Salty, we hardly knew ye

So long, Salty

Leave it to Texas Rangers GM Jon Daniels to spend two weeks sending prospects to other teams for proven Major Leaguers only to make a prude move to build it back up a little.

The Rangers made a deadline move sending Jarrod Saltalamacchia to the Boston Red Sox for 20-year-old pitcher Roman Mendez, first baseman Chris McGuiness, a player to be named later and cash (reportedly $350K).

Mendez is a Dominican and reportedly hit 97 with his fastball in short-season New York. I would suspect he'd fit quite nicely in Spokane or Hickory.

McGuiness was a 13th-round pick by the BoSox in 2009. He was hitting .298 in Low-A Greenville and .337 in July. According to those in the know, McGuiness will take a trip across the nation to Bakersfield.

Add in another player and some cold hard cash and the Rangers made out. Or so we think.

Salty's struggles have been well publicized. He's a big guy and his bat wasn't projected to be worth a move to first base. However, he learned the position quickly getting pretty good at his footwork and whatnot.

However, when he was healthy, he couldn't hit. When he could hit, he wasn't healthy. If he was healthy, he was unable to throw the ball back to the pitcher, sending balls into centerfield.

Not knowing Salty, I would think that his confidence could not have been at a lower place than it was this season.

I like Salty. He became a punchline this season, and that's a shame. He seemed like a really sweet guy, and I wish he would have worked out here.

Angels with dirty faces

The Express

The Texas Rangers can't win.

Right when they start winning and create a little space in the AL West, everyone always wants to come in and rain on the parade.

Why can't we just enjoy this?

Anyone who's smart realizes there's a ton of baseball left and that 8.5 games leads can disappears in a matter of weeks. But let's tackle that whne hte time comes, if it comes.

Worrying if the Angels are going to win 55 straight games is not a good way to enjoy sports.

The Rangers get a pretty good litmus test this weekend. In California. Angels throw Dan Haren, Ervin Santana and Jered Weaver on the bump.

Rangers two two of three and they'd be cooking.

Rangers Friday night party

Harden: Back in the saddle

As would we thought would happen (although I thought we were a week away), Rich Harden has been placed back into the starting rotation and will pitch Saturday.

Scott Feldman will go to the bullpen.

This will be a two or three start audition for Harden, of sorts. Succeeds and he stays as the most hyped fifth starter in Rangers history.

Fails, and he's jettisoned. Probably to the bullpen and Derek Holland will get a look. It's reasonable to assume that the Rangers No. 1 and 2 starters in April (and their two highest paid starters) could work out of the bullpen.

****
As was noted here and everywhere, the Rangers acquired infielder Cristian Guzman from the Washington Nationals.

The two prospects sent to Washington were Ryan Tatusko and Tanner Roark.

Given the brief eyeball test, I kinda feel the Rangers overpaid a bit. For one, Guzman is a stopgap until, we assume, Ian Kinsler returns.

Also, we were getting a second baseman in his 30s, who has zero power or zero ability to get on base.

Ryan Tatusko
Tatusko is a 25-year-old 6-5, 200-pound right hander. He was a bit of a fan and pundit favorite because he was drafted so low -- 18th round, 2007 -- and has always been a sort of an underdog. To date, he had the fifth lowest ERA in the Rangers minor leagues at 2.97 and was 9-2 on the year. By far, 2010 was proving to be his finest season as a professional. Typically, his ERA stood stead in the fours, allowed a hit per inning and never struck out more than 100 betters in a season.

Despite the 2010 numbers, I've never been high on Tatusko. This season he'd struck out 58 and walked 40. Opponents are hitting .254 off of him. Not exactly sharp, and the K/BB ratio, to me, speaks volumes about his future.

Tanner Roark
Despite my relative disinterest in Tatusko, Roark has always been a favorite of mine. He's a 23-year-old 6-2 righty, who has flown through the minors. His best season (of the three) came in Bakersfield last season when he went 10-0 with a 2.70 ERA. This season in Frisco, he's 10-5 with a 4.20 ERA. Unlike Tatusko, Roark typically allows far less hits than innings and his K/BB ratio is quite a bit better. Plus, he's younger.

The Frisco RoughRiders, in the past two weeks, have lost five pitchers to trade: Roark, Tatusko, Blake Beavan, Evan Reed and Josh Lueke.

These guys are expendable for one reason only: There's a ton of nice pitching prospects bubbling just underneath Double-A and there's potentially more below that group. Possible promotions:

Robbie Ross
2.70 ERA - 1.16 WHIP - 21 Ks - 8 BBs

Joe Wieland
7.91 ERA - 1.55 WHIP - 34 Ks - 6 BBs

Wilmer Font
3.86 ERA - 1.43 WHIP - 52 Ks - 32 BBs

Mark Hamburger
1.77 ERA - 1.23 WHIP - 49 Ks - 18 BBs

Wilfredo Boscan
3.98 ERA - 87 Ks - 26 BBs - 1.37 WHIP

Cristian Guzman, a Texas Ranger

The second best Guzman in Texas Rangers history ... already

Considering all the trades the Texas Rangers have pulled off the last two weeks, you'd think they weren't already a first-place team.

The 60-win squad added another piece: 32-year-old infielder Cristian Guzman.

Guzman is kind of what the Rangers have needed all season: A utility infielder after the departure of Omar Vizquel in the off-season.

A career shortstop, the Nationals plugged him into second base this season while playing sparingly at short. Now, the Rangers have a good defensive and offensive candidate to spell Elvis Andrus at times and replace Ian Kinsler while he rehabs from a bad groin.

Guzman his hitting .282 this season with a .327 OBP.

He had rebuilt his career -- of all places -- in Washington. He hit .328 in 2007. In 2008, he hit 35 doubles. No power. Unable to regularly get on base. Certainly not a black hole in the line-up either.

No word on what the Rangers gave up. Yet.

With all the movement, I think the bar is raised. Getting the division isn't enough. They must win a playoff series. Bottomline.

**UPDATE**

Apparently, Frisco RoughRider Ryan Tatusko is going to the Nationals. If that's it, good job by GM Jon Daniels. Tatasuko is a minor league innings eater. Another 2007 draftee gone (18th round).

How long is the leash on Martellus Bennett's collar?

Marty B

He's opined on the qualities of Cap'n Crunch.

He's introduced the world to the Black Olympics.

He's turned back the curtain to show that he has "Jerry Jone money."

He's been naked on the Internet.

He's caught 35 passes in 30 NFL games.

Yes, Martellus Bennett's a shitload more trouble than he's worth.

But as we kind of learned with Terrell Owens, there's a higher threshold of annoyance with guys of Bennett's disposition.

He's not a murderer. He doesn't get involved with guns, elicit prostitution rings, drugs or dog fighting (all to our knowledge).

Bennett's almost worse than any of those things. He's a fucking weirdo.

That's what drives us bananas about guys like Terrell Owens, Chad Johnson and Ricky Williams. Guys messed up with drugs or guns, we understand. Guys that just march to the beat of an entirely different drummer is impossible for most of us to fathom.

Addictions happen no matter how tall you are or how much you get paid a year. Most of us don't like Cap'n Crunch that much. Still, we tend to give the likes of Michael Irvin the benefit of the doubt every time he messes up. Coke and prostitutes, we like.

At some point, just like Owens, there's going to be a moment when the Cowboys will say to themselves, "Enough is enough!" and Bennett will be with the Bills, Texans or Bears.

Maybe sooner than later. Unlike Owens, Bennett's not shown much on the field. He's proven to be a really solid run and pass blocker. A huge body, he's able to muscle most out of the way and clear tons of space.

With the frame, however, you'd love for him to catch 40 passes a year and about seven touchdowns. Bennett's apparent unpredictability and aloofness in patterns and the offense kills his influence and effectiveness.

More last year, we saw more and more of John Phillips: Not as talented nor with the physical attributes of Bennett, but he's where he's supposed to be on every play.

I don't think Bennett has a lot going for him in the organizational plans. He'll get time. If he maximizes his time on the practice field and in games, he'll get more time and opportunities. Write some raps about Frosted Flakes or Raisin Bran because Bennett's a fixture should he turn the corner.

If not, the Cowboys will be quick to install Phillips and send Bennett packing. Him and his penis.

And now for something completely awesome

Coulda, woulda

When the Texas Rangers and Florida Marlins were hammering out the Jorge Cantu deal, the Rangers apparently slipped in another proposition.

They allegedly offered three of their top prospects for Josh Johnson.

The Marlins turned them down. But it was worth a shot and I'm sure the players and fans truly appreciate the effort.

Jon Daniels is probably going to win the Executive of the Year award. He basically created a playoff-caliber team by forcing other teams to pay for the likes of Cliff Lee to play for them.

I would assume the trade proposal started with either Tanner Scheppers or Martin Perez. Derek Holland might have been involved. Robbie Ross? Robert Erlin? Tommy Hunter? Neftali Feliz?

For Josh Johnson, the Marlins might have been able to take their pick.

The proposition led one Twitterer to call the Rangers "ballsy sons of bitches."

It feels good.

A feel-good story

Did we mention that C.J. Wilson leads the team with 10 wins?

Do you think this is the team that the Texas Ranger envisioned on opening day?

