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In looking at the line score, this game didn’t seem to be too bad, as we were winning at the time we had a major meltdown in the bottom of the 8th inning. We gave up a “crooked number” in the box score (7 runs), and that pretty much doomed us. To our credit, we tried to come back, picking up 2 in the top of the ninth, but it just wasn’t enough. Most of that meltdown was by Jeff Zimmerman, who was credited with 7 earned runs with no outs recorded. Saw a quote by him that said his ERA looked like a fish. I didn’t get that at first until I realized the infinity symbol is a sideways 8, and it does look like a fish, sorta. :) Three of the other runs were given up by Glendon Rusch, someone I don’t expect to be here past Spring, so I don’t much care about that. Zim, well this was his first game in two years or so, and while a 7 spot is really ugly, I’m not to worried about that either. The rest of our pitching was pretty good (5 pitchers combined for 9 hits over 5.1 innings, and 2 runs). A few too many hits, but not a lot of runs.
Mike Young, Kevin Mench, & Gerald Laird led the way offensively. Hell, even Ramon Nivar took a walk! We got a couple of home runs today, one by Mark Teixeira, and another by Kevin Mench (off of short lived former Ranger Dave Burba).
OK, after winning the first two, we lost the next three. (unless you count an unofficial B game, in which case, we’re 2-4).
Still waiting a bit longer before I attempt to score any games – scoring spring training games this early in spring training is a nightmare. Although someone I met at the Ballpark last year gave me an idea. Score the game, but score it as if there were no substitutions in the game at all. I might just do that next weekend on paper, as my “Spring Training” for scoring. ;)

“Rangers Baseball is not on the air!” I hate spring training games that aren’t on the radio. It sucks.
This game was pretty much David Dellucci. He went 3 for 4, driving in all three Ranger runs of the game. We had only two other hits at all in the game (Diaz, Patrick Boyd). We were mostly shut down by Milwaukee’s pitching. Ours wasn’t too bad, despite the score. Specifcally, I’m talking about Ricardo Rodriguez, who went three innings, giving up no runs and just one hit. In fact, all but one of the runs were given up by pitchers who won’t be on the opening day roster anyway. John Wasdin gave up two, Frankie Francisco gave up two in 2/3 of an inning, and Nick Regilio got torched, giving up 3 runs and getting no outs. But R Rodriguez looked good, Juan Dominguez had a good line, and Brian Shouse gave up one run in one inning. Overall, by the pitchers that I expect to see in April, we didn’t do too bad at all.
Not much else to add to this one, I think that paragraph covered it.

“Rangers Baseball is on the air!”
Those are the words I wait to hear from the moment the last game is over during the season till now. The year 2004 has finally gotten started with baseball coming out of the speaker in my radio. Today was a great day outside. Nice weather, was doing some yardwork, and was washing my truck while the Rangers game was on. It was glorious! Eric & Vince er, Victor Rojas were on my radio, and that alone would have made the day great, even if the weather was terrible, which it wasn’t.
Anyway, a quick word about Victor. The fact that he’s visited my site has no bearing on my statement. He seemed OK to me. Certainly competent, but it’s damn near impossible to get a handle on the new guy after a single game. I will say this though – there was more than once where it sounded like Vince. I didn’t think from listening to the first game that his voice was a 180 degree turn from what we had before. Also, I kept listening for Mike Cramer’s “passion for the game”. That’s got absolutely zero to do with Victor, but that’s all I could think of when I listened to the first game.. “Cramer said the new guy has to have a passion for the game”.
About the game. Well, Chan Ho Park came out and pitched like Texas Chan Ho in the first inning, throwing a lot of pitches, giving up a run, and being somewhat ineffective. Then in innings two and three, he pitched lie L.A. Chan Ho. That was rather encouraging to see. Mike Bascik and Eric Sabel both got bombed, but Ryan Snare & Carlos Almanzar sounded good. Ron Mahay also pitched, and gave up a run.
“Leadfoot” Soriano gave up another error this game, his second in as many days. Is it too late to call the Mets back? :) However, the offensive start was Ramon Nivar, who went 3 for 4, scoring twice, and driving in one. He had the best numbers day offensively. Jason Tyner also went 2-3. We’re getting a bunch of offense so far, what with 26 runs in the first three games (as many as Oakland had in ONE game today). I know it’s spring, and I know things are in flux, and don’t count, bla, bla, bla. Was nice to see us score some runs. Was not nice to see us give up more runs.
There goes the perfect record in the spring. ;)
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Two in a row! Here we come playoffs! ;)
Will have more to say once I see a box score. Tony Pena can’t be happy about four errors by the Royals. I wonder if any of them were Garth Brooks. ;)
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Several months after Juan Gonzalez didn’t help the Rangers by going to Kansas City, he finally does help the Rangers. Not quite as much, and it was only to the tune of three runs on a dropped ball error in the first inning, but hey – thanks Juan!
The box score showed something I didn’t like – two innings no runs by Ryan Drese. I’d really rather he go. Powell stunk up the joint (what a shock), as did Doug Brocail, which is odd, as Brocail got the win in the game. The Eraser had a good frame, as did Edwin Moreno (who I don’t know anything about). The box score looks like one of those that you look at it and go “Blech”, but when you actually look at the numbers, it’s not too bad.
Hank Blalock, Chad Allen, & Manny Alexander seemed to have the best offensive days, although with 10 hits and 10 runs, there’s some more to be spread around. One home run, by Alexander, who is likely not to be with the club come April.
One stolen base, by Jason Tyner. Actually when Tyner was with Tampa, I rather liked him. He’s not going to be the biggest of big name players, but there was just “something” I liked about him. Can’t put it into words, really one of those gut things. If things develop where he’s on the major league roster, I can’t say I’ll be disappointed. He’s not a #1, but a pretty worthy backup. Probably better than Doug Glanville was for us last year, I’d wager.
Still, nice to see a win. Those are always good, no matter when during the season they come.
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Spring Training Baseball is back! Again, it’s the kind of game where you have to sit on the MLB.com scoreboard and just hit refresh, because it’s not on the radio, nor is it on an Internet broadcast, either. Still, it’s nice to have games going again. It’ll be better once I can hear them or see ’em. :)
Watching it on the scoreboard, I saw us give up a run in the top of the first right away, and that wasn’t fun, then we went down 2-0, but took the lead in the bottom of the fifth with a 3 spot. We then followed it in the sixth with a four spot, and finishing up with 2 in the bottom of the eighth for a 9-5 win.
Soriano started off well, going 1-3 with a stolen base, and two double plays in the field. He did have a called third strike on him at one point, but from what I can read had a solid Ranger debut. Herbert Perry was scratched, which isn’t a good sign, as reports going into the games say that he’s still not ready to play third base, after all this time. Fresh off his new contract, Hank Blalock hit a solo home run in the fifth, and Mike Young had no problems in his first game at shortstop.
Oh, and singer Garth Brooks stuck out against us. :) I’m sure we’ll see his strikeout on the local news tonight. :)
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