Tuesday, August 17, 2010

New Ownership Gets Crackin' Fast

The new Texas Rangers ownership, headed by Chuck Greenberg and Nolan Ryan, didn’t wait long to start on a series of fan initiatives. Improvements started only hours after MLB approved the new ownership for the Greenberg-Ryan group. New prices for parking, concessions and fan merchandise were unveiled at the Friday home game against Boston.

Hot dogs were reduced from $4.50 to $4, soda in souvenir cups was down from $5.75 to $5 and bottled beers were cut from $7 to $6. The most-reduced concession was hot chocolate from $3 to $1, but with temperatures as hot as they have been, that is not a big seller.   

Then the most exciting and fan-tastic idea... there is the “Cap Exchange”.  Fans can receive a 20 percent discount on all Rangers caps at the gift shops if they bring in another team's cap in exchange. Sound like a good idea?

"It gives you amnesty and a little bit of a break to put the right cap on," Chuck Greenberg said. "We have a whole series of initiatives as far as the fans, but that's the best we would do in 24 hours. This is just the beginning of an extended program that will never end as far as this franchise in being responsive to the fans."
There are also plans for significant improvements to the 16-year-old Rangers Ballpark, including new video boards, which many fans have asked about. Also, additions and enhancements have already kicked into gear. These moves include t-shirts being thrown into the stands on all levels of Rangers Ballpark, adding ball and strike counts to concourse monitors, re-instituting radio play-by-play sound on the concourses, and new elements on the scoreboards, video boards, and in the seating bowl. (Maury Brown) Immediate changes like the price adjustments, and fan interaction just show the fans how dedicated this new ownership team is to helping the fans enjoy such a dynamic and talented team.

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Kinsler & Winning Streak Snap

MLB home plate umpire Eric Cooper and Texas Ranger Ian Kinsler exchanged some nasty words after Cooper threw Kinsler out of the game Friday night against the Houston Astros.

Kinsler was tossed in the third inning for throwing equipment after a called third strike. He quickly snapped, turned around and started yelling at Cooper, while being restrained by third base coach Dave Anderson. It was apparent during Kinsler's at-bat that he was not pleased about another pitch he took that was called a strike by Cooper.

The Rangers ending up losing the game to the Astros 7-4, which also ended their 11 game winning streak.
After the game Kinsler was no very happy.
"We lost the game ... amazing, isn't it?" second baseman Ian Kinsler snapped. "We're not going to win them all."

Monday, June 21, 2010

Clemson Defeats No.1 Arizona State

Clemson took landed a 6-3 victory over No. 1 Arizona State as they knocked around ASU’s ace Seth Blair for five runs on seven hits in the College World Series on Monday morning.

Blair was also called out for two balks, which in turn costed the team runs. Both balks were questionable and the umpires later notified the coaches that there was a “rocking motion” present once the pitcher had stopped.  Seems unfair and subjective by many, even the ESPNU commentators.

In total, the Tigers took a fourteen-hit onslaught to defeat the Sun Devils, all with singles.

Clemson’s starting pitcher Casey Harman was awarded Player of the Game after he pitched six solid innings for the Clemson Tigers.


Blair (12-1, 3.64 ERA) walked four of the first 12 batters he faced. He left in the fifth inning after John Hinson put the Tigers up 3-1 on a RBI single.

Harman (8-3, 3.77 ERA) was relieved by Alex Frederick after ASU loaded the bases in the seventh inning. Sun Devil left fielder Drew Maggi's RBI groundout cut Clemson's lead to 6-3, but the threat ended when second baseman Zack MacPhee struck out for the Sun Devils.

Clemson (44-23) advances now to the winners' bracket game against Oklahoma on Tuesday. The ASU Sun Devils (53-8) meet South Carolina in an elimination game Tuesday, if the weather can hold up.

Should Clemson lose to Oklahoma on Tuesday, the Tigers would face the winner of the South Carolina-Arizona State game for the right to a rematch against the Sooners.

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Rain, Rain Go Away

Rosenblatt Stadium during a rain delay while South Carolina against Oklahoma try to compete at the NCAA college World Series baseball game in Omaha, Neb., Sunday, June 20, 2010.

The Arizona State against Clemson game has been postponed to Monday at 10 a.m. CT due to NCAA curfew.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Bittersweet Baseball for Arizona State

There are two sides to every story.  In most cases, it's either the truth, or what someone thinks is the truth. Not in the Valley of the Sun and not for the Arizona State Sun Devils.  It depends which way you think, if you follow your heart, your mind or tradition. Thoughts differ from fans, to former players and to those who are out there daily sporting the maroon and gold, playing for a program that has deserved their trip to the College World Series this year.

It only took two games, both ending in 12 innings, to lift Arizona State over Arkansas in the Super Regionals last weekend and for them to advance to their 22nd College World Series appearance. ASU was named the No. 1 overall seed in the 2010 NCAA tournament for the first time in school history. It is going to be the last year for Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, NE, to host the College World Series.

