If you try to make the play, the risk you run is the ball getting by for a double while you try to field it in position to make a throw.

they could have let andruw hit and put boggs in the OF.

I disagree, I like leaving Murph in to hit in that spot. We’ve got at least 2 more innings to go, with other pinch-hit opportunities coming in the 8th. I’d have been more inclined if somebody was on base, but with nobody on, I liked the way Wash played it.

@clint: good point!

@beerguy: it has become permanent there and, considering the “twin towers”, I think we can cut NY some slack.

@james: in most of the parks, it is only on Sunday, now.

Yeah! Make Tex frown!

Who’s grinning now Tex??

I think the lesson to be learned here is to not bring in Jennings in the middle of an inning with runners on.

@james: good point!

@justsaying: it hasn’t hurt him today.

hate the leadoff walk

i’m trying to convince myself

i guess i’m not ready yet.

ah, the egnima that is cj wilson….

As I was thinking “Why CJ? Why not O’Day?”, CJ gives up home run to Cabrera. Not cool.

Watching on Gamecast, Rivera warmed up?

am I the only one who thought the fan caught the ball over the playing field and that Murph would have had a chance to catch it? Fan interference?

The slightest thing (walk, error, bloop single, loud music, a burp, popcorn vendor, clouds, PA guy, etc) seems to throw CJ off his game, which is why he makes me crazy.

And, I sense the same thing in McCarthy, as evident by his many meltdown innings.

Congrats CJ…you still SUCK!

@beerguy: that’s what i thought at first, too. we lost sight of it because that fan caught it.

@scooper
I just played the homer in slow motion, and while I think it would have been possible for Murphy to catch that ball (he made a great effort), I don’t think the fan reached over the fence. That ball would have been a homer without the fan there, and thus the fan had a right to try to catch it. Maybe he kept Murphy from catching it, but I don’t think that qualifies as interference.

That BS first strike call forced Blalock to swing at the second one.

@idiotbox: the way i see it (even in slow motion), the fan reached over the fence, ergo over the playing field. it doesn’t matter if the ball WOULD HAVE gone over the fence. If a fan touches the ball in fair territory (over the playing field), it is fan interference.

@all: Saw no real fan interference on the homer.And believe me, if Ron Washington thought he had an argument, he’d have been out there.

Murph’s turn!

Well crap.

Tough for Cruz first time ever facing Rivera. But jeez…Murphy just hacking at it. Sigh.

Ya, I would of prefered Andruw over Murphy in that spot.

Patience at the plate..a taste of the new NY wind tunnel would have been nice..

Ok after today I’ll reduce one of the sweeteners I wanted but we still need a nice raise……$1.6 mil is a bargain…….