I get an instant message from Jamey Newberg last night asking me if I had quit the blog (I did kind of say I might do that in September). So I posted this. Now I’m on my fourth post in the last 24 hours. Thanks Jamey! :)
Since my last post earlier this morning, a few things have happened, and a couple since last night.
1) Guardardo signing official: The Rangers officially signed Eddie Guardardo today. One year contract for $2 million, plus another possible FOUR million in incentives. Sounds like a similar deal (with less raw dollars) than the deal they gave Eric Gagne last off season. Somehow I don’t think Everyday Eddie will be a) everyday, and b) as good as Gagne. The stated reasons are probably viable, they need some sort of established veteran presence in the pen. Two million isn’t a huge loss if Eddie blows his arm out. I’m indifferent towards this one.
2) Jamey Wright resigned: Jamey Wright who had some surprisingly decent numbers last year with us was resigned to a one year minor league deal, which has an invite to spring training. Jamey was someone I did not want to like – I originally disliked the signing. It worked out better than I thought, he was pretty good out of the pen once he got there. Had a 2.05 ERA in 11 appearances. I would have thought he deserved better than a minor league deal, but oh well.
3) Bill White released: Bill White one of the lesser names in our pen last season was placed on waivers for the purpose of being released earlier this week. This made room for the Guardardo signing. Read tonight that he cleared waivers, and we’re trying to resign him to a minor league deal. Eh.
4) Ticket Prices go up again: Sorta. The expensive seats that your average fan can’t buy anyway are getting more expensive. Fine, they can gouge the boob job & cocaine crowd all they want. For those regular fans, we’ll be in the cheap seats. I’d like to point out now though that the seats at the upper most part of the park are the same price as the first row seats downstairs were in 1994 when the place opened ($16). Those tickets are now $125 each.
5) Kazuo Fukumori: He was announced as signed, but when he was “signed”, we had a full 40 man roster. The next person to be dropped was Bill White, and he was moved out to make room for Guardardo. So unless I totally missed something, Fukumori isn’t “officially” signed yet. What’s going on with this?
6) Promotions schedule: The Rangers released the 2008 promotions schedule. It has the usual gaggle of things – Dollar hot dogs, fireworks, bobbleheads, caps, etc, etc… One thing that is worth nothing that I think needs to be pointed out.
You know how in the last year or so the Rangers got in on that “We’re going to charge more for higher profile games” (Read: Opening Day, Yankees, Red Sox)? Well, guess what? All the games that have pre or post game concerts, as well as all fireworks games are now part of this “premium pricing” thing. That’s right, you’re gonna pay a few more bucks just for that. Guess they got tired of footing the bill for the fireworks show.
Don’t let them fool you when they say it’s a free fireworks show. It ain’t. :(