After all, the 2010 trophy will be dripping with nostalgia, with the winner closing down a stadium synonymous with college baseball. A place where the best players in baseball, once stood, where the best coaches have taken their teams to victory, and where the ASU Sun Devils will embark this year without that one famous coach, Pat Murphy.

"This is the year they're going to win a national championship," said Dustin Pedroia, former ASU star and current Red Sox slugger. "And Murph isn't going to be there. That's going to be tough. That would be bittersweet. That would leave a bad taste in a lot of people's mouths."
 ASU's story looks like one right out of a prime time drama. After it's contentious split, after 15 years, with notorious coach Murphy, the team responded by starting their season 24-0 and ending it heading one last time to Rosenblatt. Former Sun Devil player and assistant head coach, Tim Esmay, spent 10 years under the lead of Murphy and will now lead the Sun Devils to Rosenblatt as the head coach. If Esmay wins the championship that eluded Murphy for 15 years, it will also feel like instant confirmation, proof that the Sun Devils program can survive just about anything.
Esmay has been everything that this program needed. According to Dan Bickley of the Arizona Republic, "Esmay has shown the perfect touch. He has deferred to his players. He makes sure the story isn't about him, or his improbable twist of fortune. He's brought calm and consistency to a group that had been weaned on drama and unpredictability. At times, he's been a refreshing change. And he's endeared himself to the passionate base of hardcore fans by stressing a fundamental lesson: No man, or manager, is bigger than the program."
 "This is a Sun Devil brotherhood," Esmay said. "No matter who you play for, it's still Arizona State. At some point, somebody recruited by Bobby Winkles had to play for coach Brock. At some point, somebody recruited by Jim Brock had to play for Pat Murphy. And at some point, somebody recruited by Pat Murphy has to play for Tim Esmay. At the end of the day, what I want to convey is that the base is strong, and that base is an ASU brotherhood."
A very delicate ASU brotherhood.

This is where the different sides of every story come in to play. Whether you believe Murphy was the man the media portrayed, the "reckless renegade"or not, this much is true. "There's a new wave of former Sun Devils currently tearing up Major League Baseball, from Pedroia and his MVP trophy to blossoming stars like Andre Ethier, Ike Davis and Mike Leake. They shine a glorious spotlight on the program, and they are all Murph's guys." (Bickley)
 "I watch all the games on television, I root for the guys and I want them to win," Pedroia said. "But I didn't go there for the tradition and all that BS. I went there because of Murph. Murph made me into the player I am today, and all the guys feel that way. He's very well-loved."
Murphy is currently working for the San Diego Padres as a special assistant in baseball operations, and while he appreciates thought, he said that he will not watch the Sun Devils play baseball this year in Omaha.
"It's too emotional and too painful," Murphy said. "I've received hundreds of text messages from people telling me that it isn't fair, that this is really my team. And it's not. I'm very proud of everything I accomplished at ASU, but this is not my team."
And now, if the Sun Devils win their first baseball title since 1981, it wouldn't have been possible without Murphy.
"These are Murph's players," Pedroia said. "Murph recruited all of these guys, and now, I think they're the best team in the country."
 All we can do now, is sit back and watch to see how the rest of this story unfolds, as the boys touched down in Omaha this morning, ready to take on Clemson.
The Sun Devils first game against Clemson on Sunday at 4 p.m. MST will be on ESPN2 and will be broadcast nationwide on SIRIUS channel 122 and XM channel 143. I'm supporting them and always have! GO DEVILS!



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Alright, I know I have been quiet on here for the first part of this baseball season, but Twitter is another story.  If you want to follow my thoughts on a daily basis, go ahead... treat yourself, I won't tell. 

Monday, April 5, 2010

A Record Opening Day

The Texas Rangers got their very first walk-off win on Opening Day in Arlington today!

A slow start to the game quickly became exciting in the seventh inning when the Rangers got to Blue Jays' pitching after Vladimir Guerrero broke up a no-hitter, followed by Nelson Cruz hitting a three-run home run. The Rangers then trailing by a run, rallied for two in the bottom of the ninth for a 5-4, walk-off victory on Opening Day at the Ballpark in Arlington.


When catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia came up to bat with one out and the bases loaded, he belted one into the right-center-field alley to drive home the winning run, a red and blue clad crowd of 50,299, the eighth largest in Rangers history, went crazy.

"That was an unbelievable feeling," Saltalamacchia said. "I've never had that before. I've never had a walk-off hit before. It was amazing."  (According to T.R. Sullivan, MLB)


Following the game, Ashley Saltalamacchia congratulated her husband. 

What an exciting start to the season.

One down... only 161more to go.

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Snapshots From The Yard

After a solid week or two at numerous games and
ballparks, here is what I have to show for it.


(C.J. Wilson on third base... not too bad for a pitcher)







(Chris Davis watching his huge smash to left center and then CD fouling one off)

(Hamilton tagging up on third just in time against the Angels)










(Mitch Moreland at bat in the 9th inning against the Brewers)










(Elvis Andrus and C.J. Wilson post pep-talk)