The Depot: Rangers-Indians Live Game Blog, News, Notes and Appliance Repair Estimates

4:45: The home run pool remains open and we may have late hours today. Most recent weather update indicated it was raining in Cleveland, so we’re not sure if we are going to be getting started on time. I may not be getting started on time, either. I had to run to Target to get a vacuum cleaner. It’s my Labor Day present to myself. Back shortly.

5:24: I now officially suck again. I got a new vacuum cleaner and I haven’t missed a pitch. Awe. Some. And in the meantime, the Red Sox lost. Hey, and what do you know – the Angels lost, too. Miracles can happen. Still waiting for the start of the game.

6:33: Report from Cleveland is not looking good. May be looking at a doubleheader tomorrow.

7:32: Take the rest of the night off. Rangers are rained out. They play a doubleheader starting at 4 PM Central. We will be here.

Labor Day Homer Pool/Josh Hamilton Update

Dealing with shopping and vacuum cleaner issues. Quite a Labor Day here at the Grant Estate. Meanwhile, here is your Josh Hamilton update and Labor Day Home Run pool.

Josh Hamilton saw spine specialist Dr. Drew Dossett today in Dallas and received a second epidural injection (my doctor never worked on Labor Day!). He will not travel to Cleveland. Best case scenario is he feels better by Wednesday afternoon and is available to play on Friday when the Rangers begin a nine-game homestand against the AL West.

In the meantime, the Rangers will go with LF Julio Borbon, SS Elvis Andrus, 2B Ian Kinsler, CF Marlon Byrd, RF Nelson Cruz, DH David Murphy, C Ivan Rodriguez, 1B Chris Davis, 3B Omar Vizquel and pitching for your Texas Rangers … RHP Tommy Hunter.

Today’s winner will get my broken vacuum cleaner. Second prize will get the other broken vacuum cleaner.

Series Preview: Rangers at Indians

While the Rangers missed an opportunity to gain some ground in the playoff race by facing the second-worst team in the league over the weekend, the Angels beat up on the AL’s worst club and the Red Sox kept pace by winning one of three against the White Sox. Now the AL’s third worst club, the Cleveland Indians, are hoping to keep the Rangers down with a three game series at Progressive Field that starts tonight.

Cleveland began the season with playoff aspirations, but their disappointing run has left manager Eric Wedge unsure of his job security and fans wanting to clean house and look to the future.  They’ve lost Grady Sizemore for the year, which some thought should’ve happened months ago, and their pitching staff has allowed the third most runs in the majors.

Yet despite their struggles, Cleveland has gone 25-22 since the All-Star break and already knocked one playoff hopeful off course by taking two of three from the Twins over the weekend. So, with Texas preparing for a nine game homestand against AL West foes starting Friday, a series win isn’t just important anymore. It’s essential.

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Random Cowboys Thoughts

Well, one week from today, I will be writing my first post-game summary of the season, and we will be making huge generalizations about the 2009 season based on what we saw on Sunday in Tampa. But, with 6 days until “go time”, we can still wonder what will be in that present we haven’t opened yet. Will the Cowboys be good enough in 2009? Will they have enough to compete with their division rivals, who many claim is the toughest division in football (don’t tell the AFC South and NFC North)? The truth will be told in very short order.  Soon, I will look at the division rivals, but today, let’s scattershoot about this thing with a week to go:

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Road To Arlington: Rangers Farm Report (9/6)

Triple-A: @Memphis 6, Oklahoma City 1

RHP Elizardo Ramirez (9-11; 4.63) ended his season on a sour note, going five innings and allowing five earned runs on nine hits and two walks. The bulk of the trouble came in the first, when Ramirez gave up a pair of singles and a two-out walk to load the bases for Brian Barden, who knocked it out to give Memphis an early 4-0 lead. RHP Mike Wood came on in relief and improved his infinite ERA with two perfect innings, during which he fanned three. Wood’s only other appearance saw him allow two runs without recording an out.

CF Greg Golson (.258/.299/.344) managed the RedHawk’s only extra base hit, tripling to lead off the second and scoring their only run. 1B Royce Huffman (.297/.382/.411) and RF Jared Bolden (.375/.444/.563) both went 2-4 with a pair of singles, and the team’s only RBI came from C Zach Zaneski at the bottom of the order.

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