Stealing the night away

Troublemakers

Last season, Elvis Andrus had 53 stolen bases as a member of the Frisco RoughRiders.

So far this season as a Texas Ranger, he has 15 swipes.

Four of those steals came last night in a pivitol 9-5 over the California Angels.

Yes, I realize that Marlon Byrd had a gigantic game as the previously awful Rangers offense belted 11 hits, drew five walks and scored nine times.

Andrus himself only scored once despite stealing second and third both two times. His fifth inning barrage included a two-out single, stealing second and third only to be stranded after Ian Kinsler flied out.

Andrus may not have impacted the scoreboard that much, but there is something about his game that can turn a team around.

Do you know a team that would have a seemingly unlikely fellow steal four bases? The California Angels. For about a decade, the Angels have made it their business to pressure lesser teams into making mistakes. Pressing the issue. Forcing their opponents' hands. It's classic Angels baseball. For one night, it worked for the Rangers.

The kid is something else. I dare anyone even remotely familiar with the Rangers to not consider Andrus a must-see no matter the record.

Notes:
1. Gutty performance from Scooter Feldman. He was at 73-odd pitches after three innings. He goes on to throw 116 and complete six innings for his sixth win of the season. After the second inning, Feldman sat down 11 straight and 13 of 14 Angel batters. Jean-Jacques Taylor can say what he will, but I'll take Feldman any day.

2. In about 100 fewer games, David Murphy has the fourth most walks on the team at 24. It says a little about Murphy's plate discipline and a lot about the Rangers'.

3. Rangers bullpen: six strikeouts, no walks.

4. Marlon Byrd's gone a long way to increase his trade/free agency value the last two days.

5. Rangers put themselves in a position to take the series. Every win is valuable right now.

Free agency and the Dallas Mavericks

Gay?

Can you believe that the Dallas Mavericks had Jason Kidd (in his prime), Steve Nash and Devin Harris?

And now we're freaking out about re-signing Jason Kidd?

How badly has this team been mismanaged?

Who gives Devean George a player option?

Who pays Shawn Bradley to not play and Mike Finley to play for the rival San Antonio Spurs?

The Dallas Mavericks, that's who.

NBA free agency starts tonight at 11 p.m. Much to the chagrin of owner Mark Cuban, here are Internet rumors perpetrated by blogs:

The Milwaukee Bucks are apparently interested in Jerry Stackhouse's $7 million contract and $2 million buy out. The Mavs could be interested in point guard Luke Ridnour. I'm not. More interested in Mike Redd.

****
My opinion on the Kidd situation is that they'll need to re-sign him. I hated the Harris-Kidd deal but I don't have a time machine to go and slap Mark Cuban, Avery Johnson and Donnie Nelson in the face. Right now, it's one of the biggest busts in Mavericks history and maybe Dallas sports history. It may not get better, but you got to hope Kidd has enough in the tank to maintain the bottom-of-the-West status quo until management can pull their heads out of their asses and draft an American.

****
I think I'm no different from every other Mavs fan: We need Brandon Bass back.

****
That's kinda it. No big rumors with the Mavericks. Not that nothing will happen, but be fully prepared to be underwhelmed.

Athletes get all the hot chicks, Volume I

Andy Roddick's plaything is still one my favs

Wayne Ellington could've been a Mav. His "aspiring model" girlfriend with cantaloupes for breasts could've done well on the American Airlines Center courtside.

****
Pittsburgh Penguin great Evgeni Malkin does dirty stuff to this. She ain't that great, but, then again, neither is he.

****
In case you forgot who Tom Brady has apparently impregnated.

Done in again

Don't sweat it, Jules, you'll have better days

I had a bad feeling about last night for the Texas Rangers.

Batting Julio Borbon sixth as the DH in his first Major League game was risky business. Perhaps he serves as a spark, gets on base and wreaks havoc on the Angels pitching.

Or he goes 0-3 with two strikeouts and four men left on base.

The latter happened in a 5-2 loss.

I question batting Borbon sixth. He's not a guy you put in the sixth hole, especially on a struggling line-up for his MLB debut. He's not going to drive in runs.

Anyway, there's little I can do about that but bitch and I've bitched.

Nonetheless, I can't guarantee that any other Ranger would've done any better. The offense was offensive once again with eight lousy hits, two of which were back-to-back solo jacks from Dave Murphy and Marlon Byrd.

You just sit and hope this offense wakes up before it's too late.

Notes:
1. The bullpen must be given some love. Another four fine innings from Jason Jennings, Jason Grilli, Doug Mathis and Eddie Guardado. Somehow they're getting outs.

2. It is worth note that Rangers relievers have a poor 4.29 ERA, but have allowed just 111 runs (putting them in the lower half of the league) and just 88 walks (third least in the league). They may be getting beat, but at least they're not shooting themselves in the foot.

3. Boy, it looked like Vicente Padilla was going to roll through seven innings. Then the sixth happened ...

4. Getting slightly depressed.

The Dallas Morning News sucks

First off, can't they spell "usual" correctly.

Two, maybe Tim Cowlishaw should spend less time on the radio, TV or in the booth during Frisco RoughRiders games and put a little more attention to his blog posts. He opined recently about the "insanity" of pitching to Albert Pujols. Apparently, Cowlishaw notes, being the big-city columnist that he is, that this Pujols fella is pretty good. Thanks for the insight Tim!

Finally, Jean-Jacques Taylor has the nerve to write a column about the Texas Rangers pitching being the thorn in this team's side for being to inconsistent.

Are you fucking kidding me?

After the last two or three weeks of baseball, you have the gall, JJT, to call out the pitching? Yes, the hitting may come around. The law averages suggests as much. But there's little more the starting pitching and bullpen can do to win games short of pitching complete game shut outs every night.

It's as if JJT has not even noticed the Rangers the last decade. And to think people with real journalistic talent are being cut from the DMN ranks all the time.

Me and Julio down by the Ballpark

Kentucky Borbon, on the rocks

Julio Borbon was called up from Oklahoma City and will his sixth and DH tonight against the California Angels.

This is good news.

For one, Borbon's been on the 40-man roster since he was drafted in 2007. He's also the second member of that storied draft to play for the Rangers the last two years (and two days, the other being Tommy Hunter).

I like Borbon. Kinda cocky asking for a spot on the 40-man, but this team needs some brashness. Some edge. I also like that he's a top-of-the-line-up guy who can get on base, steal bases and score. A centerfielder like none seen in Rangers history. Potentially.

The numbers:

205 games - 271 hits - 44 doubles - 138 runs - 75 stolen bases - .308 avg. - .358 OBP

That's salty. Not overpowering. Borbon has never shown signs of power. Even the alleged gap power hasn't really shown (although 32 doubles last season between Bakersfield and Frisco ain't bad). He gets on base and hardly ever strikes out (94 total in 880 at-bats).

I'd like the Rangers to keep him up and let Borbon maybe give this team a spark.

The Rangers rotation is always spinning

Feliz in your dreams

The solid outings of Tommy Hunter and Derek Holland over the weekend got me thinking about 2010.

Yes, the Rangers are only 1.5 games out of the division lead and I've got my wandering eye on a year from now.

My question: Who is in the 2010 Rangers rotation?

First, one must consider who won't be here:

• Vicente Padilla

Thus, we have everyone else. Note: Not a lot of guys are leaving. Kevin Millwood does exercise an option for 2010 if he reaches 180 innings, which he'll probably do unless his right arm falls off.

Here's the remainder:

• Kevin Millwood
• Brandon McCarthy
• Matt Harrison
• Scott Feldman
• Derek Holland

That's six starters, including Padilla, that are going right now when everyone's healthy. So what do you do with these guys?

