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So, the World Series has ended. Congratulations to the Cardinals. Personally, I wanted the Tigers to win primarily because they had several ex Texas Rangers on their team (Pudge, Rogers, Monroe, Thames, etc)… But I’m OK with the Cardinals winning, even though Scott Rolen is on the team. Being a former Philly boy, Rolen gets the big ol’ Booooooo from me. I might live in Dallas, but you can’t take the Philly boy out of me.
Here’s a recap of my selections. I had two groups of picks. What I thought would happen, and what I wanted to happen:
What I thought:
ALDS: Twins/A’s: Twins (wrong)
ALDS: Yankees/Tigers: Yankees (wrong)
NLDS: Cardinals/Padres: Padres (wrong)
NLDS: Dodgers/Mets: Mets (right)
ALCS: Twins/Yankees: Yankees (wrong, didn’t happen)
NLCS: Padres/Mets: Mets (wrong, didn’t happen)
WS: Yankees/Mets: Yankees (wrong, didn’t happen)
What I wanted:
ALDS: Twins/A’s: Twins (wrong)
ALDS: Tigers/Yankees: Tigers (right)
NLDS: Padres/Cardinals: Padres (wrong)
NLDS: Dodgers/Mets: Dodgers (wrong)
ALCS: Tigers/Twins: Tigers (half right)
NLCS: Dodgers/Padres: Dodgers (wrong)
WS: Tigers/Dodgers: Tigers (wrong)
So, as you can see, I didn’t do too well. I actually had posted longer drawn out reasons why I wanted the teams I wanted, so it wasn’t as random as a coin flip, but heck, it didn’t matter. I was wrong. :)
Now the real fun begins. The World Series is over, and I expect the new CBA to be ratified pretty quickly, so we can get down to the business of baseball. It’s odd, as I’ve gotten older, I seem to enjoy the off season a lot more, even though it seems to be filled with more and more unimaginable tales of higher paychecks. :)
We can also get onto picking a field manager. Hopefully that doesn’t get strung along too much. In the spirit of predictions, I expect it will be Don Wakamatsu chosen. Mostly because of his built in knowledge of the players, there’s no learning curve that someone new might get. Of course, now that I picked him, he will not get the job if my story above is any indicator.

As I’ve gotten reminded about in email, I’ve been pretty quiet lately. Part of that is that not a lot has gone on in Ranger land. There is the search for a new field manager to replace Buck Showalter. That’s part of the problem. I don’t think I’m qualified enough to offer any kind of brilliant insight into any of the candidates. There’s been a lot said by the other local fans (Jamey, Lone Star Ball, etc), that my words wouldn’t offer anything brilliant. :)
I still am not sure which way they’re leaning. There is the quote that Wakamatsu is the favorite, but beyond that, I haven’t heard much about which way they’re leaning (which by all rights we shouldn’t anyway).
The only thought of my own I can add here is that I don’t think Ron Washington will get it, as he’s more likely to want the manager’s job of his own team than to jump ship over here and manage the Rangers.
Hopefully we’ll find out soon. That is after the World Series due to Selig’s “don’t announce any big news like that during the World Series” edict.

Anyone who knows me knows I can’t stand the Yankees, but what happened today in New York is really sad.
As I’m also a Phillies fan, I knew Lidle from there, and something must have been seriously wrong for this to happen.
My prayers will be with his family, for sure.

In this day of the “Ricoh scouting report”, and “Great American Ballpark”, and the “phone company call to the bullpen” comes this story… I thought I had seen it all, but then I suppose I should not be surprised by this. The 7-11 company has figured out a way to get a really subtle sponsorship. They’ve purchased the actual start time of the games! What’s next? Some popular hair dryer company sponsoring the air driven hand dryers in the bathrooms? Perhaps if Marge Schott were still around, she could sponsor some pooper scopper thing for Schotzie.

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago White Sox have agreed to start weeknight home games at 7:11 p.m. under a sponsorship deal struck with the convenience store chain known for its Slurpee frozen drinks, the team announced Wednesday.
White Sox spokesman Scott Reifert would not disclose the value of the three-year deal with Dallas-based 7-Eleven Inc., but he said the revenue it generates will probably be reinvested in the team or its ballpark.
The new start time does not represent a drastic change since many weeknight games at U.S. Cellular Field currently start at 7:07 p.m., Reifert said.
“We’re just talking about four minutes, so it’s not much of an inconvenience for the fans,” he said.
Margaret Chabris, a spokeswoman 7-Eleven, said the company has been working to develop sponsorship deals with other sports teams and entertainment venues.
The Chicago area was targeted for such a deal because of its high concentration of 7-Eleven stores, she added. There are more than 180 of them in the area.
“Every time the media announces the game’s start time it will be a gentle reminder of our sponsorship,” Chabris said.

I was watching the Tigers / A’s game last night, and was listening to Lou Piniella in the booth. Whenever I think of him, I think of what happened against the Rangers on September 18, 2002. I looked back in my old entries, and this is what I wrote about that game:

This is the time of year that folks who root for bad baseball teams find ways to do other things. I’m no different. Last night I spent a lot of time watching the Monsters Inc. DVD that I got in yesterday. :)
I tuned in late to the game, and guess what? We lost in extra innings again. However, by far and away the most entertaining thing of the game that I watched was Lou Piniella’s blow up after Mike Young made a spectacular play at second to get (at least by the umpire’s call) an out. Lou of course came out and had a major Lou meltdown. Quite funny to watch, ESPECIALLY as the umpire kept his cool and didn’t say a word, just kind of stood there and let Lou spew. I’m fairly sure that egged Lou on a bit more than he might have. Was also nice of the TV folks to leave the game on Lou, and not cut away to commercials, so we could see it all. There’s only one picture below of this, wish there were more stills. Quite quite funny.

For those that don’t remember it, check this out – I found a video of this when looking around for something else.
As a Rangers fan however, it makes me sad, as it shows Travis Hafner in a Rangers uniform. Grrrr. He should still be in that uniform. Thanks Mr. Hart.

Here’s a cool link for you to check out. The site mlbtraderumors.com has been doing analysis of each team and what they’re projected to look like in 2007.
Here is their link. I did something smiliar a few days ago (although I’ve been too sick to think too much about who we should keep – 102 Degree fevers do that to you!).

Thaaaaaaaaaaaaaa Yankees LOSE!
Oh man, you gotta love that. I was so wrong on that series prediction, too. But I’m really happy I was wrong about this one. Really happy. I seriously enjoyed watching this game.
Good for them. Today’s actions means I can stop living in fear of a New York New York World Series, which definitely means I would have tuned out. Thanks Detroit for letting me watch the World Series!