Or, do you think that they envisioned it coming together like this?

Mitch Moreland. Taylor Teagarden. Joaquin Arias. David Murphy.

No doubt they wish that Teagarden was the starting catcher on July 29, but they didn't expect him to collect his first two RBI on July 29.

If there's an opportunity for a feel-good win, it was last night, 7-4 to take the series from the Oakland Athletics.

Mitch Moreland got his first Major League hit in his first Major League at-bat, pulling a sharp line drive. He'd do it again a couple of innings later.

Moreland's gonig to get a good, long look. Chris Davis was optioned to Oklahoma City. The first-base job will be split between him and Jorge Cantu, who I would think would get looks at possibly second base and third. Moreland, himself, can slip into right field and designated hitter.

I couldn't feel better than I do for Teagarden. The guy hasn't just struggled. He's just about hit rock bottom for a Major League hitter. Starting the season he managed just one hit.

Teagarden was demoted to Frisco where he struggled making contact even more. Then he rolls into his first start and probably hits the longest home run of his career, opposite field over the Rangers bullpen in right.

When Teagarden cross homeplate and jogs into the Rangers dugout, David Murphy is yelling something at him. I can't read lips, so I don't know what he's saying. But Teagarden's gigantic smile tells me all I need to know.

Since the All-Star break, the Rangers have won series against Boston, California, Detroit and Oakland.

It puts the Rangers at 60 wins with 60 games left. The Rangers are 10-3 since the break.

Jorge Cantu, a Texas Ranger

Cantu, can do

The Texas Rangers finally got their right-handed first baseman.

The Florida Marlins traded Jorge Cantu to the Texas Rangers for pitching prospects Omar Poveda and Evan Reed.

Cantu's long been rumored to the Rangers. The sticking point, according to reports, were the Rangers wanting the Marlins to pay for the rest of Cantu's $2 million and change. Don't know if that turned out to be the case (I think it is).

Cantu's hitting .259 with 10 home runs and 25 doubles. A quality hitter. A guy with power, who'll strike out some, walk a little and hopefully bring some pop.

Does he start over Chris Davis?

Poveda was put on the 40-man roster this year. He's been out for the entire 2010 season undergoing Tommy John surgery.

Poveda is just 23 years old and a 6-4 right hander considered a pretty good prospect. Last year, he went 11-5 with a 4.14 in Double A-Frisco. His departure would leave a spot on the 40-man, which would allow the Rangers to keep Chris Davis around.

Evan Reed is a Frisco RoughRider. He's been a nice, progressing prospect for the Rangers. I think he has ability to be in the Majors some day.

Reed was a third-round pick in the 2007 draft (Blake Beavan, Julio Borbon, Tommy Hunter, Mike Main, Mitch Moreland).

Reed moved quickly through the system. In his first full year in the minors, he cameoed in Frisco and spent most of that year and 2009 in Bakersfield.

In Frisco this season, he has a 1.62 ERA in relief. Out of the bullpen, his strikeout rate has gone up to almost a K per inning. In his starting days, he was well below that and walking too many.

I think he's a relief pitcher, at best; whereas Poveda projects more as a starter. There's a very good chance that neither see the Majors for one reason or another.

Kinsler strains groin swinging at 3-0 pitch in bottom of the ninth

Mitch Moreland: No relation to Keith, we think

That's a lie. Or a mistruth.

Chances are Kinsler probably didn't hurt his groin on that ill-advised swing Tuesday night, but it is the last time we've seen him at the plate.

Kins is on the 15-day disabled list with a strained groin. Rangers don't think it's serious, according to the real media. But we'll see.

With the move, the Rangers have purchased the contract of Mitch Moreland.

I like Moreland. Not just because of his overwhelming success in the minor leagues, but due to the circumstances of his 2010 season.

Moreland hit Triple A-Oklahoma City for the first time in his professional career to start the season, and he sucked.

For the first time since being drafted in 2007, Moreland didn't look comfortable.

In his first full season in Low A-Clinton, Moreland hit .324 with 37 doubles and 18 home runs.

Rinse and repeat. The same happened in Bakersfield and Frisco. Oklahoma City was different.

He battled, however, and dragged his average up to .289 with 29 doubles and 12 home runs. Moreland also doesn't strike out a bunch: Just 223 Ks in 361 minor league at-bats. And he walks quite a bit carrying a .371 OBP for the season.

Moreland, by a mile, the Rangers best position prospect, and he's getting the call before others with Major-League experience like Brandon Boggs and Craig Gentry.

A key, I think, to this development is Moreland's experience at first base. He was drafted as a first baseman, and through his first two seasons, he played a majority of his time there.

Over the past three seasons, he's floated more to right field, playing sparingly at first. And unlike Boggs and Gentry, Moreland has a bit more pop in the bat.

At the very least, the Rangers wanted someone that could handle a bat, play first base and outfield, and get a solid look at a guy who needs to be tested a little.

The plot thickens

Holland, daze

If the stories outside of the Texas Rangers ballclub (sale, ownership, lawsuits, trade rumors) are interesting, consider Rich Harden, Derek Holland and Scott Feldman.

Feldman's struggled. Harden's been hurt. Holland's been hurt.

The latter two are on the cusp of being activated from the disabled list.

But with the acquisition of Cliff Lee and the steady pitching of Tommy Hunter, C.J. Wilson and Colby Lewis, that leaves just one spot in the rotation: Feldman's.

I think Feldman gets one more start. If he shows something, he stays.

If he doesn't, get goes. Thus, Harden and Holland.

Holland pitched a rehab start in Oklahoma City last night. His line:

5 IP - 1 hit - 1 run - 2 BBs - 1 K.

No, it doesn't knock your socks off, but it shows that he's ready.

It's an interesting decision the Rangers have to make. If Feldman finds the second-half magic, there's no decision to be made. However, if he doesn't, what do you do?

Should Feldman stumble, I'd roll with Harden. In terms of a higher ceiling this season, he has it. For whatever reason, Harden's sucked and he's a good pitcher who has something to prove these final few months.

Somehow, if Harden reverts to his previous self, he could electrify the Rangers giving them a legit No. 2-type starter and scaring the heeby-jeebies out of every team in the American League.

Say Harden falters, then I roll with Holland. Excellent long-term upside. A guy that could completely make a Rangers game a must-see for the rest of the season. If he's on.

If all three are off, well, good luck.

A rut

Cahill

Love to give out some props in the shadow of last night's 3-1 Oakland Athletics victory at the Ballpark last night.

Trevor Cahill is a Rangers killer of the highest order. The dude is 5-1 with a 1.83 ERA against the Rangers lifetime.

Nothing fancy from the guy. In fact, you could say he's not all that great against the Rangers in the typical definition of the word.

Cahill didn't throw a ton of strikes last night (66 out of 113). He doesn't strike many out anyway. He did get 13 groundball outs, which is his bread and butter. Cahill relies on location, changing of speeds and keeping the ball down in order to pitch to contact and rely on his defense.

Why the Rangers can't hit him is mysterious. For the season, righties are hitting .186 off of him; lefties, .206. No matter. He gets outs.

Speaking of, Colby Lewis, too, gets outs. He was good enough to get the win last night. Just one run (a hanging slider to Kurt Suzuki) and eight strikeouts in seven strong.

The Rangers offense is the real story. Managed just four more hits last night, 24 hours after leaving Cliff Lee out of a decision by no showing against Gio Gonzalez.

Mike Young struck out three times. The bottom of the order is a cesspool.

This happened before and under similiar circumstances. After the previous series against the Angels, the offense tightened up and it carried over to other series. Hopefully they can snap out.

Money bag Rangers in on another high-profile trade chip

The Prince

The Texas Rangers are broke. But don't tell them about it.

The Rangers are apparently in on Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder.

The portly slugger is due $3.38 million and is a free agent after the season. If you want to address the first-base quandary, there you have it.

Fielder would be more of a monumental addition than Cliff Lee in the day-to-day goings on of the Rangers.

First, the Rangers would have to whip the Brewers with enough prospects to sink a battleship in order to convince the Brew Crew to pay for the rest of the contract (this is the only way they've been able to get Lee and Bengie Molina).

Let's say this happens and the Brewers are happy to ship him off. OK, where do you put him in the line-up?

Currently, Chris Davis is hitting eighth or ninth, and Fielder would pretty much take over the first-base chores. There will be no platooning with a guy of his caliber.

Fielder would go in the meat of your line-up. Do you bump Vlad Guerrero or Josh Hamilton? Where does Nellie Cruz fit? Ian Kinsler?

In theory, you could have Cruz, Kinsler, Guerrero or Fielder batting seventh.

That, friends, as a scary-ass line-up. Nobody would want to face that.

Skinny dipping in a sea of Lee

We love you, Cliff Lee

Tim Cowlishaw commented on Twitter that Cliff Lee was the greatest Texas Rangers pitcher since Ferguson Jenkins.

This was like in the fourth inning of Lee's fourth overall start for the Rangers.

It's tough to argue. Impossible in fact. In terms of being a complete pitcher, Lee is it. Nolan Ryan was stupendous, but he wasn't going to issue one walk in 35 innings at any point in his career.