• Tommy Hunter - Has started twice this season at the Majors and holds a 3.86 ERA despite a .298 BAA. Hunter was drafted in 2007 and took Oklahoma City last year. His minor league numbers parallel is miniscule Major League numbers for the year. He's done what he can in the minors. He can only go up, or out.
• Neftali Feliz - He's in Oklahoma City, pitching OK. Sometimes good. He's in the bullpen now allegedly getting ready for his call-up for 'pen help. He may not start a game in the Majors this year, but he'll do that soon.
• Michael Ballard -- I don't think he's that good. I do not think he's a Major League-worthy starter. But what do I know?
• Josh Rupe - He's a starter in Oklahoma City now. If he can't reliever, can he start?
• Omar Poveda - Coming off an injury. He's on the 40-man so it might be time to shit or get off the pot.
• Kasey Kiker - Former first-round lefty is coming into his own and healthy in Frisco. Looked great yesterday in a televised game.
• Blake Beavan - Probably the farthest from the Majors than all these guys. He'll be along, however.

The question here is this: Who's leaving, who's being traded and who's staying? Jamey Newberg mentioned Ian Snell -- the target of Rangers trade rumors galore -- and the possibility of Hunter being a part of a deal.

Frankly, it wouldn't shock me to see Poveda, Hunter and others as part of a deal to get a deal done. I'm probably overselling them and underselling what it might take to get a good arm in. Hunter and pieces could get Snell. Big pieces will be spent to get a big-time arm in here.

On the other hand, it wouldn't shock anyone to see Millwood and/or Harrison gone.

Just something to think about.

The night of the Hunter

Think big Tom Hunter was hot?

I've never hid the fact that Tommy Hunter is one of my favorite prospects in the Texas Rangers farm system.

Watching him hold his own in two Major League starts this season has been exciting. Aside from a hanging curveball to Scott Hairston last night, he was really, really good. He had control and threw strikes. Got ahead of batters. He mixed his pitches well. He could throw just about any pitch for a strike. The next minute his curveball was simply dropping off the plate. He looked like he genuinely belonged.

Derek Holland did too Saturday despite the 7-3 loss. I have nothing bad to say about a pitcher who walks one and allows no homers and loses. The other team is paid good money to hit the ball. My pitcher is paid good money to not allow walks and homers. Thirteen hits undid Holland. It happens. He just has to learn to mix up his pitches. Hitters are sitting on fastballs. Young guys get his like this.

Remember my line about hitters getting paid good money to hit the ball? You wonder if the Rangers are getting any return on their investment in this line-up. Because they suck to high holy hell.

Friday night I thought the drought was over. That all it took was some San Diego starting pitching to cure all ills. Nope. Chad Gaudin looked like Bob Gibson out there one-hitting the Rangers into a series loss.

I don't know the problem. I don't know how to fix it. It's not like a group of players aren't hitting. They're all not hitting. Hope it breaks soon. That's all you can really do.

Notes:
1. He'll need to do something about the walks (especially if he isn't going to strike anyone out), but Doug Mathis has looked damn useful.

2. Holland has a 39-16 K/BB ratio. I'll stick with a guy as long as he throws strikes.

3. That's all I really got.

The Padres need prayer

High five

There ain't nothing like realizing that the hometown team is probably going to win the game with ease by the four inning. 

That was the case Friday night as the Texas Rangers cruised to a 12-2 win over the San Diego Padres, who look like a Triple A team out there. 

Remember when the Rangers couldn't hit? When your down, it feels every night is the lowest point. When your high, it never feels it'll end. Right now, the Rangers offense is flush. Guys are hitting. Guys are getting on base. No, they aren't perfect, but if you can plate more than five runs you'll win quite a few games. 

Rangers had 13 hits and six walks Friday night. That'll win you some games. 

Notes:

1. The one bummer about the game was Kevin Millwood's pitch count. Hell, the Rangers spread out four hits and three walks. If not for a fielder's choice and game-opening home run, the Rangers probably don't allow a run. Nonetheless, it took 113 tosses for Millwood to go six and get the win. 

2. Jason Grilli, Willie Eyre and Doug Mathis tossed three perfect innings, none of whom had more than 11 pitches. 

3. Chris Davis had another two strikeouts. How come it's not that big of a deal when he walks and gets a hit? 

4. Elvis Andrus had another four hits (and another error). He's hitting .272, way beyond hopes for the 20 year old. I am surprised that with his speed and relative power, he doesn't have more doubles (just four, compared to five triples). 

Rodrigue Beaubois

Taking the temperature of the West's draft day

Darren Collison: Good to be behind that Chris Paul guy

We know the Dallas Mavericks didn't get any better through the draft yesterday.

Did their Western Conference bunkmates?

Los Angeles Lakers
29. Toney Douglas
42. Patrick Beverley
59. Chinemelu Elonu
Douglas and Beverley were promptly traded. Elonu, a Texas A&M great, will need to out-suck D.J. Mbenga to get 12th man rights on the Lakers bench.

Denver Nuggets
18. Ty Lawson
Didn't have a pick going in and traded for Lawson, who slipped to No. 18 despite being considered one of the best point guards in the draft. Nuggets got a steal here and if you thought the point guard talent in the West was going to get worse, think again.

Houston Rockets
32. Jermaine Taylor
34. Sergio Llull
44. Chase Budinger
I think Budinger's a spare. He was projected to go in the 20s and he slipped to the 40s. Mostly because he sucks. Taylor seems like a player, but he's a big question mark nonetheless. Houston went in with no picks and came out with three.

New Orleans Hornets
21. Darren Collison
43. Marcus Thornton
New Orleans went small with 6-0 Collison and 6-4 Thornton. Collison got into the perfect situation: He can back up Chris Paul for a couple of years and develop. He could be a player for them.

Portland Trailblazers
22. Victor Claver
31. Jeff Pendergraph
33. Dante Cunningham
55. Patrick Mills
They got some pieces. I like Cunningham. Mills and Pendergraph are solid. Each have their downsides, but most do if they're being taken past the 10th pick.

San Antonio Spurs
37. DeJuan Blair
51. Jack McClinton
53. Nando De Colo
I am convinced that the Spurs got the steal of the draft with Blair. I don't know if I spend a top 15 pick on the guy, but I couldn't believe he kept falling to No. 37. He's the type that helps you right now. Not in a couple of years. The other team seem spare to Midland.

Verdict
Overall, the Nuggets, Spurs and Hornets look like they got guys that can help them. The Lakers have a ring so they don't need much help. The Trailblazers might have some players, but it's a total toss up. The Rockets have their work cut out for them.

They call it the grind

Feldman!

If the MLB season -- all 162 games -- were easy and all 2-1 wins, then it wouldn't be called the grind or the dog days of summer.

We all love the gutty 2-1 win by the Texas Rangers Wednesday night. But you must equally love the puny 9-8 win Thursday.

Because at the end of the season, we'll never remember the seemingly unhittable Darren O'Day and Frank Francisco giving up three runs on two homers to squander a 6-3 lead and send the game into extra innings.

It goes into the win column and the grind keeps on grinding -- eating teams and spitting them out.

The Rangers earned a well-deserved series win in Arizona as they fly back to Arlington for the weekend set against San Diego.

The Rangers needed these two games. They also needed Chris Davis.

The other day I opined that Davis needed to go to Oklahoma City indefinitely to fix his swing. Yes, it was party about him getting fixed, but it was also about him not obliterating the single-season record for strikeouts, which he's on pace to do.

