Post-Game Show: Rangers 2, Royals 0

D-tails
• Boxscore, Standings

Three Up
• RHP Scott Feldman goes eight shutout innings, allows four hits, outpitches Zack Greinke.
• The Rangers are now a season-high 12 games over .500 thanks to five consecutive wins.
• LHP C.J. Wilson’s scoreless ninth gives Ranger relievers a 2.38 ERA since RHP Jason Grilli rounded out the ‘pack on June 9.

Three Down
• Whoever has taken OF Josh Hamilton, would you please return him? He’s hitting .232 for the season, .214 with a .558 OPS since returning from the DL.
• C Taylor Teagarden didn’t look very spry behind the plate. Perhaps he’s feeling the flu or his balky body was acting up, but it was not his best performance.
• The Rangers are officially now battling Swine Flu. Tests confirmed RHP Vicente Padilla has H1N1 Type A Influenza strain. At least five players have dealt with flu this week.

The Depot: Rangers-Royals Live Game Blog, News, Notes And Some Other Stuff

7:10: And you thought we wouldn’t be here in time for first pitch. Silly you.

7:12: In case you missed it earlier, we’re having a fine time discussing my schizophrenia over a trade for an ace. And if you just want to catch up on the Royals, intrepid intern Ryan Jones has his series preview up.

7:18: From Bloomberg News comes this pretty comprehensive story discussing the financial straits of the Hicks Sports Group and some fans in Liverpool who are trying to buy Tom Hicks and George Gillet.

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It’s Gettin’ Hot Again, Come Relax By The Cool, Comfortable Rangers Home Run Pool

We aren’t in Kansas City, but that doesn’t mean the Homer Pool or The Depot aren’t working. I’ll be here all night folks. So remember, tip your waiters and waitresses.

Here is your Rangers lineup against RHP Zack Greinke (who pitched a shutout against Texas earlier this year): 2B Ian Kinsler, 3B Michael Young, CF Josh Hamilton, LF Marlon Byrd, 1B Hank Blalock, RF Nelson Cruz, DH David Murphy, C Taylor Teagarden, SS Elvis Andrus and pitching for the Rangers … RHP Scott Feldman.

Series Preview: Rangers at Royals

The Rangers got a much needed day off Thursday after flu-like symptoms left five players out or affected for their series finale with the Red Sox.

The Royals got a much needed day off Thursday after they spent the previous two nights doing their best impression of the ’07 Rangers, and not just because Kansas City has five graduates of that Rangers club on their 40-man roster. The Royals led the Angels 5-4 heading into the sixth inning Tuesday, but allowed four unanswered runs to fall 8-5 in the first game of a doubleheader. The nightcap saw KC jump out to an early 2-0 lead, only to get hammered 10-2. And in trying to avoid the sweep, the Royals held firmly to a 6-2 advantage through six innings in the series’ final game, but gave up two in the seventh and five in the eighth to lose yet again.

In other words, the Royals haven’t been doing the Rangers any favors lately. But with a three-game series ready to begin at Kauffman Stadium tonight, that might be about to change.

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Schizophrenic Evan: Multiple Voices On Trading – Or Not – For Roy Halladay

Toronto GM J.P. Ricciardi has imposed a Tuesday deadline for trading Roy Halladay. If he doesn’t get the deal he wants by then, Ricciardi plans on shutting down talks. So, with about 100 hours to go in the Halladay Sweepstakes, should the Rangers push forward in what would be a long-shot bid to land him or not. It’s a long-shot because Halladay would have to approve any trade. It’s a long-shot because even if he does approve a trade, the cash-strapped Rangers would have to figure how to pay him the $4.5 million he’s owed for the remainder of this year and the $15 million for next year. Finding the talent to interest Toronto? That’s not much of a problem, if you ask me.

Anyway, my multiple personalities have been arguing back and forth for a week. I’m tired of the voices in my head. I figured I’d let them talk to you for a while. If you’ve got time – and, hey, it’s Friday, you aren’t going to get any work done anyway – read my two separate columsn on pushing ahead with a deal or stopping this whole process right now. And then give me your thoughts. Maybe that will help me quiet those voices once and for all. And they are really annoying voices, too. One sounds like Gilbert Gottfried and the other like Bobcat Goldthwait.

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Viral Video: Nolan Ryan On Rangers Bullpen

We cornered Nolan Ryan this week to get him to talk about that most surprising of Rangers strengths: The Bullpen. Hope I’m not spoiling the plot, but best line was when I asked him about his confidence in the bullpen and he says: “Well, it’s a lot higher than it was last year, I can tell you that.”

Road To Arlington: Rangers Farm Report (7/24)

Don’t underestimate Kasey Kiker.

Just saying….

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