The Depot: Rangers-A’s Live Game Blog, News, Notes, and Celestial Body Viewings

7:30: Home Run Pool is open. And for your pre-game reading enjoyment, we’ve got some notes, quotes and anecdotes.If I’m not here before game-time, I should be back right around first pitch. I’m having a spot of grown-up dinner. Yay!

10:35: Elvis Andrus ties Ian Kinsler for the team lead in steals with a sixth-inning swipe. It gives him 29 in 33 attemps (87.9 percent). Among the majors most frequent runners, Andrus’ steal percentage is the best in baseball. The Rangers, currently with an 81.8 percent success rate, are on pace to set the AL record for best stolen base percentage among teams with at least 150 attempts.

The Home Run Pool

The shipping department here at Home Run Pool central has gotten a little backed-up. Mainly, it comes down to packing the prizes and shipping them off. And, well, I haven’t done a great job of that lately. Promise, your stuff will be in the mail shortly. In the meantime, here’s another chance to grab some goodies before we roll into the offseason.

Tonight’s lineup goes a little something like this: DH Julio Borbon, SS Elvis Andrus, LF David Murphy, CF Marlon Byrd, 1B Hank Blalock, 2B Ian Kinsler, RF Nelson Cruz, 3B Chris Davis, C Ivan Rodriguez and pitching for the Rangers … RHP Brandon McCarthy.

Texas Rangers: Notes, Quotes, Anecdotes

Folks, sorry for the lack of action from Mission Control here, but internet woes made my home office a swirling cauldron of nothingness last night. Hopefully once game time rolls around, things will be much better here. In the meantime, here are a few sips and bites to whet your appetite:

• Kevin Millwood wins $12 million prize: Millwood locked in his contract option last night. A number of Cornerians wondered why the Rangers would have started him again after six horrible weeks and risk allowing him to reach the 180-inning threshold for securing the 2010 option. The biggest concern had to be the potential grievance that surely would have been filed on his behalf by the Players Association. Perhaps, had the Rangers decided immediately after Millwood’s 3.2 inning outing against Seattle that he had no future with the club, the team could have released him and stood a chance to win such a case. But after the team decided to overhaul his delivery and announced he’d get another start, any chance at winning the case went out the window.

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Football 301: Decoding Garrett – Week 2

DISCLAIMER: This is not for everyone. It may not be for you. This is a statistical study of the Cowboys offense with lots of numbers that may make your head tired if you are not up to it. Read it only if it is something that is of interest to you.

Well, I know the hurt is still there for many fans of the Cowboys, but just know as you read this that the Cowboys coaching staff has already digested the Giants film and today will put the finishing touches on the Panthers’ game plan.

The Giants game will be remembered by many of us as a failure, but success versus failure in the National Football League sometimes comes down to a simple field goal attempt with no time left on the clock after 3 hours of two teams killing each-other.  The basic truth is this:  In every game, there is good to consider and bad to avoid.  And Sunday night, the Cowboys did some wonderful things.  But, it only takes one untimely lapse in judgement from either your QB or your Offensive Coordinator to get you beat.  That is the point of this Tuesday Series here at Inside Corner.  To examine where they got it right, and where they got it wrong during each Cowboys game.

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