Davis struck out again last night. But that was sandwiched between a double, two singles and the game-defining 2-run home run in the top of the 12th inning, followed by David Murphy's blast which proved to be the game-winner.

I still stand by my opinion that Davis needs to be sent down. He's shown blips like this all season where he'll look fine and then he'll slump again. I would not be shocked if he had a bad weekend against San Diego, then he could still be shipped north.

Nonetheless, the grind has gotten to better players.

Notes:
1. It'll be good to not see Mark Reynolds again.

2. Your welcome to the Diamondbacks next opponent after the Arizona bullpen pitched 10.2 innings the last three games. Dang. It's the Angels.

3. 15 hits, 9 runs for the Rangers. Things turning around?

4. Big kudos to Omar Vizquel for becoming the all-time hits leader for all Venezuelans. I thought that guy would impede Elvis Andrus, but instead he's helped and become a pretty reliable bat and glove for this team. Another hit for GM Jon Daniels.

5. Didn't think Scooter Feldman was as sharp as he's been, but he was still salty. Just five baserunners in six innings. Most significant is his cut down on walks. He has a sweet 1.17 WHIP. If not for two awful pitches (the wild pitch to plate Justin Upton, the homer by Reynolds) Feldman probably doesn't allow a thing.

6. Jason Grilli looked very useful once again. Is it possible for the Rangers to turn two scrap heap pick-ups (Grilli, O'Day) into very functional relievers?

7. Hell, toss Jason Jennings and Eddie Guardado into the scrap heap talk and this entire bullpen is functioning on high hopes and unicorn kisses.

Ordering my Rodrigue Beaubois jersey right now

If I came to you five hours ago and swore to you that the Dallas Mavericks would essentially draft a big, tall, inexperienced and heavily questioned big white guy and then trade him for the very next pick, who happens to be a French point guard that might have to play in Europe for a couple of years, would you have believed me?

Of course you would have.

It makes perfect sense.

At the very least, the Mavs are entertaining. Like a train wreck.

Yesterday, the Mavs made a mini wave swapping their No. 22 pick to the Trailblazers for the No. 24 pick and some second rounders.

Well, I don't think that worked out. I doubt the Blazers really wanted Victor Claver, or maybe they did. Anyway, basically any point guard of note (Eric Maynor, Darren Collison, Ty Lawson) were gone by the 20th pick.

At 24, the Mavs took Ohio State center B.J. Mullens. As much as I love BJs, I disliked this pick. Mullens started two whole games for the Buckeye and averaged a mere 8.8 points and about four rebound a game. Four rebounds a game for a guy who's 7-1. Really.

But all was not lost. The Oklahoma Thunder had the very next pick. They take Frenchman Rodrigue Beaubois.

And then swap him to the Mavs for Mullen.

Yes. This happened. Only the Mavs and Thunder could pull this clusterfuck off.

Essentially, the Mavs could've just taken Beaubois and then the Thunder could've taken Mullen. Why this didn't happen is a mystery.

Anyway, so Beaubois is here.

Beaubois is a 21-year-old, 6-1 point guard. He averaged 10 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game in the French league. Yes, 2.3 assists per game and he's a point guard. Anyway ...

Most troubling is that he shot a mere 31 percent from behind the French arc and just 58 percent from the French free throw line. Yikes!

According to online scouting reports, Beaubois his quick and long with a wide wingspan. He has OK ball handling and passing skills. Considered an OK defender. The wingspan helps some, but reports have him struggling with getting through picks. Can't create his own shot.

Who the hell did the Mavericks just spend a first-round pick on?

"We got the exact guy we wanted and picked up a couple future 2nds as well," according to Mavs owner Mark Cuban from his Twitter.

I call bullshit. For one, if he was the exact guy they wanted, why didn't you take him with the 24th pick? Also, there's no way the Mavs take Beaubois over Collison, Maynor or Lawson. Clearly, not the "exact" guy they wanted.

I have read some guys who think Beaubois will go to Europe for a couple of years. According to coach Rick Carlisle, he'll play in the summer league and break the 2009 season with the team.

Maybe he's the next Tony Parker? He'd been playing in the French league since he was 18, but his meager numbers suggest otherwise.

But it's tough to be a Mavericks fan right now as they butcher another draft.

Marlon Byrd may not get it

Marlon Byrd believes in second chances for everyone

News broke today about Texas Rangers outfielder Marlon Byrd's relationship with Vic Conte, the infamous supplement and steroid monger that has been connected with just about every elite athlete concerning steroids and other banned substances.

Byrd, however, doesn't see what the big deal is.

I got to admit, Byrd seems very open in the comprehensive story from Steve Henson. He explains what he's taken, the relationship with Conte, his regime and explaining why he remains steadfast in his relationship with the man.

It seems true and forthright. Unfortunately, none of that matters.

The biggest issue is the team that Byrd plays on: the Texas Rangers, steroid heaven. The list is long and wrought with superstars, MVPs and possible Hall of Famers. Guys who donned the big "T" on the hat who are connected with steroids. The Rangers can not afford Byrd being associated with Conte.

Also, it's not like Byrd was having a great career before he became a Ranger. He was a spare part. A good athlete with promise unfulfilled. He wasn't good.

Suddenly, he's healthy and hitting .300 with a little pop and pep in his step. Coincidence? Maybe. Maybe not.

Byrd talks a lot about second chances. If you remember or know, Byrd almost had a leg amputated in college and he believes the second chance he got (from God, we presume) supports his reasoning for staying with Conte.

Bullshit. Conte knew exactly what he was doing with every athlete in every sport and he knew the exact risk he was taking. Conte isn't some unsuspecting schmuck, who got caught up in steroids mania. He was the mastermind. He was the straw stirring the drink. It's like saying Al Capone deserves a second chance because he was just prosecuted for tax evasion. There is so much more and for whatever reason, Byrd fails to see it.

What's most said is that this story comes out and Byrd sounds like the biggest 'roiding goof to the entire nation and I'm wondering where the Rangers PR people are. How come they're not shutting the guy's trap?

Hopefully, someone's having a talk with Byrd right now and ending this relationship. At least until he's with another team.

Signability

Rick Porcello: How much do you give an unproven kid out of the MLB draft?

I love words that would never have existed without some modern development of technology, entertainment or convenience.

Like how we call all chicken nuggets, McNuggets.

I don't know if "signability" exists without the MLB draft. Maybe people used it in the early American colonies when wondering whether a piece of scrap wood could be used as a sign.

I doubt it. With the MLB draft, unlike any other draft in any of the major sports, signability is important when scouting a player as much as his fastball, speed, ability to hit to the opposite field or baseball IQ. In the MLB draft, you draft a player out of high school and you may not sign him. They could go to a juco, a university or even a independent league not unlike Tanner Scheppers (the Rangers 2009 supplemental pick) or even Brandon Jennings, the basketball prospect that didn't go to college but played in Europe for the year instead.

Signability also pertains to the player's agent. Typically, Scott Boras clients (Jered Weaver, Rick Porcello) tend to slip in the draft -- not because of injury or inability, but signability.

Two years ago, Porcello fell mightily despite being maybe one of the top 10 pitchers in the draft. The Rangers took Blake Beavan and Michael Main before the Tigers took Porcello. Well, Porcello's pitching soundly in the Majors ... Main's in A ball and Beavan just graduated to Double A. Boras out of the picture, who would you have taken.

Two years ago -- the Beavan draft -- the Rangers took centerfielder Julio Borbon out of the University of Tennessee. He, too, fell due to his representation of Boras. As I remember, Borbon took the Rangers to the deadline (mid- to late-August) because he wanted to be placed on the 40-man roster out of the draft (he was). I believe Neil Ramirez was a late signing that year.