Lee pitched nine innings allowed one unearned run striking out a career-high 13 and walking none in a 3-1 extra-innings affair that ended with Nellie Cruz' ball struck somewhere in the stratosphere above Euless.

With every inning, Lee makes that trade look like the Louisiana Purchase. Like fucking wampum for the island of Manhattan. He's beyond-words good. Like the words of the Old Man in The Christmas Story in regards to the leg lamp, "It's indescribably beautiful!"

The one guy that had an awful night: Ian Kinsler. Left about two dozen runners on base. Swung and fouled out on a 3-0 pitch in the bottom of the ninth and runners at the corners. And he was part of the nut kick that was the lone error that lead to the Oakland Athletics' only run.

That said, the defense could not be better.

Say what you will about his bat (aside from the walk that put him on third in the ninth), but Chris Davis saves runs at first base. He just does. His heady play to adjust on Elvis Andrus' errant throw and then to make the swipe and tag the bag was about as smart of a 10 seconds that the Rangers had last night.

Lee wasn't perfect, although he looked it. He left several balls hanging. One curve was smashed to left field and Josh Hamilton adjusted appropriately to make the over-the-shoulder catch to save a double.

Nellie Cruz -- the anti-Kinsler -- saved two runs by robbing Kevin Kouzmanoff of a home run. He prevented a 3-1 deficit and wound up causing a 3-1 lead.

He, by the way, is raking. Got a 15-game hit streak and seven multi-hit games in last 10.

The Rangers have not had a pitcher like Lee in 30 years. But they've never had a more talented and well rounded outfield. The offense is there. What's most impressive is the defense. Josh Hamilton, Cruz, Dave Murphy and Vlad Guerrero all have fantastic, waaaaaayyyy above average arms. All have solid to great range. Hamilton's probably a Gold Glover.

There's speed, power, balls and pure athleticism in that outfield. We haven't seen anything like it in this town.

Angels lose. Rangers up 8.5 on both them and the Athletics.

Rangers now got 62 games left and are 9-3 after the All-Star break.

Minor Threat V

Grapevine native and former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader Sarah Shahi

The Texas Rangers signed their second-round pick Cody Buckel. They've signed 11 of their top 13, 18 of their top 23 and 31 of their 53 overall picks.

In other news, Hickory outfielder Christian Santana was suspended for 50 games after testing positive for steroids. He joins teammate Matt West in this infamy. Santana was having a fine season, too. Well, stands to reason.

Oklahoma City RedHawks

Mitch Moreland's so over Triple A. He's got his average up to .292 with hits in eight of his last 10 appearances. He's knocked 29 doubles and walked 47 times for a .376 OBP.

Despite the 3.16 ERA and nine wins, Mike Kirkman's WHIP is an awful 1.42. Struck out 11 in his last start (six innings).

Cody Eppley's jumped to OKC. He's recorded nine strikeouts in 7.2.

Frisco RoughRiders

Before his call up, Tim Murphy had 24 walks and 23 strikeouts in Bakersfield. Since: 10 strikeouts, two walks. Of course.

Jose Felix got the call up to Frisco this week. In Bakersfield, he was hitting .282 and had tightened his walk-strikeout ratio, 17/25. It'd taken him about 70 mor at-bats to get 16 walks last season.

Marcus Lemon has four multi-hit games in his last 10.

Richard Bleier's allowed just nine home runs in 117 innings.

Davis Stoneburner has 39 extra-base hits.

Engel Beltre has cooled off to .272. Still impressive: Six walks and just five strikeouts.

Kasey Kiker: A bust.

Bakersfield Blaze

Mark Hamburger, the booty from the Eddie Guardado trade with the Twins two years ago, has a 1.86 ERA with 46 Ks and and 18 BBs. Righties are hitting .189 against him.

Trevor Hurley's in the California League. Collected 11 strikeouts in 9.2 innings.

Robbie Ross is 2-1 with a 3.31 ERA since the call-up to Bakersfield. Struck out a batter per inning. Can not wait until he's in Frisco next season.

Jonathan Greene's alive. Hitting .255 since his return from injury.

Korean import Yoon-Nee Ham has 35 Ks and eight walks.

Joe Weiland has the unfortunate stat of a 9.35 ERA in Bakersfield despite a fantastic K-BB ratio of 29/5. He's just getting hit at a .362 clip.

Hickory Crawdads
Jared Bolden has 10 doubles and 10 walks in 21 Hickory games.

Hotshot Latin signee Guillermo Pimental got the bump to Hickory. Is hitting .317.

Joe Ortiz is a 5-7 lefty, but he's getting it done. Totaled 38 K and just four walks.

Travis Adair was a light-hitting infield prospect in the Braves organization. He joins the Rangers and he's got 11 doubles along with 14 walks compared to 22 strikeouts. By far his best year as a pro.

Zach Zaneski has a .309 average and a .384 OBP. In spite of his ridiculous name, he's a guy to watch.

Neil Ramirez has gone and gotten good. Just seven runs in last four starts. His last went like this: 6 IP - 5 hits - 0 runs - 0 walks - 11 Ks.

Jonathan Roof -- 6-1, 165 ... dripping wet -- has gotten the organizational bump. Drafted in June, the shortstop is hitting a valiant 2.84 in Low-A ball.

Rob Erlin has the lowest ERA for any pitcher with more than 10 starts: 1.67. He's a 19-year-old lefty out of Santa Cruz. Oh, you're not that far.

Joe Bonadonna was probably the hottest bat in the organization a week or two ago. Now hitting .282 but a ton of walks bumps his OBP to .374. A second baseman, a position of dire need in the franchise.

Vin DiFazio: .957 OPS.

Former infielder Johan Yan has a 1.06 ERA in the Carolina League.

Andrew Doyle, too, is alive. Two starts, one inauspicious and the other pretty good (3.1 IP, scoreless).

Spokane Indians

Clark Murphy a year ago: 28 BBs, 100 Ks. This season: 15 BBs, 11 Ks.

Fellow first baseman Andrew Clark's hitting .311 with 21 BBs and 20 Ks.

Austrailian import Tim Stanford has a 1.00 ERA.

Jared Hoying's got 13 extra-base hits and a .301 average since being drafted in June.

Ryan Rodebaugh has 26 Ks in 16 innings.

Mike Olt has collected 10 doubles in his pro infancy.

Jurickson Profar looks like he's for real. Already 11 doubles.

Jimmy Reyes (not Keyes) has 14 Ks and two walks.

Arizona Rangers

Teodoro Martinez has 10 extra-base hits and a .339 average. He's an 18-year-old Venezuelan outfield prospect.

Christian Villanueva -- third baseman -- leads Arizona with 18 RBI behind seven doubles and two homers.

Denny Peralta hasn't walked a batter in 12 innings.

Tomas Telis is struggling with a .224 average.

Carlos Melo -- prospect had in the Gerald Laird trade -- has 30 Ks in 27 IP.

Korean import Tae Kyung Ahn has a 13.50 ERA.

Local angry former quarterback, apparently, will back down

Former NFL quarterback, ESPN talking head and Dallas-Fort Worth radio star Sean Salisbury dropped his lawsuit against Deadspin.

As it turns out, talking and commenting upon someone texting pictures of their penis to female co-workers is not nearly as bad as actually texting pictures of your penis to female co-workers.

The lawsuit was filed in October in Denton County.

That's how Salisbury lost his job at ESPN. No real idea how he lost his gig with 105.3 The Fan. But he did, and chances are it wasn't because some blog talked about his penis.

He seems like a creep. But he's our local creep.

Beware the Athletics

Catfish

The Rangers have had issues with the Oakland Athletics all season.

With a sweep, the A's move to within 4.5 games of the Rangers. At home, the Rangers are a tough out.

Who wants it more?

The replacement

A Rich and a Harden place

Unless Scott Feldman does an amazing stop-on-a-dime turnaround in the next week, I'm certain that his position in the Texas Rangers starting rotation will remain tenuous.

Furthermore, if Rich Harden is back, it's even more tenuous.

Harden pitched for the Oklahoma City RedHawks last night. His line:

6 IP - 2 hits - 2 runs - 0 earned runs - 1 walk - 10 strikeouts.

Fans must look at this situation one way: Feldman is the No. 5 starter and his eventual replacement (Harden or Derek Holland, who's still probably several weeks from a return) is the No. 5 starter. Considering the way the rest of the rotation is panning out, all Harden has to be is better than Feldman.

This is not a hard thing to do at the moment. It'll be like adding a free agent -- an improvement -- without spending money or trading prospects.

Rangers rumor round-up

Derrek Lee and the Dominoes

No game? No problem!

The Rangers were apparently on the verge of getting Jorge Cantu from the Florida Marlins. That deal is further than first thought. I don't think the Marlins are in too big of a hurry to make any move and are willing to allow the contenders to squirm a little bit.

****
Rumors also flew today that the Rangers are looking at Derrek Lee from the Chicago Cubs. If healthy, Lee's good. He walks quite a bit (47 walks in 366 at-bats) and has some power in that 34-year-old body (35 homers last season). But the key is the health and age. He's not nearly as good this season has he has in the past. Lee has a no-trade clause. No idea if he wants to continue to languish in Chicago or not. If so, I wouldn't want him.

