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Post-Game Show: Indians 5, Rangers 0

D-tails
• Boxscore, AL West standings, Wild Card standings

Story of the game
In his first outing as more than just an emergency starter, RHP Dustin Nippert became the third Ranger pitcher to reach double-figures in strikeouts this year, but one inning’s worth of location problems did him in. Nippert allowed all five of Cleveland’s runs in the third inning. After back-to-back singles to start the inning, Nippert hit OF Shin-Soo Choo, then walked 3B Jhonny Peralta to force in a run. A single by DH Travis Hafner and a two-run double by SS Luis Valbuena made it a very big inning. A sacrifice fly by Trevor Crowe made it the first inning of five or more runs the Rangers have allowed since New York scored five in the fifth on June 4 in an 8-6 Yankees win.

Nippert, who pitched six innings, allowed only four baserunners (a walk, two hits and an error) in his other five innings. He also had 10 strikeouts, joining RHP Kevin Millwood and RHP Derek Holland as the only Rangers to reach double figures this season. Nippert earned his 10th strikeout on his final pitch of the night, a 96 mph fastball to OF Grady Sizemore.

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Long-Distance, Second-Hand Depot: Texas Rangers-Cleveland Indians In-Game Blog, Notes

Don’t panic. Evan will be along in a bit. In the meantime, I’ll unlock the doors and let you to shoot as you like.

I’ll also keep an eye on the Tigers-Red Sox, with Boston throwing Junichi Tazawa.

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Home Is Where the Homer Pool Is

We may not be in Cleveland, but that doesn’t stop the World Famous Homer Pool from rolling on. We’ve even got the lineup already for you. East coast games and the very cooperative Rangers PR staff make it easy to get you the full lineup ASAP.

So, for the Rangers first game in Cleveland since May, 2008, here’s what they are featuring: 2B Omar Vizquel, 3B Michael Young, CF Marlon Byrd, DH Andruw Jones, RF Josh Hamilton, 1B Hank Blalock, LF David Murphy, C Jarrod Saltalamacchia, SS Elvis Andrus and pitching for the Rangers … RHP Dustin Nippert.

What A Night: Watch Rangers With Rusty Greer, Question Mike Bascik, Eat Nachos, Sip Margaritas

Sorry for the last minute notice, but since I don’t do Cleveland (don’t ask), I thought it would be most excellent to get together with some of my closest Cornerian friends for a little watching of the Rangers-Cleveland Indians game. And just like that, some folks made it happen. Here’s the plan: I’m going to be at Pappasitos in Dallas (On Lombardy Lane, Near I35-E and Northwest Highway) for Wednesday’s Rangers-Indians game. First pitch is at 6:05 p.m., but I’ll dipping into the salsa, queso and guacamole around 5:30.

Pappasitos has a 64-inch big screen TV with sound in an air-conditioned room for us to watch the game – and you can even watch the hard work that goes into The Depot every night live. At about 7, this guy I know named Thurman Clyde Greer – I call him Rusty – is going to show up. Other former Rangers such as Ticket producer/host Mike Bacsik, and 1970s-era guys Ken Suarez and Rich Hand will also stop by over the course of the game. And you never know, another guy or two might pop in.

Also, Pappasitos has Half-Price Fajitas for Two from 5 p.m. to close on Wednesday. So, bring a date or a pal or, if you are like me, just eat for two. Think about it: You can watch the Rangers, eat cheap, meet Rusty Greer and hang out with me. Well, three out of four ain’t bad. Hope to see you on Wednesday. If you can, either let me know here if you plan to attend or email me if you are a little bit shy about the whole comment thing.

Series Preview: Rangers at Indians

After a week of late nights on the West Coast, the Rangers are going to do their best to get their games in early for the next three days. Texas and Cleveland will play the first two games of their three-game set at 6:05 p.m. and cap it off with an odd 11:05 a.m. start on a getaway day that should give the Rangers plenty of time to make it back to Arlington for a vital series with the Red Sox.

But Texas’ focus for the moment is on Cleveland, and for good reason: despite their 48-63 record, the Indians have won four of five and are four games over .500 since the All-Star Break. It’s the first time the teams have met since their season-opening series in April that Texas swept, outscoring Cleveland 29-14 (almost ten runs a game!) in the process. But it’s a much different Indians team the Rangers will have to face this time around. Two of the three starters Texas saw, Cliff Lee and Carl Pavano, were dealt — along with many, many others — for prospects, so if you need name tags to keep the new faces straight in Cleveland, you’re not the only one.

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Rangers Promote Martin Perez To Frisco

Last night, the buzz at the RoughRiders game that I attended with some 70 fun-loving Cornerians was that LHP Martin Perez, all of 18, might be coming up real soon, skipping past Class A Bakersfield for the rest of the year. Here’s what that person meant by real soon: Today.

Here’s the official release from his former team, the Class A Hickory Crawdads:

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5 Things From Football Prospectus

August is not an easy month to get through, but the last several years I have made it through with the help of the Football Prospectus.  The guys at Prospectus/Football Outsiders.com are great at breaking down football with the same statistical analysis that Bill James made famous in baseball.

They don’t allow the raw emotion of fans and message boards to affect their ideas – but rather they use the evidence.   I think football, unlike almost any other sport, must be analyzed in that fashion.  Emotion makes people boil everything down to Jessica Simpson being at Texas Stadium in a pink Romo jersey.  Obviously, football is a bit more complicated than that.

So, I would recommend you purchase this book for yourself Here , but here is a small taste:

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Cowboys ‘08 – Week 16 vs Baltimore

In our journey through 2008, we have reached Week 16/Game 15 in the road.  I recommend you read this provided you have a strong stomach.  These last two are extremely painful.

In fact, these last two games may explain why I thought this team needed a new coach for 2008.  Teams have failed at the moment of truth before, but the Cowboys – given the expectations of 2008 – and given the fact that all of the Cowboys legends were present to see Texas Stadium close.

With everything on the line, and with the legends looking on, surely this would be the time when the 2008 Dallas Cowboys would stand up and be counted, right?  Not so much.

This will test your resolve for Cowboys football.  Read today and tomorrow only if you are a true die-hard.

From December 20, 2008, here are my notes from the Ravens beating of the Cowboys, as the stadium closed forever:

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