However, overall, Texas Rangers GM Jon Daniels has done an excellent job in not only taking really talented young guys in the draft, but also picking guys with good to great signability.

OK, you can bitch as Rangers fans about taking Beavan over the MLB-ready Porcello. But what if Porcello wanted some astronomical number? What if he didn't sign or if you did sign him to big money and he got injured all the while the Tigers, instead, took Beavan who would be developing, but healthy in their minor league system?

It's a judgement call for sure. It's the high risk/high reward quandary. Do you take the big risk and either suffer big disappointment and failure or big success? Daniels has tended to be a low risk/OK reward guy. Look at his free agent signings. Look at his drafts. Good players but guys that weren't going to hold the Rangers over a barrel.

Here's Daniels' draft signing numbers since 2007 (the Beavan draft):

2007
53 picks
29 signings
9 of top 10 signed
12 of top 13 (including three supplemental picks) signed

2008
50 picks
35 signings
9 of top 10 signed
18 of top 20 signed

2009 (so far)
51 picks
17 signings
7 of top 15
0 of top 5
3 of top 10

That's more than 50 percent of the Rangers draft picks signed over the last three years and only three top 10 picks that did not sign (ironically, Kevin Castner did not sign after being taken 10th in 2008, but did sign after taken 26th this year). The overall numbers should go up as this year's class signs on.

But it's not all about quantity as much as quality: Eight of Jamey Newberg's top 20 Rangers prospects were taken in these three drafts (the three drafts do not include Derek Holland and Kasey Kiker, both on the top 20 list, but drafted by Daniels in 2006).

Draft day drama

Everyone was so hyped up about the potential of the Dallas Mavericks moving up in the draft that I think there's a general distaste for the trade with the Portland Trailblazers to move down in the trade.

Yesterday, the deal came down that would give the Trailblazers the Mavs' 22nd pick and the Mavs would get the Blazers 24th pick, a second-round pick this year and two second rounders next year.

Honestly, you can find pieces in the second round. Yes, they're probably throwaway picks, but it's almost better to have them than not. Considering the Mavs signed Marquis Daniels and J.J. Barea from the undrafted lot, clearly there's talent to be had.

As for the trade of first rounders, it's really not that big of deal, but there was a certain expectation from all the rumors and when the opposite happened, people have generally freaked out (see: The Hardline had an especially disheartened rant yesterday). Also, trading down just oozes contentness and complancency when most people want the Mavs to be aggressive to right the ship. This, I can not argue with.

In reality it's two picks and I would imagine they know who will be taken at Nos. 22 and 23, otherwise they wouldn't do the deal.

Tonight is the draft so we should know the newest Mavs by tonight. Let's all say a prayer for Donnie Nelson and ask Jesus to not give us another European stiff.

Mocks:
Eddie Sefko
24. Eric Maynor
Personally, I'm leaning toward Maynor in terms of point guards I like in this draft. More so than Jeff Teague, Darren Collison or Ty Lawson (who I don't think will fall enough to get to the Mavs).

Yahoo!
24. Darren Collison
This would probably be disaster for the Mavs if Teague, Lawson or Maynor do not drop to No. 24 like in this mock. Collison is probably the weakest of the bunch.

Bob Finnan
22. Brandon Jennings
I would find it very odd if Jennings dropped past No. 15. Remember, he's the high school kid that opted for Europe instead of college. Do not get your hopes up.

Cavalier Attitude
24. Jeff Teague
24. Austin Daye
I like Teague. I don't think much of Daye because he seems like a younger Ryan Hollins. We already have an older Ryan Hollins, which ain't that great.

Bleacher Report
22. Austin Daye
They have the Mavs passing on Collison, James Johnson out of Wade Forest and others.

Take it where we can get it

Back on the Flotilla, the Padilla Flotilla

As much as we'd like to think the Texas Rangers were going to lose every game for the rest of the season, we might want to put some things into perspective.

The Rangers have played above their heads (and maybe ability) up until this point.

The Rangers offense probably isn't going to end the season as the worst in the league. It's going to come out of its funk sooner or later.

The Rangers can only hope to play .500 ball until guys can get healthy and right. If they can teeter along until the All-Star break, maybe Josh Hamilton and Brandon McCarthy are healthy and maybe there's a new bat to welcome in via trade. Who knows?

What we do know is that Vicente Padilla pitched his ass off last night in a really great 7-inning, 6-hit, 1-run performance carrying the Rangers to a 2-1 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Padilla was salty. He did not fear the Diamondbacks regularly throwing mid-90s fastballs down the pike and daring them to hit them, especially the bottom of the order. The mild spells of wildness were more than made up for by his sheer gall and ability.

It stopped a 5-game losing streak and it also came against the ERA leader in the National League, Dan Haren, who was great, but let a couple of Rangers cross homeplate.

We'll take it.

Notes:
1. Vicente Padilla induced 14 ground ball outs compared to four fly ball outs. Padilla is not a groundball pitching typically getting a lot more fly ball outs over a season, but this year the ratio is nearly 1:1.

2. C.J. Wilson's allowed just two runs (earned or otherwise) his last 14 appearances. His ERA is down to 2.79 and got his seventh save.

3. Frank Francisco does what Frank Francisco does. Pitched out of an inning-starting double jam.
4. Alarming: Padilla's strikeout rate. Just 40 strikeouts in 78 innings.

5. Rangers offense came in, did their damage and left.

6. Ian Kinsler with his 15th steal. Just before a David Murphy RBI single. The Rangers may not get that run if Kinsler doesn't swipe the base. Good baseball.

7. Despite Mike Young's error, the Rangers played good defense last night.

Can you Feliz it?

A couple of things from the land of the RedHawk: Oklahoma City, the home of the Texas Rangers Triple A affiliate. 

For one, star prospect Neftali Feliz will get work in the bullpen. Obviously, the Rangers are announcing Feliz' ascension to the Majors as a reliever as soon as there is a need or opening. 

Do pitchers really need to be put in a relief position to practice? Sounds kinda silly. Derek Holland didn't need it particularly. Nonetheless, it's exciting times. 

Also, Orlando Hernandez was activated and pitched a perfect inning tonight with two strikeouts. He threw 11 pitches, eight of which were strikes. 

Finally, Josh Rupe made another start tonight, the best since converting back into a starter at the beginning of the season. He went six innings allowed five hits, two runs, no walks and struck out six. 

Dirk for Kobe

Mark Cuban would just as well keep the devil he knows

It had been rumored even last week that Dallas Mavericks owners Mark Cuban gave an interview going over the Dirk Nowitzki for Kobe Bryant trade rumors of a couple of years ago.

Well, the interview's out. It was on the Dan Patrick radio show. Among all the other tidbits (how he hates bloggers, checks player Tweets, puts draft picks under psychological examination, et al) he discussed the Bryant/Dirk rumors.

Basically, there was a straight-up trade in place. Kobe for Dirk. Cuban apparently nixed that and started putting other players in the mix and the Lakers backed off.

The trade wasn't made. Lakers got to the Finals two straight years, winning it this year.

In review: Mark Cuban nixed a trade that would've sent Kobe Bryant to the Mavericks for Dirk Nowitzki.

Unfortunately, we can fire the owner.

Cuban's reasoning: The ol' "devil you know versus the devil you don't know." Of course, that doesn't make sense.

What didn't you know about Bryant? That he's arguably the best player in the league? That he's probably a top 10 or five player of all time? That's he's clutch as all hell. That he plays D?

Granted, Bryant probably ain't the saltiest guy in the room in terms of relating to teammates, but I don't think Jordan was like that. The greats probably aren't on all the time, unlike Lebron James.