****
The Rangers apparently aren't too keen on Mike Lowell. Welcome to the party.

****
Finally, the Rangers' lust for Marlin starter Chris Volstad is no secret. For years he's been on their radar. He's three things that the Rangers love: Young, big and cheap. Under control until 2014, the 6-8 stud is just 23. He allows a lot of hits and walks. But he's young.

Convincing ourselves that Tony Romo is really good

Football-ball

I think Tony Romo is a without-a-doubt great NFL quarterback. The Dallas Cowboys are lucky to have him.

It's odd, however, that it seems that everyone is trying to convince themselves of this.

Over the past two months as things on the football front have ramped up, I've read or heard everyone from national and local media, Jerry Jones, Wade Phillips and every other Cowboys coach tell me how great Romo is.

The real question here: How many stories are there in Indianapolis about how great Peyton Manning is?

Probably none. Manning is great. We don't need columnists or the owner telling anyone this.

The fact that everyone's coming out of the woodworks to report on Romo's status as a top 10 quarterback in the league is troublesome because it's like we need convincing.

I can pinpoint about a half dozen other areas of the Dallas Cowboys that are far more interesting, intriguing or worrisome.

Free safety? Kicker? Offensive line? Linebacker depth? Corners? Running backs? The egos at wide receiver?

But why quarterback? Romo only topped every other previous effort. He lead the team to its first playoff win in a billion years.

Why the disquieting obsessiveness?

I tend to think that no matter what we say about Romo, we really aren't convinced that he's good.

Folks still see him as the undrafted kid from a directional school in Illinois. The boy next door, who aw-shucks his way into Jessica Simpson's panties.

The guy that turns disaster into fortune and fortune into disaster. It might take another fine year to turn opinion around. Maybe by next July, we won't need the "Tony Romo is good" stories in our local rags.

On the bases

Crush in a crash

The most recent point of controversy for the Texas Rangers is evidence that we're dealing with a good team.

Baserunning.

Infamously, the Rangers are very, very aggressive on the basepaths. I heard on the radio that they are first in the league in going from first to third on singles. They have no problems going for that extra base and I would daresay that 75 percent of the time it works out to their favor.

It's the other 25 percent that drives everyone crazy. Especially if you're of the opinion that a good enough line-up should produce enough hits to score runners who play things conservatively.

I prefer aggressiveness. Good teams are aggressive. Aggressiveness forces opponents (typically inferior opponents) into mistakes.

The team that waits for four straight singles to score a run is a team that loses a bunch.

The Rangers play things aggressively and they've won more than they've lost since they took on that mindset, which I tend to believe is a Ron Washington thing.

Many tend to think that older, slower guys like Vlad Guerrero are let loose too much believing that Vlad kinda just does what he wants.

Then again, if you watch the others, Gary Pettis and Dave Anderson are sending them over and over. It's not just Vlad, who may or may not be ignoring every sign. Everyone's running no matter how fleet of foot.

It's the identity of this frisky team that in the bottom of the ninth of the World Series may sink them. Or help them stay afloat.

The Rangers completed a series win of the hated California Angels yesterday, 6-4, while recording three outs on the basepaths, one on every base or plate.

Come late October, there won't be an unaggressive team in the mix. Consider that.

Notes:
1. Overshadowed with the timely hitting and baserunning is Tommy Hunter's eighth win. I'd dare anyone to point out a more efficient outing. He had 59 pitches after six innings. He ended with 71 in 6.1 after getting a quick hook. He does what everyone wants any pitcher to do: Throw strikes. He doesn't create many swings and misses, but he keeps batters off balance not allowing big wood to make contact.

2. In 29 Major League starts the last two seasons, Hunter has 17 wins.

3. Any worries about Neftali Feliz? I admit that I get white knuckled when he comes in. Not as many strikeouts of late. Has allowed seven earned runs in last 10.

4. Remember when Scot Shields was scary good?

5. Chris Davis might have been able to have a better night. But it would've been tough. A double and two walks. He's teased harder before. But I like what I've seen of late.

6. Nelson Cruz: 14-game hit streak, eight of those with multiple hits.

7. Ian Kinsler since June 1: 58 hits, 39 runs, 22 walks, 28 Ks, eight hitless games, 19 multi-hit games.

8. If Josh Hamilton ain't the AL MVP to date, then I'd question you're ability to reason.

9. Since mid-June, Dave Murphy has drawn 14 walks and struck out eight times.

10. Rangers now with 63 games left. Thirty-eight wins to 95. Since break, 8-3 overall, 3-1 at home and 5-2 on the road.

Bandwagon

Double-U, Nolan and our friend Chuck Greenberg

These stinkin' fair weather, bandwagon-jumping fans. Whenever a team starts winning, they crawl out of the woodworks.

Touché, Angels

Dan Haren, California Angel

Give credit to the California Angels: They are never, ever content.

Right when it looks like the Texas Rangers might pull away a little in the American League West, the Angels went out and got themselves a pitcher.

The Angels traded starter Joe Saunders and three minor leaguers to the Arizona Diamondbacks for Dan Haren.

This improves the Angels a lot. Saunders is OK. Solid at his best. He won 17 games in 2008 and 16 games in 2009. This season, he's 6-10 with a 4.62 ERA. He had a 4.60 ERA a year ago and won 16. Go figure.

Saunders is a lefty and doesn't strike out many, fanning way less than a batter per inning. He's good when he's getting groundballs and his location is there. Still, unlike Justin Smoak, he's a guy whose ceiling we know.

Haren, we know. He's a horse. Strikes out a ton. If he weren't traded by the St. Louis Cardinals, he'd be winning 17-20 games a season.

This gives the Angels a starting rotation of Jered Weaver, Ervin Santana, Haren, Joel Pineiro and Trevor Bell. The top part is as good as it gets. The bottom half ... beatable.

However, I think we're burying the lead. For the second time this season, the New York Yankees were outdone for a pitcher on their radar. Although I don't think they had their clutches on Haren like they did Cliff Lee, but it's really refreshing seeing other teams get richer and the Yankees wondering why it didn't totally work out.

Striking out on life with Shawne Williams

Two years ago when the Dallas Mavericks sent a second-round draft pick to the Indiana Pacers for former first-rounder Shawne Williams, I thought it was a quality gamble.

No matter what you think about second-round draft picks in the NBA (virtually valueless), somehow the Pacers won that trade.

Months later, Williams was told to simply never come around the team by Mavericks management. We saw neither hide nor hair of the guy until he was cut.

Yesterday, Williams and a former Memphis cager were arrested on drug and gun charges. He's no longer the Mavericks' problem, but that doesn't make it any less sad.

Williams name has also popped up frequently in the onslaught of Purple Drank stories and as JaMarcus Russell goes to court for the codeine thing.

In case you were wondering how long Scott Feldman was going to be in the rotation

Dutch Oven

Derek Holland pitched with the Arizona Rookie team tonight. His line:

3 IP - 0 hits - 0 walks - 0 runs - 6 Ks.

I suspect Holland will make one or two rehab starts in Frisco or Oklahoma City and, probably, take over Scott Feldman's spot in the rotation.

In case you were wondering.

'You want a three-way deal for Pedro Feliz?'

Neal Huntington: The guy's got balls

Pat Lackey at Where Have You Gone, Andy Van Slyke? -- a Pittsburgh Pirates blog, obviously -- hit on a comment that Pirates GM Neal Huntington received a call from Texas Rangers GM Jon Daniels.

Daniels wanted to talk about reliever John Hanrahan. Huntington had the wit (or balls or audacity) to ask for Neftali Feliz.

Hilarity ensues. It's good to know that Pirates fans have a sense of humor that Rangers fans lack.

Look at our little city turning into a baseball town

More than 46, 550 individuals crammed into the Ballpark in Arlington tonight to see a classic.

A 1-0 sphincter-tightening contest that oozed post-season tension much like the night before.

I haven't seen the Ballpark that packed since the 1990s when division titles were being won. But there's something different.

These fair-weather fans are invested a little more. Even casual Rangers fans have seen Elvis Andrus and Neftali Feliz grow up. They've been invested in Ian Kinsler and Mike Young. Julio Borbon, Tommy Hunter, C.J. Wilson, Chris Davis and Frank Francisco are homegrown products.

Sure, there are mercenaries: Vlad Guerrero, Cliff Lee, Darren Oliver, Bengie Molina. However, the heart of this team has matured right before our very eyes.

Many didn't want to invest fully until this team got good, if it ever got good. It's a shitty move. Still, it happens. Welcome aboard. Just keep coming.

****
C.J. Wilson was phenomenal. I think Wilson has the best genuine stuff in the rotation as it is today. Even more so than Cliff Lee. Yeah.

What Lee and Colby Lewis have that Wilson doesn't have is maturity and control. It leads to walks. That leads to runs. Runs lead to losses. Fear leads to the dark side.

Tonight, Wilson got ahead of hitters. Just about every time. He had location. He had control. It results in eight shutout innings and his ninth win of the year.

Wilson the last two: 14.2 IP - 6 hits - 1 run - 5 BBs - 13 Ks.

If this is Lee's influence, then the Rangers have already won that trade. Hands fucking down.

Notes:
1. Nellie Cruz' 12 game hit streak is there. Six multi-hit games in 10. Simply raking.

