Intro Blog

Ok I'm gettin' this blog started. If you wanna know about me look at the bio I'm pretty sure I filled it out. So The Texas Rangers (my team) just swept the Seattle Mariners (Big Brothers team) in a 2 game series putting us only 0.5 games out of first place behind them. It was a very well played series, compliments go out to Erik Bedard holding Texas to 1 run through 7, Russell Branyan for two great extra basehits in the series, and Franklin Gutierrez who played some great outfield defense cutting off hits, and getting some of his own.

Right now most things are going great. Kinsler appears to be regaining the stroke he had the first 3 weeks of the season, Elvis is flourishing since he's moved to the 2 spot in the lineup, Michael has some new found pop in his classic opposite field swing, Cruz is finding his power again, Millwood still isn't slowing down, he just needs to keep the ball down to righties, Padilla has has 2 good starts in a row, we haven't made a call to the bullpen before the seventh inning in a week, Salty is proving his eye problems are behind him, Byrd is staying hot, Jones couldn't have worked out better thus far, Benson is ready to comeback and pitch long relief, and Murphy is finally starting to get hits.

Some things that aren't looking as well include Chris Davis's intent to swing at any pitch below his nose and above his ankles, he needs to take the low throws unless he is sure they're fastballs and he needs to develop a straighter swing. I feel he is striking out because his swing is much to vertical, the same with Hamilton they both have great strength they can stroke a ball deep without an uppercut swing especially in Rangers Ballpark, I hope Rudy is telling them that. Even if they can't, I prefer a contact doubles hitter (vintage Michael Young), to a strikeout homerun hitter anyday (what Michael Young is becoming). An uppercut swing also covers less of the strikezone with the bat than a straight swing, thats why they strikeout so much. This may also be why Taylor Teagarden has struggled early on.

Tonight were going to Oakland, hopefully to redeem themselves for screwing up their last game with the Athletics in Texas. We were down by 2 going into the 8th and with 2 on when Kinsler knocked a flyball over the wall but into the glove of one Ryan Sweeney for the innings 3rd out. In the ninth still down by 2 Michael Young is called out trying to stretch a double into a triple. The next batter Andruw Jones homered. He would've been the tying run. Instead we lost the game by one run. Now though we will be in a pitchers park in Oakland with a pitching staff thats improving not diminishing over the first month of the season.

Pitching Matchup: Scott Feldman (TEX) vs. Dan Giese (OAK)
Assessment: Making his third start in a row taking the place of Kris Benson, Feldman has earned the spot permanently. His first two starts have gone well, inducing many ground balls, and no homeruns in 10.2 innings vs. 3 homeruns in 6.2 bullpen inning.

Spot starting for the struggling Dana Eveland, Dan Giese is making his 4th career start 1st of the year. In 3 starts for the Yankees in 2008 Giese was 0-2 but averaged over 3 strikeouts every 4 innings and had an ERA under 4. This season at the collesium in only relief Giese has an ERA just over 2 in 4 innings, an opponents batting average of .294, and only 2 strikeouts.

Last thing...
If the Season ended after April

1 All-Stars
AL
2B Ian Kinsler TEX
CF Adam Jones BAL
3B Evan Longoria TB
1B Kevin Youkilis BOS
LF Jason Bay BOS
C Victor Martinez CLE
RF Nick Markakis BAL
SS Jason Bartlett TB
P Zack Grienke KC

C Jorge Posada NYY
C Kurt Suzuki OAK
1B Miguel Cabrera DET
1B Carlos Pena TB
2B Aaron Hill TOR
2B Robinson Cano NYY
3B Brandon Inge DET
3B Mike Lowell BOS
SS Derek Jeter NYY
SS Marco Scutaro TOR
OF Torii Hunter LAA
OF Nelson Cruz TEX
OF Nick Swisher NYY

P Armando Galarraga DET
P Roy Halladay TOR
P Felix Hernandez SEA
P Mark Buehrle CWS
P Jarrod Washburn SEA
P Joe Nathan MIN
P Mariano Rivera NYY
P Brad Ziegler OAK
P Joakim Soria KC
P Jonathan Papelbon BOS
P Frank Francisco TEX

NL
SS Hanley Ramirez FLA
2B Chase Utley PHI
LF Ryan Braun MIL
1B Albert Pujols STL
CF Raul Ibanez PHI
3B Aramis Ramirez CHC
RF Andre Ethier LAD
C Yadier Molina STL
P Chad Billingsley LAD

C Bengie Molina SF
C Jeff Baker FLA
1B Adrian Gonzalez SD
1B Joey Votto CIN
2B Orlando Hudson LAD
2B Freddy Sanchez PIT
3B Ryan Zimmerman WAS
SS Yunel Escobar ATL
SS Jose Reyes NYM
OF Ryan Ludwick STL
OF Carlos Beltran NYM
OF Adam Dunn WAS
OF Alfonso Soriano CHC

P Kyle Lohse STL
P Dan Haren ARI
P Johan Santana NYM
P Josh Johnson FLA
P Wandy Rodriguez HOU
P Jason Grilli COL
P Matt Capps PIT
P Francisco Cordero CIN
P Jonathan Broxton LAD
P Ryan Franklin STL
P Heath Bell SD

2 Awards

MVP
AL
Aaron Hill TOR

NL
Albert Pujols STL

Cy Young
AL
Zack Grienke KC

NL
Johan Santana NYM

Rookie
AL
Elvis Andrus TEX

NL
Jordan Schafer ATL

Relief Man
AL
Frank Francisco TEX

NL
Heath Bell SD

3 Playoffs
Detroit loses ALDS@ Boston
Toronto wins ALCS@ Boston
Toronto wins ALDS@ Seattle
Florida wins WS @ Toronto
Florida wins NLDS@ Saint Louis
Florida wins NLCS@ Los Angeles
Pittsburgh loses NLDS@ Los Angeles

4 Homerun Derby

Adrian Gonzalez SD W
Albert Pujols STL L 2nd
Raul Ibanez PHI L 1st
Alfonso Soriano CHC L 1st
Carlos Pena TB L Final
Torii Hunter LAA L 2nd
Carlos Quentin CWS L 1st
Ian Kinsler TEX L 1st

comment please