There are two guys in this league that you trade for no matter what: Bryant and James. The Mavs had the chance to do that and they didn't.

What seems to be most in play is that Cuban gets super attached to his players. He loves Dirk. A lot of us love Dirk. As much as I'd love to see him retire a Dallas Maverick, if I have shot in getting the one of the two best players in the league, you have to pull the trigger. You have a responsibility, not as a fan, but as a business owner, professional and steward of this franchise to do what's best for the team. In this instance, it appears, Cuban didn't do that.

For a guy who looks to be so practical in his business dealings and pushes the NBA to improve their business sense by addressing the officiating among other things, Cuban himself runs this team with his heart, not his brain.

Diamondbacks pile on Rangers misery

"This big. No lie."

The thing about Matt Harrison (and pretty much every other Rangers pitcher right now) is that if they don't have location on their pitches, they're screwed.

None of them have overpowering stuff. Vicente Padilla and Derek Holland are the closest with some heat on their fastball, but one's so crazy that you might get 90 mph fastballs and the other's so young that they both can get hit a lot.

Matt Harrison doesn't throw hard, so he must throw smart. Last night, he pitched like a dumbass getting clobbered by the Arizona Diamondbacks 8-2 to extend the losing streak to five and with an Angels win, fall back to a tie in the AL West.

As for the division, it was going to happen sooner or later. Whether it was the Rangers or Angels doing, it was bound to happen. Most divisions aren't typically won in June.

As for Harrison, you've simply got to be better.

However, we may be burying the lead here. The Rangers offense did put up eight hits, but scored just two runs and went, I think, 2-10 with runners in scoring position.

No matter what, Harrison was going to have to be pretty stinking good to win last night.

Note:
1. The Jarrod Saltalamacchia-Jason Jennings fiasco with the throwback was reminiscent of early last year when the Rangers fundamentals went down the toilet.

2. We all thought the disaster road trip would've been earlier this season. Nobody thought it'd come in San Francisco and Arizona.

3. Big Dan Haren tonight. Yipes.

4. Marlon Byrd has 22 doubles. His career high is 28.

5. I would estimate that 78 percent of Byrd's doubles are meaningless in terms of someone being on base or being drive home by someone else.

6. Granted, it was trash time, but Doug Mathis looked efficient.

7. If the Rangers were to pull off a trade with the Diamondbacks, Tony Pena may be a good target.

Starting blog rumors about the Dallas Mavericks

Rajon Rondo

Aside from the sarcasm in the headline, there are rumors floating from actual legit news sources about the dealings of the Dallas Mavericks this off-season.

In one, Anderson Varejao -- the doughy inside guy for the Cleveland Cavaliers -- had apparently been interviewed and quoted as saying he's had multiple talks with Mavs owner Mark Cuban about a three-year, $11 million deal.

Of course, any talks before July 1 is tampering. Both the Mavs and Varejao have denied the discussions. So who knows what actually happened.

The Mavs will have to react to their divisionmates. The San Antonio Spurs traded Kurt Thomas, Bruce Bowen and Fabricio Oberto (essentially, luncheon meat) to the Milwaukee Bucks for Richard Jefferson.

I doesn't make the Spurs a legit contender, I don't think, but it makes them a lot better with four scorers. However, who's coming off the bench? Who's the center? When does Manu Ginobili break his ankle?

In non-Mavs related news, the Boston Celtics are apparently shopping aging vet Ray Allen and 24-year-old point guard Rajon Rondo.

Considering how much they could pay for Jason Kidd, I would assume the Mavs could be interested in Rondo and a legit shooting guard in Allen, whose contract comes off the books after this season.

Using ESPN's Trade Machine, sending Jason Terry and Josh Howard for Allen and Rondo works, financially.

So, here you go legit news outlets. Here's your rumor. Run with it!

The Chris Davis solution

Chris Davis: Just needs a change of scenery

The answer is simple regarding Texas Rangers first baseman Chris Davis: Send him to Oklahoma City indefinitely.

Everyone knows what's happening here. It's not just a .194 average. It's the 101 strikeouts in 222 at-bats. It's the only nine doubles and nothing other than 13 home runs.

Yes, he's been a fine defender, but Davis does not belong in the Major Leagues. It's OK, though. What people forget is that this is essentially Davis' rookie year (technically, I believe his "rookie year" was last season, but this is first year to start the season in the Majors).

Somewhere down there is a really good hitter, who can drive the gaps, put the ball in play and drive in a lot of runs. Remember in the pre-season the big problem concerning Davis was how they were going to get him and Justin Smoak in the same line-up. Soon, neither will be with the Rangers.

Davis needs to go to Triple A and learn how to have fun again. It's no fun for the guy no matter what he says. It's not about winning games. It's about confidence and where will Davis' head be if he smashes the single-season strikeout record into unreachable stratospheres? Let this go on any longer and it could screw him up in the head for good.

So, Jon Daniels, if you have any heart at all, put Davis out of his misery and make him a RedHawk.

Mark Cuban probably doesn't like me and that's a shame because we would've been good friends

Taking his ball, going home

What kind of a difference would it have made for Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban's life had the 2006 squad finished off the Miami Heat in the Finals?

Because he's one angry son of a bitch.

He particularly hates blogs. Ironically, he writes this on a blog. So I guess if you're a billionaire it's OK to opine about stocks, media, basketball and officiating.

His latest rant goes after mainstream media (newspapers, the World Wide Leader) and how they react to online "reports" and "rumors."

Naturally, Cuban doesn't give any specific instances of when a blog reported something that a mainstream media outlet ran with (or one that affected, say, Cuban and the Mavericks).

He also states that ESPN should "blacklist" (McCubanism?!) blogs that are deemed unreliable and never report from those blogs. Of course, Cuban fails to cite any of these unreliable blogs.

OK, maybe I don't read enough sports blogs. The ones I do read rarely "report" anything. It's not like Stephen Jones or Jon Daniels is calling me or Lone Star Ball or Blogging the Boys to announce a trade or signing.

Essentially, the mainstream media generally reports a story, I read it, link to it and maybe comment on the details or the story as a whole.

Not that it doesn't happen the other way. But when has that way ever been untrue? I'm sure it's happened, but it doesn't happen all the time or anything.

Cuban does fail to mention the billion times that mainstream "insiders" are continuously wrong and are never called out. Or maybe these are the instances when the mainstream media is being lead astray by the evil blogs. So is Marc Stein, Chris Mortensen, Peter King and Mel Kiper just reading blogs? And if the blogs are wrong with rumors, say, 90 percent of the time, wouldn't you stop?

My point is that some blog rumor pissed Cuban off to high holy hell and now he's standing on the beach trying to stop waves from knocking him over, which is impossible.

Why this is odd is because Cuban, generally, has been pretty progressive and instead of fighting windmills he'd try to harness the power of the blogosphere for his and his franchise's own good.

Instead, he looks like a goof and becoming more unlikable by the minute.

Are the Texas Rangers buyers or sellers or neither?

You got to pray just to make it today

It's June 23, which means that the MLB trade deadline is little more than a month away.

That we do know.

We also know several other things. The Texas Rangers probably aren't going to add payroll through trades. I've heard and read several media members say as much and team president Nolan Ryan has echoed those sentiments. Therefore, don't hold your breath for them to trade for Roy Halliday or anyone who's making any modicum of cash.

We know the Rangers have the best, deepest farm system in the league. Chances are, that will not change between now and April 1, 2010.

We know the Rangers are 37-31 and are one game up in the AL West, which is proving to be a much closer division as the last-place Athletics are a mere 6.5 games back.