2. Ian Kinsler's hit streak: 15 games.

3. Neftali Feliz' strikeout to Bobby Abreu to end the game will change your life. Big-time closers do that to good hitters.

4. Howie Kendrick impresses.

5. Two straight nights of Rangers hitters working the shit out of the Angels pitchers. Joe Saunders were worked for 125 pitches. Still, he pitched well.

6. I think Chris Davis has a long leash. As long as he doesn't strike out every at-bat, he's here.

The gang's all here

Dez in the fold

Dallas Cowboys training camp kicks off today. Are we pumped?

For the first time in 11 or so years, the Dallas Cowboys actually have some competition in late-July. The Texas Rangers are relevent.

Not that 20K drive down to San Antonio to watch camp, but our attention is solely placed on the Cowboys. Finally, we look like a real sports town.

To more pressing matters, the Cowboys successfully signed all of their draft picks including first rounder Dez Bryant the other day ($8.3 million guaranteed) and Sean Lee got four years and $1.7 million guaranteed.

Thankfully, all the kids will be in camp practicing on Saturday.

Still, as the pre-season wears on, we'll look at position battles, depth charts, predictions and keys to the season. I think we can handle two sports at once.

It smells like post-season baseball

Ian Kinsler as "The Leather Man"

Friends, should the Texas Rangers somehow make it to the playoffs and somehow do any damage in the post-season, then it's going to be like last night's 3-2 win over the California Angels.

There's going to be pitching. Tons of pitching. In fact, so much pitching it's going to make you sick to your stomach, but you'll never look away.

There will be defense. Flawless defense. Executed the normal and going the extra mile to take a single away in the infield or a double away in the outfield.

The small things will happen. Vlad Guerrero busting rump to turn an opposite-field slap hit into a double. Ian Kinsler playing in the right spot to grab Bobby Abreu's sure-fire single and get him out.

That's what you need in October. You need to take your main rival and suck the ever-loving life out of them in front of a packed house.

It wasn't the most flawless, perfect win the Rangers have had this season. I would say the shutout against the Tigers the other day was better played overall. However, last night's win to go up 6.5 in the division was by far the best game played by the Rangers this season.

Those type of games will go a long way in October.

Notes:
1. Cliff Lee, as a Ranger: 26.1 IP - 20 hits - 10 runs - 1 BB - 12 K - 0.80 WHIP - 3.42 ERA.

2. Attendance: 39,876. Allegedly there was a 8,600 walk-up crowd. I'd bet the farm there's 45,000 tonight.

3. Jeff Weaver is really good. I know I'm not exactly saying something we don't know, but I don't know if he gets enough credit. Seems like he gives everyone fits.

4. I counted about six or seven game-altering defensive plays by the Rangers. Two awesome ones by Nellie Cruz.

5. Elvis Andrus must get smarter on the basepaths. Picked off last night by the catcher sneaking too much on first base. He was caught stealing six times last year. This year he's been caught 12 times.

6. Cruz has a 11-game hit streak. Five multi-hit games in last 10. Five doubles in same timeframe.

7. Ian Kinsler's hit streak is at 14. I've never seen so many double-digit hit streaks on one team

in one season.

8. I don't think enough credit is being given to Kinsler for his improvement defensively. He still has that excellent range, but unlike 2008, he's making all the routine and difficult plays look easy.

9. Sixty-six games left. Thirty-nine wins away from 95. Now, 6-2 post-break and 1-0 at home. Rangers can do a ton for themselves in the next three days.

Living the pipe dream

Chris Paul and Mary

Dallas Mavericks fans need to forget about a cure-all.

And the Dallas media needs to quit purporting it.

I guess it makes for big hits on their website and for a couple of good segments on the radio, but the very idea of the Mavericks scoring Chris Paul or any other top 10 talent not from Germany is completely and utterly ludicrious.

Tell me, if you were a general manager of another NBA team, who on the Mavericks' roster would you covet?

Now, consider finances. The New Orleans Hornets are in dire straits financially forcing them to look at their options at dismantling their team, and, thus, trade Paul.

Who on the Mavericks would you want to save money?

OK. Now consider who you would want to really give up. The Mavericks (and fans and media) are not prepared to start losing games any time soon.

I don't know if anyone noticed, but the Mavericks already have a point guard. It's Jason Kidd. And he's due $17 million over the next two seasons. He's not moving anywhere any time soon.

Jason Terry is due $22 million over the next two seasons to be a sixth man.

Who else you going to trade? Roddy Beaubois. A nice prospect, but he's raw. Plus, you got to make the money work.

The Mavericks are not in a position to do anything worthwhile with this team. It's not happening. And it will never happen as long as Mark Cuban and Donnie Nelson realize that they're no longer "one player away."

Fans, media and management are looking for the home run while striking out instead.

Wasted opportunities

The Max

I'm about to be an asshole.

I fully realize that the Texas Rangers will not win 70 straight games. I realize that going 5-2 through a road trip in Boston and Detroit is FANTASTIC.

But the little things still bug me to no end and for this team to get better, they need to cut them out. It'll never be perfect, however, and I'll end up beating my head against a wall. The Rangers lost 4-1 yesterday amid a number of goofs and poor plate appearances.

The rub:

Bottom 2nd -- 0-0
Colby Lewis walks Carlos Guillen to start the inning. Walks to start an inning are death. Walks any time kill me, but when you put the lead-off man on base without making him earn it, then it typically ends poorly.

Result: Two batters later, former Ranger Gerald Laird exacts his revenge with a two-run homer. Hitting home runs is something that happens. It's part you throwing the ball and part the opponent hitting it. Walks you can deal with. Without Guillen, it's a 1-0 lead. Instead, it's 2-0.

Top 4th -- 2-0
Matt Scherzer is dealing. He's good. With time, he'll be really good. The Diamondbacks will regret trading him. Mike Young, however, gets a lead-off triple. Good things to come, right?

Result: Ian Kinsler and Vlad Guerrero strikeout. Josh Hamilton grounds out to end the inning. Can't anyone get the ball in the air? Score still 2-0.

Top 7th -- 2-0
Despite the missed opportunities, Lewis has kept the game manageable. With one out, Nelson Cruz extends his hit streak to 10 games with a single. Dave Murphy walks.

Result: On cue, Bengie Molina hits into his patened 6-4-3 double play to kick the rally in the nuts. I realize why they made the move for Molina, but Matt Treanor would've had the common decency to fly out in that situation.

Top 9th -- 4-0
Tigers get two across in the bottom of the eighth. Still, not impossible. Sure enough, Kinsler draws a walk and Vlad is hit by a pitch. Both runners move over after a wild pitch. Runners at second and third, no outs, meat of the order coming to the plate.

Result: Hamilton grounds out to plate one. Cruz strikes out. Murphy grounds out to end the game.

Again, I don't want to nitpick too much, but I want to show that there are consistent long-term issues.

My point: Had the Rangers moved Young across in the fourth and lost 4-2, I'd feel a lot better.

Figuring out first base

At the Helms

If you thought the Texas Rangers were done dealing, think again.

Rumors continue to persist that they are looking to fill the void for a right-handed first base option off the bench.

God bless Joaquin Arias. He tries. He really does. And that's commendable. But he looks so goofy trying to play first base after the last 12 years of his life playing the middle infield.

This acquisition not only serves as an option for the Rangers, but as a replacement for Chris Davis, who has struggled since his return to the Majors.

It looks like the search has narrowed to two names. Here they are:

Wes Helms
The 34-year-old bench player is hitting .244 this season with the Florida Marlins. At best, he's useful off the bench. Very useful. He's a proficient pinch hitter and can play third base. He strikes out a lot and doesn't walk. Sounds like a right-handed Davis. Plus, he's cheap. He's due just $390K for the rest of the season. Helms like like an old pick-up truck: He doesn't look like much, but he can pull his weight.

Jorge Cantu
Cantu is a power-hitting first baseman of the highest order. Given 600 at-bats, he'll hit 30 home runs, 40 doubles and drive in 100 runs. Just 28, he's got a lot of baseball left in him. The biggest problem is that he strikes out a lot and doesn't walk a ton (although he'll pile up 40 or so a season). Cantu is not the most natural first baseman. He can field it, but he's spent a majority of his time at third base the last several years. Now, Cantu's hitting .261 with 10 home runs and 24 doubles. A nice season for Cantu. With quality, you have to pay the price. Cantu's due about $2.5 million for the rest of the season. And Cantu would require a bit more in return, prospectwise. Cantu is a free agent, so it shouldn't cost too much. But I don't know how much the Rangers have to spend or how much they want to give up in case Davis turns things around.

Having it Caron's way

The king is in the building

As it turns out, Dallas Mavericks forward Caron Butler owns six Burger Kings around the nation. Did not know this.

In the story, he states that he worked at one as a kid in Wisconsin and several years ago he decided that he needed to broaden his horizons in the business world as those knees won't be able to jump very high at 42.

The 30-year-old is clearly pretty smart to be thinking ahead like this. The story also cites that Butler's talked to owner Mark Cuban about shadowing him to learn more about the business world.

My respect for Butler just went up.

The pitch

High. Five.

