This game definitely seemed like the Pudge show. I figured the fans would give Pudge some love here, and they did. Pudge got a standing ovation when he came to bat for the first time. He tipped his helmet to everyone, and then got to business. The fans gave him a standing ovation every time he came up. Surprised me, but was nice to see. Pudge actually wasn’t having a great game, as he tossed a ball into center on a steal attempt, and a ball got by him. However, he “redeemed” himself at the end of the game with a home run in his penultimate at bat of the game, and then a double, which was almost a second home run to right center. He got thunderous applause after the home run, and Kevin Mench would not get into the batter’s box after him until he came out for a curtain call, which he did. In his final at bat, after the double, he stood at second base to another round of applause, and he got yet anothere standing O when he was taken out of the game for a pinch runner. Major Pudge love-fest going on at the Ballpark this day.
We were behind early (no shock there), especially after a Tejada grand slam. We were down 8-1 after 6.5 innings, and we put up a couple of runs in the 7th, one in the 8th, and then it got really interesting in the bottom of the ninth. We scored 3 runs to make it 8-7, and actually Todd Greene, who ran for Pudge, came up to bat. Had Pudge stayed in the game, he might have had a chance to hit a home run and win the game. It didn’t happen, but I don’t think it lessened anyone’s feelings for what happened today. Great game.
The one thing that concerned me was that the scoreboard said “Thanks Pudge” after his home run. It probably means nothing. It’s probably just one of the scoreboard folks putting some text up there. But still – the fact that the Rangers own scoreboard said Thanks Pudge was kind of an eerie omen!
Oh yeah – hi to the woman who came over and said hi to me at the game. She said she reads my site regularly, and I’m sorry I forgot your name, but it was nice to say hi to someone who reads the site! :)
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There were two games left in the season, so I decided to go to both of them. I already had tickets for Sunday’s game, but Saturday’s game I went and took a new digital camera and retook all the pics for my seat selector, and I’ll be putting them online this offseason.
Anyway, this was one of those games that was typical of the Rangers season. Crappy bullpen pitching, giving up more runs than the several we scored ourselves. We got out to a big lead early, but couldn’t hold it. We scored 7 in the first two innings, and then didn’t get any more until one late, but by that point, our pitching had let the game get away. :(
Miguel Tejada hit two home runs – to exactly the same spot in left field. In fact, the same guy got both balls – that was kind of cool! I did like being at the game, even though we lost. Kind of sad, as it was the last night game of the season. I’m going back again tomorrow for the finale, but this was an odd feeling, even though I have one more. Kind of the impending “Aaah – no more baseball games to go to” feeling I always have at the end of September.

Three games to go. All against the A’s. The A’s are .5 games behind the Yankees for best overall record in the AL, and homefield advantage. Do I want the Rangers to win any of these games and help the Yankees? Hell no! I want us to lose all three of these, and give the Yankees a big pfffft. Of course, I’d like to see Arod hit his three home runs to get to 60, but he didn’t get any tonight, so he needs three in the last two games. Unlikely, but you never know.
Overall, this was a pitching game again. Chan Ho Park was sloppy in the first, giving up two runs, but that was it, really. While he did give up one more run later on, he was pretty good after the first inning. Mark Mulder on the other hand, gave up nothing. He went 7 innings, giving up only 3 hits. We didn’t score anything until we made it very interesting in the bottom of the 9th, putting two runs up on the board. I was actually scared we’d win! :)
Two more to go.

Day games are hard for me (as regular readers know), because I’m working. I have it on on the radio, but it’s hard to pay attention. Plus when we went down by a lot of runs yesterday, I just kind of tuned out. :)
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Didn’t see much of this, as it was my bowling league night. However, I saw enough. Kenny Rogers pitched pretty well, in what could be his final start as a Ranger. Arod got #57, and Raffy got a HR, too. I could look at the box score and make up stories, but at the end of this bad season, I don’t really have the urge to write a lot. :)
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I was at the Ballpark for this game, and when it started, I told my wife this was either going to be a well pitched game, or a total fiasco. We got the well pitched game. I really didn’t think Benoit would hold on – I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, and for him to give up 6 runs in an inning. However, he didn’t. He got some really key strikeouts to get out of some jams, and looked every bit the well seasoned major league pitcher would be. Thing is, we need to keep playing teams that are good. When Benoit plays the Tampa Bays or the Baltimores (this months Baltimore), he plays bad.
However, last night he was great. Anaheim’s pitching was great too, especially Ben Weber out of the bullpen (come to think of it all the bullpen folks used (even my nemesis Rich Rodriguez) pitched well). There were three runs scored, two of them on solo home runs (Anaheim’s Garret Anderson & Pudge). In fact, Pudge scored both runs, and threw out a runner attempting to steal in the 9th, which was huge.
A nice game, and while there were 16 men left on base for both teams, one that seemed to be an old style pitching duel – nice to see in the surprisingly cool weather of late September 2002.
Additional game commentary is available here.

We lost three over the weekend to the A’s. Too many walks, poor pitching. What more needs to be said? Oh yeah, we had better not have Rich Rodriguez on this team next year, or I’ll be pissed.
Additional game commentary is available here.

We lost three over the weekend to the A’s. Too many walks, poor pitching. What more needs to be said? Oh yeah, we had better not have Rich Rodriguez on this team next year, or I’ll be pissed.
Additional game commentary is available here.

We lost three over the weekend to the A’s. Too many walks, poor pitching. What more needs to be said? Oh yeah, we had better not have Rich Rodriguez on this team next year, or I’ll be pissed.
Additional game commentary is available here.

Our last game of the year against Seattle ended in a win – our 70th of the year. Unfortunately, it happened to come at Game 153 of the season, which means we’ve lost 83! Eek! It was pretty funny that the pregame show showed Lou Piniella’s blowup two or three times, and the game intro did as well. Still got a lot of mileage out of that. :)
While it was nice that we busted out the big bats in support of Ben Kozlowski – who pitched pretty decently considering the situation. (Raffy Grand Slam, and Arod 3 run home run), we let it get away again after Kozlowski got out of the inning. Jamey Newberg reported today that Pudge was looking sloppy, and I have to agree. If that’s the kind of catching we’ll get if we give him a new contract, then hey, let’s jack up Todd Greene to #1, and have Haselman as his backup. We busted out for 5 runs in the top of 10th, in our fourth straight extra inning game against the Mariners. Nice to see that.
I was astonished to see the total number of walks by both teams in these four games – SIXTY EIGHT!
I was a bit concerned about the goings on in Kansas City, though. Those two mental zeroes that attacked the Royals’ coach should be prosecuted fairly heavily. Also, did you get a look at these idiots? Neither of them looked like they had enough brain cells to even comprehend baseball. Do a Google Image search for ‘William Ligue Gamboa’ – you’ll see what I’m talking about.
Additional game commentary is available here.