So, by July 31, where will the Rangers sit and who will be on this team?

From my point of view, there's a logjam in several spots on this team. There are guys stewing in Frisco and Oklahoma City that deserve a look in the Majors this season and they're not going to do that without some trades or injuries.

As much as I've enjoyed this season and the success the Rangers have had, the future and vision set forth by GM Jon Daniels and, subsequently, Ryan, should not be compromised no matter what. This team isn't playing for 2009 no matter how well they do it. They are playing for 2010 and beyond. If there's a pennant-winning squad somewhere in this franchise, most of the components to get them there are not in Arlington right now.

Saying, if this team finds success beyond the initial round of the playoffs, Vicente Padilla, Marlon Byrd, Hank Blalock, Andruw Jones, Kevin Millwood, Eddie Guardado and Jason Jennings are not going to be a part of it. It's part hunch and part common sense. Blalock, Byrd and Padilla basically have one foot out the door.

With that said, Daniels and Co. must focus on the future of this team. Right now, that's Justin Smoak, Julio Borbon, Neftali Feliz, Blake Beavan, the young guys currently on the team and the bevy of youngsters ripping up the lower levels of the minor leagues.

Trading Byrd, Padilla, Jennings or Blalock doesn't set this team back and it might fetch them a couple of guys. Or, you keep a hold of them. Let them play out the year, maybe they garner the Type B free agent status and you get some compensation picks. Don't give them away, but know that sitting Smoak or Feliz in Oklahoma City through the rest of the year ain't the end of the world.

I think the Rangers are still sellers. They're sellers who might just dick around and win the division, but they're sellers nonetheless.

The perfect situation would need to arise for the Rangers to become buyers and that's if Chris Volstad, Josh Johnson, Dan Haren, Clay Bucholz or young pitchers, who the Rangers can control for at least two years can come free and affordable.

Also, I wouldn't be shocked if July 31 came and went and the Rangers made no moves. They won't take on any more payroll so that excludes a lot of trades. They're probably not going to mortgage the future for a guy so why wouldn't the Marlins just keep Volstad?

The Rangers aren't going to give up on this season either. Remember, Tom Hicks is trying to sell this thing and the more wins the Rangers can collect, the higher the fetching price is for the whole kit 'n' kaboodle.

Needless to say, it'll be an interesting month.

Minor Threat IV

Marissa Miller is pretty

Our somewhat weekly stroll through the Texas Rangers farm system.

Oklahoma City RedHawks
Neftali Feliz's control has come and gone all season. No matter, he's got 16 strikeouts and two walks in his last 22 innings. Plus, he's allowed just one home run in 60 innings.

Julio Borbon's got 259 hits in 191 games the last two seasons. His slugging is a dismal .362 this season with no homers and just 10 doubles.

Joaquin Arias -- a big of a forgotten piece -- is hitting .435 in his last 10 games with seven multi-hit affairs in that span.

Frisco RoughRiders
Opponents are hitting .316 off Jared Hyatt in Frisco this season. Last year, they hit .239.

Kasey Kiker's as maddening as they come. He's got a 3.60 ERA, 63 Ks in 65 innings and a .232 BAA. Unfortunately, he's 3-5 with 36 walks. He had 37 walks all of last season.

Tanner Roark had six walks in 26 innings in Bakersfield. In nine Frisco innings, he has three.

Take out his first Double A start, Mike Kirkman's got a 17-5 K/BB ratio in four games.

Marcus Lemon has 205 hits in 182 games from last year to this year. He's batting .500 in his last 10 games including six multi-hit games.

Renny Osuna has 18 hits in 70 Double A at-bats. None of them have been for extra bases.

Craig Gentry is having what is called a "break-out year." All his offensive numbers are up. He's got 24 extra-base hits (22 all last season), 27 steals (only one caught) and strike outs are way down (35 vs. 73 last season).

Mitch Moreland cares little for Double A pitching: .324 average.

Tim Smith also is finding little resistance in Frisco: .343 average.

Bakersfield Blaze
Richard Bleier has a 60-12 K/BB ratio.

Opponents are hitting .229 against Evan Reed. His ERA is 1.90 and he's getting almost twice the amount of groundball outs than fly ball outs (2.55 GO/FO ratio).

Corey Young is allowing a meager .175 BAA this season.

Ryan Tatusko has a 2.12 groundball/fly ball ratio.

Jacob Kaase was promoted to Bakersfield.

Tim Rodriguez also is a new member of the Blaze.

Hickory Crawdads
Mildly shocking that Mike Bianucci isn't up with Bakersfield yet considering the promotions of Moreland and Smith. He has 35 extra-base hits including 21 doubles.

Matt West is hitting .333 in his last 10 games.

David Paisano is hitting .417 with six doubles and nine RBI in his last 10.

Mavs mock the NBA Draft

The Dallas Mornings News' Jean-Jacques Taylor wrote a very interesting column this morning about Dallas Mavericks' general manager Donnie Nelson.

In essence, Taylor writes that now is the time for Nelson to shine considering where the Mavs are with a lack of talent, athleticism, toughness and bigness and the NBA Draft coming up this week.

Taylor assesses that Nelson must be creative to make the Mavs competitive on a high level again with draft picks and free agency.

Funny thing, Taylor doesn't actually pin the Mavs' current status on Nelson. Essentially, Taylor says the Mavs can't win as they're currently constructed and they have a ton of flaws. Well, isn't that Nelson's fault?

Eventually, Nelson is going to get blamed for something. Just not today.

Past looks at the 2009 NBA Draft mocks:
Volume I
Volume II

Roto Rob 22. Ty Lawson
I loved watching Lawson in college, but I never got the opinion that he was a sure-fire NBAer. I didn't come away saying, "Oh, he's the next Derrick Rose!" Then again, at No. 22, you don't get Derrick Rose.


Hoops World
22. Jeff Teague
22. Chase Budinger
22. Austin Daye
22. Sam Young
Love Teague. Hate Budinger. Daye seems very interesting as a big man, but he has Ryan Hollins' body ... and we already have Hollins. Young is interesting. Probably a small forward who was an excellent defender in college. I'm all about defense, but who's scoring for the Mavericks?


Fanhouse
22. Darren Collison
Big-time college player. Could step right in and eat minutes at point guard.


Utah Jazz Examiner
22. Ty Lawson
Probably the best player (more or less point guard) left on this mock.

A day of pitching

Derek Holland, a reason to be excited

Saturday was a pretty sad day for the Texas Rangers. They lost a heartbreaker to the San Francisco Giants 2-1.

What sounds like a legit pitching duel was exactly that. I love the Giants' Matt Cain and I think he's a really good young guy and if the Rangers somehow pulled something out of their ass and got Cain in a blockbuster, I'd be a all about it. Nonetheless, Cain was aided by a very off balance Rangers line-up that couldn't hit the broad side of a barn if their momma's life depended on it.

The story for the Rangers here is pitching. In this case, young pitching.

Derek Holland had by far his best performance in the Majors:

7 IP - 4 hits - 1 ER - 1 BB - 5 K

That friends is what we've been waiting for. Holland was simply great Saturday. His location was great. He mixed things up between the change-up, good fastball and slider. It was a shame the offense continued its disappearing act because this would've been the highlight of Holland's life.

Well, maybe it was already. Try to find video of Holland being taken out of the game and he has the biggest grin on his face like he'd just kissed a girl for the first time. It was refreshing to say the least. Yes, the performance, but also the giddy glow of youth on this team. Realizing that Holland is poised to be around this team for as long as the Rangers really want to keep him around.

However, Holland wasn't the only story for the organization. Every blue moon, throughout the Rangers franchise, the baseball gods convene and bestow upon us, the lowly fans, a night to remember for Rangers pitching.