Last night after a 14-inning game completely gassed an already gassed Texas Rangers bullpen, I noted that Tommy Hunter needed to go eight tonight.

He went seven. Scoreless. Three hits. Of the 92 pitches, 59 were strikes. He's 7-0 and the Rangers won 8-0 to take the series in Detroit.

I'm over the very idea that the other shoe may drop on Hunter. He's really legitimately good and a big league starter. Not that I didn't think he wasn't. I just don't think he'll ever lead the league in ERA. But, screw me. He might one day.

Hunter's just thrown strikes over and over since his call up. It's uncanny. Every game about 60 percent or more of his pitches are strikes. Many starts he'll rack up six or seven strikeouts, but most of the time he's around three or four. He allows his defense to play while keeping the opponents off balance with location, location location. He's allowed just 14 walks in his 56 innings this season.

Honestly, I thought that Hunter might have been a pretty valuable trade piece for the Rangers, especially before his call up. He's always been very useful and a quick learner no matter what level he's been at.

But by the time the Cliff Lee trade came down, including Hunter in the deal would have been trading our best pitcher for the Mariners'. That doesn't make sense.

And I think Hunter, by now, has a higher ceiling (or as high) than Blake Beavan. There. I said it.

Notes:
1. Josh Hamilton with double No. 30 and home run No. 23. Another three hits total. He has three or more hits in five of the last 10 and seven hits so far in Detroit. So far, winning the MVP battle with Miguel Cabrera.

2. Praying those two hits spark Chris Davis. He needed those more than anyone.

3. Right under my nose, Ian Kinsler's got a 12-game hit streak. Homers in two straight.

4. The Tigers managed just one extra-base hit: A Cabrera double. We'll give it to him. He's a pretty tough out.

5. The suicide squeeze. Ladies and gentlemen, your 2010 Texas Rangers.

6. Good, strong from Elvis Andrus on Raburns hit.

7. Sixty-eight games left. Forty away from 95 wins. Now, 5-1 post-break and on the road.

What do we do with Chris Davis?

Crash landing

It seems more than any other angle from last night's thrilling extra-innings win in Detroit, Chris Davis going hitless is getting the most press.

Granted, it's not every day that you go 0-7 in game.

The truth is, everyone is just kind of tired Davis' act. Or promise unfulfilled.

Davis has been frustrating, but I don't think right now is the time to give up on him, and I hope the organization kind of feels the same.

Since his call up, Davis is 4-29. His average is down to .169.

Why would I give him more time?

In his 32 at-bats since his call up, Davis has struck out just four times and walked three times. The point, he's making contact. He's just not getting enough of the bat on the ball or just not getting lucky enough.

I'd find another place for him if he wasn't making contact, but he is. And that's why I think he needs more time. If he's hitting .150 in two weeks, then you look elsewhere.

Well, let's say 11 days. The trade deadline looms.

Whew

The look of a man about to score ... and cross homeplate

It was the ugliest damn thing ever, but when the morning paper comes out with their updated standings, the Texas Rangers will have another notch in the win column and the Detroit Tigers won't.

It took 14 innings, but the Rangers pulled out the 8-6 win.

There were three Ranger errors, three batters hit into double plays, 13 runners were stranded, there 19 hits, but only two were for extra bases.

And there wasn't a shutdown inning to be had nor a clutch hit. Well, there was one clutch hit. Nelson Cruz' two-run dinger to win the thing.

Now, we can dissect this one or two ways.

The Rangers had a bases loaded and first-and-third situations and didn't get a run over. Like I said, runners were stranded all game.

Or we can look at the shotty pitching. All the walks that extended innings and put guys on base against very dangerous hitters. Scott Feldman and Co. got lucky. All three of the Tiger home runs were solo shots.

Or just take the win at face value. It was 19 hits, it was just six strikeouts, some brilliant bullpen work and win No. 54.

Notes:
1. Gutty four innings from Matty Harrison. Wasn't pretty like the game (four walks, two hits), but kept it scoreless (of course) and spared the Rangers from using even more relievers. I especially loved the bases loaded double play.

2. Nellie Cruz turns his hit streak to eight games including five straight with multiple hits. He's hitting .325 with an already monster second half.

3. What I like most about Alexi Ogando is that despite hitting the high 90s, he doesn't strike many out. He's fanned 15 hitters in 19 innings. Still has a lot of room to improve and yet he's still really good.

4. What do we do about Scott Feldman? Or, the better question, when do we do it?

5. Josh Hamilton is doing at the plate what we've rarely seen in these parts. Hitting .353 after a four-hit night.

6. Sixty-nine games left. Forty-one wins from 95. Now, 4-1 post-break and 4-1 on the road.

7. Here's hoping Tommy Hunter can go eight and spare the bullpen tomorrow.

Summer League, having a blast

Jeremy spoke in class today

The NBA Summer League is over. Again, the league was kicked in the nuts with a lackluster draft and a series of stories (British Open, Tiger, Lebron, MLB) that overshadowed it the entire time games were played.

Yet, games were played.

The Mavericks' Summer League team went 2-3. Which wouldn't matter if they didn't play like crap.

The lowdown:

Roddy Beaubois
Had his ups and downs. I would state that there were more downs than ups, unfortunately. He averaged 14 points a game, but he would shoot a very efficient 6-9 for 15 points one game and then go 3-16 the next. He never got in true rhythym shooting the basketball and relied on using his speed to get around the defender, an option not always available against real NBA players. Also, he was pretty atrocious defensively, which will keep him on the bench more than on the court. He was also incredibly sloppy averaging about four turnovers per game.

Dominique Jones
Jones wound up running the point quite a bit as the Summer League wore on. I don't know if it was to get him used to it or because they wanted to put Beaubois at the two. He didn't shoot well, but got to the line enough for it to not matter. Led the Mavs with 16.6 points per. Is he another point-shooting hybrid, because the Mavericks don't have any of those.

Omar Samhan
Averaged 10 points and seven rebounds per game. And he shot 52 percent. I do wonder how much a presence in the lane he would have and also whether or not he's ever going to look like he's a natural athlete. At present, he looks like the goofy, awkward white guy on the high school basketball team.

Jeremy Lin
Smart kid. Averaged just 18 minutes a game, but took advantage of all those minutes. He averaged nearly 10 points, three rebounds and two assists per game. That's filling up the stat line.

Shan Foster
Disaster. Averaged just 4.8 points and didn't start at all.

Sampler platter

The electric slide

If you like the Texas Rangers -- or baseball in general -- you've had little to complain about so far in the second half of the season.

The most extraordinary cycle in the game's history? Check.

Steal of home? Check.

Late-game dramatics in the game's greatest arena? Check.

Three out of four on the road against the Boston Red Sox? Check.

If you're not excited, then you might be an android.

The Rangers won today 4-2, beating the best of the Boston's starters, Jon Lester. It gave the Rangers the series and paired with a loss by the California Angels, a 4.5 game lead in the AL West.

Notes:
1. The common thread in all four games, win or lose? Pitching. Hardcore pitching. If the Rangers get starts like that out of Tommy Hunter, Colby Lewis, Cliff Lee and C.J. Wilson, the Angels can kiss the playoffs goodbye. Wilson was the latest superior performance allowing just three hits in 6.2 innings. He did walk five, but struck out 10. Walks are still killer. Needs to change. But Wilson was cooking all afternoon. Everything was filthy, filthy, filthy. Lefties against Ceej are hitting .096. Yikes.

2. As Jeff Wilson deftly noted, the Rangers aggressive baserunning can be disastrous. But when it works, there's little better. Julio Borbon's steal of home is everything right about this team. A salty, instinctive baseball decision by Borbon and Elvis Andrus to draw the throw.

3. Team lead for ERA (excluding Lee): C.J. Wilson at 3.23.

4. Yes, the mighty Red Sox were limited to five hits Sunday.

5. Nellie Cruz has got a six-game hit streak. Nine hits in the four-game set.

6. Mike Young's hitting .196 in July. Just one multi-hit game.

7. Boy, no one needed a hit more than Andrus. Three hits to break a giant 0-fer streak. Hopefully, he's more on track than off.

8. Seventy games left. Forty-two wins from 95. Rangers now 3-1 on the road, post-break, and 22-20 overall.

Lessons learned

Any time you can get a W against John Lackey, you do it

Two very important lessons were learned Saturday night in Boston:

Cliff Lee is an animal that Rangers fans haven't seen ... umm, let's see ... never. He was worth it.

And Alexi Ogando now knows without a shadow of a doubt that you always get the safe out on a sacrifice. Always.

It was Ogando's miscue in the 11h inning that set Marco Scutaro at third base with no outs. With the Red Sox' first out, Scutaro scored on a sac fly to win the game. 3-2.

There wasn't anything wrong with the pitching here. Again, the Rangers offense disappeared for the night.

The Rangers managed just seven hits and two runs -- all from the Nos. 3-6 hitters. That'd make three runs scored in 18 innings of Cliff Lee pitching. The dude is good, but he's not tossing complete game shutouts every night.

Try cycle

You can bet on a lot of things in sports. Name it, and you can probably lay a wager on it.

I would be willing to lay money on just about any other bet on the board. Except one.

The chances of Bengie freakin' Molina hitting for the cycle.

