Padilla flotilla

Drink up

If there's any notion where the hearts of the Texas Rangers players are, seek out the video from Friday night's game.

It was a 10-inning, walk-off 6-5 win over the visiting Minnesota Twins. David Murphy singled in German Duran and a celebration that is more deserving of a World Series win rather than a win in game No. 24 ensued.

I don't blame the players. Allegedly, they had a players-only meeting before the game, which preceded a management meeting between manger, general manager, president and owner. A vast majority of the Rangers players are not as bad as they've seemed at times. They're probably pressing because they know they're behind the eight ball.

But after Murphy scored Duran, it was refreshing to see Josh Hamilton, Mike Young, Ian Kinsler and the rest jump, embrace and shout as if it was the greatest win ever ... and when it breaks a long losing streak, it probably feels like it. It was just a subtle reminder that it's a boy's game played by millionaire boys.

(Of course, all of this is sentimental bullshit because they went out Saturday and played like kindergartners.)

Then Sunday. Trust me, there was no greater dissident of Vicente Padilla than me. His maturity and attitude the last two years was sickening. I don't know what Kool-Aid he's been drinking over the winter and the first couple weeks of the season, but I like it.

Padilla commanded a wicked change-up mixed with a mid-90s fastball on the way to the first Rangers complete game shut-out in three years, 10-0. It took the series from the Twins, at least. And it also screwed up the line on the first manager-GM to be fired board.