	IP	Hits	ER	BBs	Ks
Derek Holland	7	4	1	1	5
Blake Beavan	7	6	1	1	4
Tim Murphy	7	7	1	1	3
Robbie Ross	5	4	2	0	9
	26	21	5	3	21

This is interesting because of several things. For one, the average age of those dudes is 21. And two of those guys within the last year were facing high school competition.

Also, it shows the depth of this team's talent. Holland was drafted in 2006. Beavan in 2007. Murphy and Ross in 2008.

Finally, those guys listed have separate issues they're working out. Holland is the boy wonder called up early to get his feet wet and make the future now. Beavan has been good his entire 2-year professional career, but he's never been great. Considering he's a first-round pick.

Murphy's been around, but he struggled since the day he signed with the Rangers. Control is an issue and so is serving up meatballs about every time he's pitched. Still, he's a lefty that the organization thinks highly of.

Ross hadn't pitched a professional inning until this last week. Signed last summer, he was a raw high school talent and the Rangers brought him along slowly. He's touted as one of the Rangers best prospects without even having thrown a pitch in a pro game.

Jason Jennings linked to high blood pressure in Dallas

Kinda how we feel

My genuine and unadulterated distaste for Texas Rangers reliever Jason Jennings is delicious. I've never hidden my ire nor have I tried to distance or get past my feelings.

Again, I ply the question: What's the difference between losing with a young prospect on the mound or a 30+ year old washed-up bit reliever (on a good day, of course).

The Rangers were swept in a weekend series in San Francisco by a Giants team that isn't very good except for two guys (Matt Cain, Tim Lincecum) and we only faced one of those dudes.

The Rangers lost the series 11-7, which is a probably a low for a 3-game set by the Rangers in franchise history. They've probably never just allowed 11 runs in three games and they've never, ever scored just seven runs.

The offensive problems are pronounced and aside from guys swinging the bat better, playing to their strengths and realizing that Josh Hamilton ain't flying in in tights and a cape, they'll continue.

However, there's little that one guy can do about the offensive troubles (except ... ahem ... Rudy Jaramillo) but there is something one guy can do about wild pitches.

Tied 1-1 in the 10th inning Saturday night, Jennings unleashed an unwieldy pitch that skipped past Jarrod Saltalamacchia and plated the walk-off run.

Don't get me wrong, the offense sucked and let a number of opportunities skip by themselves, but, again, hitting is one thing, throwing a ball to the catcher is another. Not being able to with the winning run on third base, also, is another thing.

Anyway, losses are losses and although I loved the pitching all weekend, until the hitting shows up it might be pretty tough the rest of the way.

Notes:
1. Umm, we'll get to Derek Holland later.

2. Josh Hamilton -- although not a crutch -- is so important to this line-up. For all the struggles Mike Young and Ian Kinsler and the bottom of the order have had, the middle of the line-up is killing this team. If Nellie Cruz, Hank Blalock and Andruw Jones could even halfway approach decent hitting numbers, this team would've swept the series.

3. Kevin Millwood struggled Sunday, but he was still pretty good. You can't sneeze at 10 strikeouts. Not if you're the Rangers. Anyway, He's at 106 innings and his BAA is .237 compared to .312 last season.

4. As bad as I think Jason Jennings is, Eddie Guardado may be worse.

5. Scooter Feldman's BAA is .237 this year, compared to .280 last season.

6. Is 20-year-old Elvis Andrus the most mature hitter in the line-up?

7. It's like Chris Davis is on death row. Everyone refers to him in the past tense. Those who don't say things like "still," "here" and "not gone yet."

'We are the Taco Cabana of football teams'

10 long years

Ten years ago, the Dallas Stars were the last major sports franchise to bring a championship to our city.

It seems unbelievable, but it's also good to remember because that was really a cool sports time for this city watching those Stars teams duke it out.

Ask and you shall receive

In the previous post, I asked the age-old question of "Where the hell is Dustin Nippert?"

It turns out that it wasn't necessarily a dumb question, but a question asked prematurely. Or at least before I saw the box score for the Frisco RoughRiders last night.

Nippert went two scoreless innings allowing just one walk and striking out one.

Of course, the bigger and better news is that Frank Francisco pitched a perfect frame to start the game and I would expect he'll be back with the Texas Rangers Friday.

So, if Francisco and Nippert are healthy and ready, does that mean the Rangers still need to go get a bullpen arm via trade?

Brandon Backe and Jason Jennings

Thunder thighs

Watching the Houston Astros beat the Texas Ranger 5-3 last night and I wondered why the hell the Astros let Brandon Backe pitch?

He's awful. Probably always has been and he's never, ever going to get any better.

Backe's, 31, in his seventh Major League year. He's got a career ERA of 5.23 and a current mark of 10.38. Opponents this year are hitting .362 off of him.

He's had one decent year as a starter logging 149 innings with a 10-8 record and a lofty 4.67 ERA.

He's never had an ERA under 4.00 as a starter and his ERA low was in 2006 and 2007 when he pitched in a total of 13 games and logged identical 3.77 ERAs each year.

He has a career 360/238 K/BB ratio. Worst of all, he's never healthy only playing two full seasons as either a starter or reliever and having been on the DL already this year.

So why do the Houston Astros still employ Backe?

As much as I'd like to throw stones from my glass house, I wondered the same thing about the Rangers and Jason Jennings.

The "bottom heavy" Jennings gave up a Hunter Pence homer and Michael Bourn RBI triple in the eighth inning to surrender the game for good.

I dislike Jennings. He represents everything I hate about running a baseball team.

He's the guy in his low 30s who showed something one year and can be had relatively cheap. The bottomline is that guys like Jennings and Backe aren't very good. They were probably never going to be very good and they're definitely never going to get better.

Now, do they have a place on a team? Maybe. If you can stick them in the bullpen and you can find their right role, then go for it. But never, ever should either start a game unless every pitcher in your franchise has two broken arms and, frankly, I'd rather see Warner Madrigal, Tommy Hunter, Doug Mathis, Michael Ballard, Neftali Feliz, Derek Holland, Michael Kirkman, Blake Beavan and every Rangers pitching prospect from Arizona to Oklahoma City out there losing games instead of watching Jennings' fat thighs lumber up to the mound.

(Exasperated sigh)

Notes:
1. So what's worse: The Rangers offense simply being bad or just unable to move runners in? The Rangers had another 12 baserunners stranded, executed three stolen bases and didn't have a hit with runners in scoring position. Their runs came on two solo homers and another errant throw on a stolen base to third (I'm not knocking the run on the stolen base; that's what I love most about this more aggressive style at times is that it forces bad teams into bad mistakes ... just like the Angels and Red Sox have done to the Rangers the past decade).

2. Mike Young has 21 more hits than games played.

3. Every once in a while Elvis Andrus will draw you a couple of walks and get a hit. Unfortunately, if Ian Kinsler and Mike Young ain't hitting, it doesn't matter.

4. For no particular reason, I have 40 percent more confidence in Jason Grilli than I do Eddie Guardado or Jason Jennings.

5. Where the hell is Dustin Nippert?

6. As much as I'd like to applaud Vicente Padilla's performance (he was OK and kept it tied through six), I think his lack of control should be discussed. He's got 30 walks in his last 10 games. For the season, he's got 34 walks versus just 37 strikeouts. It's good he's getting through innings and not allowing too many runs, but when does this all run out?

Shagging Rangers trade rumors, Vol. 1

At an Ian Snell's pace

The Rangers are interested in the Red Sox' Brad Penny. Remember, the Rangers kicked his tires in the off-season. I could live without him, but whatever.