It wasn't unlikely, but impossible. Damn near.

Molina scored a single, double, triple and home run, which was a game-changing grand slam in the fifth inning to beat the Boston Red Sox 8-4.

Molina's struggles at the plate are well known. He hasn't hit anything all season as a Giant or Ranger. But that's besides the point.

Even if he had gone 1-4, the very idea that it would be a triple is perfectly ludricrious.

Josh Lewin called it hte most unlikely event in Rangers history. I fully agree. I would've put $1 million on Colby Lewis throwing a no hitter before I would ever concede that Molina would hit for the cycle.

Molina won that game. Should the Rangers wind up winning the division by a game or half-game, it'd make letting Michael Main go worth it.

Nevermind. The sight of Molina plodding around second, sweating like a stuffed pig was worth trading Michael Main. Excellent value.

Notes:
1. The Rangers got 72 games left and 43 wins remaining for 95. Plus, 2-0 on the road against a good team. Umm, we'll take it.

2. Nellie Cruz with another two hits including a double. Got five hits in two games.

3. Colby Lewis, eh. He minimized everything is a good way of describing things. Same with the bullpen. Bend, but no break.

The small things

A vision of raking

Yesterday, I opined that the Texas Rangers would need five things to happen to make the playoffs.

One of the five was executing the small things that turn tight games into your favor, prevent some games from getting out of hand and keep advantages in blowouts.

The Rangers burst forth from the All-Star break swinging at anything and everything that Tim Wakefield was throwing scoring six runs in the first half of the game in a 7-2 win in Boston.

Huge win. But the little things were lacking and it still distresses me.

For example, while the first four Boston hitters went a combined 0-17 with four strikeouts, the bottom half of the order went 6-16 with two homers, three walks, one HBP and two strikeouts.

I have nothing wholly against what Tommy Hunter did last night. He was good sometimes, and iffy the rest of the time. But he got the job done. I love him.

But why you would give free passes to the ass-end of an order is simply beyond me. What about Kevin Cash's .125 average gives him the priviledge to see a ball without there first being two strikes?

And don't get me started about someone in the bottom half of the order getting beaned. Ridiculous!

Another thing, despite the seven runs that knocked the Red Sox square in the jaw, the Rangers offense generally sucked. They scored seven. It should've been 14.

The rub:

• Third Inning -- Second and Third -- No Out -- No Runs
• Fourth Inning -- First -- No Out -- No Runs
• Fifth Inning -- Second -- No Out
• Fifth Inning -- First and Third -- Two Out -- No Runs
• Sixth Inning -- First and Second -- No Out -- No Runs
• Seventh Inning -- Second -- No Out -- No Runs

The Rangers stranded 18 on the night. It was maddening. That can't continue. Simply can't continue. Good teams will chew you up and spit you out leaving opportunities like that on the doorstep.

Notes:

1. Josh Hamilton knocked three doubles. That's 28 on the year with a legit shot at 50 as long as ...

2. ... he's healthy. Hamilton was pulled due to that sore right knee. Extra rest, we hope.

3. Comforting signs from Nellie Cruz with three hits and three RBI. A big part of the Rangers second half.

4. Elvis Andrus went hitless, but drew two walks. Again, as if he were a savvy 10-year vet.

5. Alexi Ogando was shakey. Darren Oliver was phenomenal. Like the extended rest did him good.

6. BoSox had to use their bullpen for seven long innings. Let's see how that shakes out at the end of these four games.

7. Angels beat the Mariners. Ain't nothing more demoralizing than winning, but not catching up in the standings.

8. Seventy-three games left. Forty-four more to 95 wins. Already 1-0 on the road. They all matter.

What if the Rangers have Ubaldo Jimenez in the bullpen?

Underused, underutilized

My favorite exhibition in sports is the MLB All-Star game. I watch, and I enjoy it. That's no secret.

I was especially excited to see Ubaldo Jimenez pitch. He started for the National League. In two innings, he allowed two hits, a walk and no runs. He struck one.

Jimenez, of course, is one of the best pitchers in the Majors in 2010. He pitched a no hitter earlier in the season. He's a dominating ace for the Colorado Rockies.

Jimenez is a breathtaking pitcher regularly hitting in the upper 90s with this fastball.

Tim McCarver said that it was a "hard 90" meaning when Jimenez threw, the ball came in screaming at 98 and good luck catching up to it.

In the same breath, play-by-play annnouncer Joe Buck commented that he was throwing hard, but he made it look easy.

Those same comments have been made about Neftali Feliz a trillion times over the past five years.

No one had ever made throwing so hard look so easy.

Leave it to me to drudge up an old argument: Should Feliz be in the bullpen or in the starting rotation.

This argument is moot, for the time being, because Feliz is this team's closer. He's not moving until at least the winter.

But I ask a very serious and tough question: Is the Rangers' Ubaldo Jimenez in the bullpen right now?

The counter-argument to bringing Feliz to the rotation is the idea that Feliz is the next Mariano Rivera -- a dominating force that'll save you 40 games a year for the next 15.

I do not want to besmirch the job of the closer. It's a tough one and if you find a reliever that good, you hold on to him.

However, I think relievers can be found. Baseball's been doing it the last 25 years. The Rangers went out and got John Wetteland and Tom Henke.

But you don't just trip across Ubaldo Jimenez. You buy Jimenez if you have deep, deep pockets. You may hold on to Rivera for 17 years, but you put the Vulcan death grip on Jimenez.

I sincerely think Feliz would make an awesome, front-of-the-rotation starter. I think his make-up and arsenal are more adept for the starting role. I do think our Jimenez is sitting in the bullpen. And it's a shame.

Mid-Season Report: Five things

2. Feldman

The Texas Rangers have at least 74 games left in their season. They have 50 wins.

Obviously, they need 45 wins to get to 95, a pretty good benchmark to win the division. Meaning, the Ranger would need to go 45-29 in the second half of the season.

That's a tall order for anyone. But not impossible.

The California Angels have played 91 games and would need 48 wins to reach 95. Meaning, they'd need need to go 48-23. An extremely tall order.

Essentially, if the bottom drops out from under the Rangers, they're screwed. But if they can plod along and win some series, then they'll be in good shape.

Five things that will matter when it's all said and done:

Whip The Scrubs
The Texas Rangers have 29 games against losing teams. They need to win 90 percent of these games. Plus, there's 14 against the California Angels. Winning nine of those would go a long, long way towards the division.

Scott Feldman
From game to game and week to week, I don't think you can completely depend on anyone in the Rangers 25-man roster. But I think we need to assume that Cliff Lee, C.J. Wilson and Colby Lewis will do just about what they did in the first half that they did in the second half.

Feldman's the key. Feldman gives the Rangers a legit No. 4 starter. Feldman had eight wins at the same time last season. He'd go on to win nine in the second half. The Rangers don't need nine Feldman wins. But they need another 15-18 starts and they need to win many of those games. If Feldman gets that cutter going, the possibilities are limitless.

Chris Davis
We need to -- at least for the next three months -- look at the Cliff Lee-Justin Smoak trade as not only adding the best fifth starter in baseball, but also getting an improvement at first base, both defensively and offensively. Well, defensively. Chris Davis is the superior defender, but nobody's ever questioned his ability to dig a ball out of the dirt. It's all about getting that bat around and making contact with the baseball speeding past him into the catcher's mitt.

Smoak was hitting .209 and striking out 24 percent of the time by the time he was traded to the Seattle Mariners. Davis doesn't need to hit .350 (although that'd be nice), but if he can be an improvement at the plate then that'll go a long way. The idea: Trading out Davis for Smoak should be like adding a young, capable hitter through trade.

On The Road
Forty-three of the Rangers final games are on the road. That's a haul. Many against good teams. Not long ago, the Rangers sucked on the road and then they cleaned up in June and ended up 19-19 away from the Ballpark in the first half. Sticking to a .500 record on the road probably puts them in the playoffs.

Little Things
Let's say the Rangers had 100 little mistakes in the first half. I would estimate that the culmination of those little mistakes cost them, say, three games.

Think of all the bad pitches, missing cut-off men, baserunning mistakes, wrong angles turning singles into doubles, errors and all that stuff that serves as glue to good teams. It's what separates the Yankees, Red Sox and Angels from the rest of the American League the last decade.

OK, aim to cut those mistakes in half and, ideally, take back those three games and probably force opponents into their own mistakes. Good teams do that. The Angels still do it despite being three games over .500. They don't know how not to do the small things.

If we can emerge from the next 74 games saying, "You know, we didn't hit that well and our pitching was OK, but we avoid the small mistakes for the most part" I think we're talking about a division-winning team.

Extra Bonus
Luck
Every winning team needs it. For whatever reason, some have more of it than anyone else. The Rangers need a big dose of it. It'd be nice if some of those Feldman groundballs found a mitt instead of the outfield grass (and vice versa for the Rangers). Maybe is some of those foulballs landed in play. Maybe have more guys guessing change-up on a fastball. Maybe a couple of those long drives off Nellie Cruz' bat wind up in a fan's cap.

No matter, you need luck. Winning teams always find it. Somehow.

It's started

Dallas Cowboys Training Camp is a mere nine days away (unbelievable, actually). But the hype machine has already started churning.

Absentmindedly browsing the Cowboys stories on The Dallas Morning News, I hit on a chat from Jean-Jacques Taylor about how great of an off-season Martellus Bennett is having.

Coaches are apparently "raving" about his off-season and how great the tight end has looked.

Don't get me wrong, I actually like Martellus Bennett. But I'm just hoping we're all prepared for the deluge of public relations bullshit for the next two months before the Cowboys play a game. It's coming.

Mid-Season Report: Grades and the horse you rode in on

In the cards

Our mid-season break is almost done. In two days, we start the trek toward 162. For the Rangesr, this could be a time of white knuckles and much gnashing of teeth.

Hopefully, there will b e some winning sandwiched in between.

For now, the grades for the first half.

MVP
Vladimir Guerrero
This is a tough one. At one point or another, one player or group of players have carried this team. Maybe it was the bullpen or starts. A points it was Nellie Cruz and Elvis Andrus. Then Mike Young, Julio Borbon and Josh Hamilton. Then Ian Kinsler.

The one constant has been Guerrero. He's meant the world to this organization (not just team).

Cy Young
Darren Oliver
If this is for the "best pitcher," it's Oliver. Most valuable pitcher? Colby Lewis. Ollie's gutted up and gotten outs a vast majority of the time. When he doesn't, we're shocked.

Jon Daniels -- A+
Darren Oliver. Vlad Guerrero. Colby Lewis. Those three make you forget about Rich Harden. Furthermore, the Rangers have been very aggressive with development. Whilst they gave Julio Borbon three-quarters of the season to find his groove, they were quick to pull the plug on Frank Francisco's closing duties and Chris Davis' tenure at first base. Although Nolan Ryan and Ron Washington had their say, Daniels should receive credit.

Ron Washington -- A
I got into a brief heated tiff with an in-law about Washington. They thought he should've been fired on the spot for the cocaine use last summer (all hoping he stays away from his hometown buds this week). I said he'd stay as long as the Rangers won. At the time, they weren't winning. Since, they've won a lot. I don't hear or read much Washington bashing since.

Elvis Andrus -- B+
Saved this team by taking over the lead-off spot and posting a .400 OBP for most of the first half. He's slipped a little at the plate and the half dozen baserunning mistakes have often hurt. Overall, he's been a true All-Star. Playing like he's a 10-year vet.

Joaquin Arias -- C+
For a bench guy not bad. As a player, in regard to his career, he's a disappointment. He was projected to be Elvis Andrus before there was an Elvis Andrus. Still, he's played several positions, nutted up and played first, pinch runs and can swing a little lumber. No problem with
Spider.

Andres Blanco -- D
Useable. Not ideal. But useable.

Julio Borbon -- C+
The Rangers had the patience of Job with Borbon. He was awful to start and was probably a tick away from a stint in Triple A before coming alive in June. A huge part in their June run and a big, big reason they're in first place right with him, Andrus and Young all kind of coming up big at the same time. He works some more walks, and he's probably the best No. 9 hitter in the American League.

Nelson Cruz -- C+
Single-handedly (with a couple of guys mentioned below) kept the Rangers in the thick of things to start the season as 80 percent of the line-up struggled. Hampering injuries killed the majority of the first half (along with an awful slump before the break).

Chris Davis -- F
He was expected to be good. He wasn't. He has about 70 games to redeem himself. Good luck.

Scott Feldman -- D
Is there a player in the league that's been more disapointing, yet, have his team's fanbase be relatively unsurprised. No matter how much we loved the second-half run last season, we always waited for the other shoe to fall on Feldman. I got faith, however. I think he showed a little something in his last start. Why do I believe? Because if Feldman can his cutter to work, he can win 10 games to finish the season. Just one thing, and it means the world to him and his team.

Neftali Feliz -- B
The dude's unstoppable. When he's on. When he's off, as hittable and self-destructable as they come. If he's the next Mariano Rivera, he's got a ways to go.

Frank Francisco -- C
Ditto. When on, Francisco is as dominant as they come. Unfortunately, he's been off for large portions of the first half. His fastball had nothing and he was lobbing watermelons up there. Took the better part of two months to get his stats near the brink of respectability, and he's still not there.

Vladimir Guerrero -- A+
Hit the ground running and still hasn't stopped. Furthermore, outside of Elvis Andrus on defense, there's not a more fun and fascinating guy to watch play the game. Watch a telecast one day. When Vlad is up, they show up. In between pitches, he's on the screen. They show all kinds of replays. If he's sitting on the bench, they'll show him. He's a magnetic guy. Good reason as to why the California fans still love him.

Josh Hamilton -- A+
He's on a far better pace than his 2008 campaign. Hambone struggled mightily early striking out a ton and not getting any wood on the ball. A change of the batting stance and a little lesson on patience and he looks like a different player. Should the Rangers take the division, he's a top three MVP candidate.

Rich Harden -- F
He may or may not be the "clubhouse douche," but I do believe that Harden cares, no matter what local media folks are saying. Does he care about the Rangers longterm? No. Do the Rangers care about him longterm? No. Both sides know the score, so why is he the asshole? Despite all this hubbub, Harden's sucked. He needs to unsuck, quickly.

Matt Harrison -- D
Eh. He needs to get healthy first. Then we'll start talking about throwing strikes.

Derek Holland -- D
Three of his five starts before his injury were good to really good.

Tommy Hunter -- A
You get outs, and you get a good grade in my book. Hunter is this team's bottom-of-the-rotation horse. A guy that probably won't win every start or have an ERA under 3.00 when the season ends, but he'll pile up a dozen wins with a 4.00 ERA and eat up 150 innings. Ideally. I think he has the make-up for it.

Ian Kinsler -- C+
Knocked for being injured and for his struggles early at the plate. More importnatly, remember two years ago when folks were talking of moving him to the outfield due to his defense. Don't hear those grumbles much anymore. As I've stated, Kinsler's taken a big step in his patience and development as a hitter. In time, it'll turn singles into doubles and doubles into home runs when he finds the stroke.

Colby Lewis -- B
Despite being the best the Rangers have, Lewis hasn't exactly been lights out or anything. Meaning, he's no Josh Johnson or Cliff Lee. Leaguewide, he's OK. Here's hoping he's better the next 70 games.

Bengie Molina -- F
If I can judge Holland on his five starts, I judge Molina on his 20 at-bats. He's been awful, and the pitching is not even better. To a point, it's worse. Especially the bullpen. Big things are expected.

David Murphy -- C+
Murph doesn't get enough credit. I think he's a guy that could start every game. Unfortunately, he's on a team that has too many good outfielders. So, he struggles off the bench and only hits his stride when Cruz goes on the DL. In part-time duty, he's on pace for close to 30 doubles and 20 home runs again. Also a very solid defender in the corner outfield spots.

Dustin Nippert -- F
Not good. And this for a guy who I think could find his rhythym in the bullpen and pound out a pretty nice career as a long reliever. I predict at some point in the second half that we say something to the effect that Nippert's on some kind of roll and he drops that ERA down some.

Darren O'Day -- B+
Think the Mets are kicking themselves over O'Day. He's got a collective 79 strikeouts and 24 walks in his 92 Texas innings.

Alexi Ogando -- A
I can not help but root for Ogando. Through the entire visa controversy, the guy was patient and perservered. Now, he's in the bigs and looking unhittable. I think he's this team's future closer.

Darren Oliver -- A
The Rangers didn't just snipe a good reliever from the Angels. They sniped a good reliever, who's somehow better than he was. He's a great reliever. By the way, don't we need some kind of Bewitched/Darren/Dick York/Dick Sargent thing with the two Darrens in the bullpen? How about Paul Lynde's Revenge?

Justin Smoak -- C
I didn't want to leave the big fella out despite the trade. I realize we all want big home runs, 40 doubles and a .300 average, but the kid was raced through the farm system. This season was his Triple A. He showed great promise and patience at the plate and he'll only get better.

Taylor Teagarden/Jarrod Saltalamacchia -- F
Disasters. Particularly Teagarden. I realize that Salty had the throwing issue, but Teagarden seemingly can't hit anymore. Even in the minors.

Matt Treanor -- C
An afterthought three months ago. Today, a fan favorite and important cog in this machine. Even when Treanor came along, we still thought that Toby Hall was the guy that'd come in should Taylor Teagarden and Jarrod Saltalamacchia spit the bit. Nope, Treanor comes in, takes over the starting catcher spot. No, he's no Yogi Berra at the plate, but he gutted up and helped steer this team toward first place.

C.J. Wilson -- C
He passes. Barely. Fantastic to start, you wonder if the starters innings are catching up on him a tad. If nothing else, he has to cut his walk rate by at least half. He's ridiculously bad giving the free passes.

Mike Young -- B
The Rangers would be up 10 games in the AL West had they come out 25 percent sharper to start the season. No one was hitting including captain Young. Julio Borbon or Chris Davis struggles and you pull them to the bottom of the line-up or send them to the minors. Mike Young struggles and you're screwed. Simple as that. You want the picture of this team's engine, look no further than Young.

Incompletes
Omar Beltre, Doug Mathis, Pedro Strop, Craig Gentry, Brandon McCarthy, Cliff Lee.