****
The Rangers also are interested in Pirates starter Ian Snell, who's struggling like a mofo this year.

****
The big news: The Rangers and Red Sox had a Hank Blalock-Takashi Saito swap in place until Josh Hamilton went and got all herniated. Also, the Rangers are considering a trade for Nick Johnson, the Nationals' first baseman. Eh. Is that all Blalock is worth? I'd prefer to get a reliever that wasn't hurt all of last season and people had so little faith in to give a decent contract. Also, I think Johnson is going to require a ton of young prospects to get, which isn't worth it since he's constantly injured and Justin Smoak plays 45 minutes from the Ballpark already.

****
In draft news, apparently Tanner Scheppers was passed on because some teams feel he has a torn labrum. Also, the Rangers signed a ton of draft picks that have been assigned to the Spokane Indians.

****
In a chat the other day, GM Jon Daniels did not dismiss the Rangers going after a big-time arm.

Feasting

Good times

It's amazing how a team's fortune can change with a difference in competition. Everyone was willing to leap from the ledge as the Rangers ran the Yankee-Red Sox-Dodgers gauntlet. I just wanted to wave my arms frantically telling them not to jump. Telling them that the Astros, Giants, Diamondbacks and Padres are coming.

The Rangers won their second straight and put an even tighter grip on the Silver Boot with a 5-4 10-inning affair.

I've always felt that a team needs to win series and avoid sweeps. They also need to beat the mess out of the bad teams and try to slip by with a .500 record against the good teams. The Rangers are doing that this season:

27-10 against current sub-.500 teams, including four sweeps (five if they beat the Astros tonight);

10-17 against current .500+ teams.

Believe it or not, despite the poor record against good teams, winning 80 percent of your games against bad teams will win you divisions.

Notes:
1. Ian Kinsler was once in a slump. Remember that? It was, like, three days ago: 5-9, 2 homers, 1 double, 2 stolen bases, 1 walk, 0 strikeouts.

2. Matt Harrison was shaky, but he's also coming off the DL. The Rangers can settle for five innings, for now. I would imagine if Harrison was not coming off the DL, he would've gone six.

3. The bullpen was terrifying last night. However, three of the four did their job.

4. Not too worried about Eddie Guardado's gopher ball to Hunter Pence. Righties are hitting .222 against Everyday Eddie.

5. I'd have Hunter Pence on my baseball team any day.

6. Read more about Ron Washington's decisions from Evan Grant.

7. So much for creating distance: Los Angeles, Oakland and Seattle all won last night.

Q&A: Bob Sturm

Somewhere a baseball has just been Sturminated

He's the busiest sports media member in Dallas-Fort Worth. You can listen to him here. Read him here, here and here. He's Bob Sturm. Sports Sturm. And he knows 1,000 times more about hockey and the Dallas Stars than I do. Therefore, I asked him what he thought about the Stars' off-season.

Read what Ralph Strangis had to say here.

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A number of the Stars' free agents are the older guys. In hockey, is there a balance a franchise would like to have of older guys younger guys and, if so, what is that balance? Considering the influx of youth on the Stars' squad the last 12 months, does that merely make a guy like Jere Lehtinen expendable or worth keeping around because you know he doesn't have to carry you? What's the hockey philosophy, if there is one?

Hockey is a interesting study, because you cannot really hide guys. If they are a forward, they have to be good enough to play on the top 3 lines, which means at least worthy of 15 minutes of ice. Otherwise, on the fourth line, you better be a really physical presence, and seldom is an old man up for that. So, essentially, we are talking about how good a player is. Modano can. Zubov is worth the gamble. Sydor is done. And then the question become Lehtinen. He has earned the benefit of the doubt, but his body has not been right in a while, so that is a very tough issue. But, I don't think you just keep a guy around unless he is OK being scratched 20 times a year to stay fresh. Very few are up for that.

What are your opinions on the youngsters on the Stars like Matt Niskanen, Trevor Daley, Mark Fistric, James Neal, Fabian Brunnstrom and others. Who do you see getting better? Who do you seeing not improving, but maybe playing a role?

Daley can be better, but he is very under-rated by the fans. Niskanen has a huge upside, and must improve. At times he looks lost or intimidated on defense. I think he needs more strength. Fistric and Neal are two of my biggest prospects for the future. They are both rock solid. Grossman, too. Brunnstrom is young, and before we jump on him, I want to give him a chance. Honestly, adding Eriksson and Benn to this group, there is a lot to like from the kids.

You note that the Stars probably aren't making a big splash this off-season. Who are specific free agents that you would kick the tires of as low-risk, high-reward type of guys that can help?

Perhaps a fall-through-the-cracks defenseman like Derek Morris, Mike Komisarek, or Jordan Leopold to bring a bit more "in their prime" blueline.



Do you think the Stars need as big of changes as a non-playoff season would suggest or do they just need to get healthier? Or is it important for them to still add?

Healthy will go quite a ways. But, they do need another defenseman and they must get the goalie situation squared away.


What are the general positions of need whether due to free agency or just a lack of skill at that spot? Is there a position that seems pretty sturdy on paper, but could be an issue due to injury or lack of skill?

D. Forward is just fine. In fact, you might consider a trade of your surplus to address your need.


Per Joe Niewendyk's appointment as GM, I found the timing odd. Do you think or know if the Brett Hull-Les Jackson party was always permanent, but they just didn't have a good enough replacement in mind last off season? Or was it a true experiment and could've lasted forever?

I think that the Avery thing really shook the foundation. I also believe the organization mentality was questioned with last season going like it did. There are some "Dallas Stars" ways of doing business, and I believe some in the organization were concerned about that not continuing.

Massaging my morning Millwood or How the Silver Boot was won

Stroke it

I'm not alone in saying that Kevin Millwood has been wholly disappointing during his tenure as a Texas Ranger. Considering how much he's been paid, he's underperformed.

However, it'd be difficult to pinpoint a more important player on the 40-man roster for the first-place Rangers.

Millwood pitched another gem last night going seven innings, allowing four hits, three walks and striking out three.

In his last start (7 IP - 7 hits - 0 ER - 4 BB - 5 K) he beat the Boston Red Sox 5-1. This performance coming off a bad trip to New York where they lost two of three and everyone was prepared to start digging the Rangers' graves.

Now this. It's shocking how bad Rangers fans are freaking out assuming that losing two of three from the best team in the league (Los Angeles Dodgers) is the beginning of the end.

Millwood's dominance aside, there ain't nothing like playing a bad team. I thought the previous 12 games were vastly important toward knowing what this team was. They went 5-7 including three or four close losses. Now they've got 12 games against Houston, San Francisco, Arizona and San Diego -- all extremely beatable. Better teams beat worse teams. It's simple but we often forget while losing two of three from the Dodgers.

Rangers could be up again before they were ever down.

Notes:
1. I'm reticent toward calling Ian Kinsler's performance (two homers, walk, single) a turning point. His whole drought was due to trying to hit homers at every pitch. Tomorrow and the next day are much better indicators.

2. Although it was nice seeing Rangers hit better especially David Murphy, Marlon Byrd and Mike Young with a killer 2-run double.

3. Another three double plays for the Rangers. They're third in the league in double plays per game.

4. Love the intentional walk to Nellie Cruz. Although it worked (Murph struck out) maybe folks are realizing what a menace Cruz is.

5. What kind of weed is everyone smoking thinking Jason Jennings should start? Unless all other starters have their pitching arms snapped off, I wouldn't move Jennings. He's pitching really well in relief. Jennings isn't going to help this team win games by getting shelled as a starter.