An awesome game. Pitching wise, save for one mistake to Jim Thome, we were really top notch. Mark Clark was perfect through the first 11 batters or so, and then he only had one bad inning, giving up a three run home run to Thome. He looked sharp, he looked in control, and was pulled in the 6th while he still had the chance to get the win. Our pitching the rest of the way was great, too. Francisco Cordero, Tim Crabtree, & John Wetteland all gave up no runs following Clark. John Wetteland got his first save of the year (finally). The HR by Thome was his 200th of his career, and the save for Wetteland was his 297th.
On the offensive side, we struck quickly and often in the first inning, putting up five runs. Always nice to see us strike this good so quickly. The five spot turned out to be all we needed for the day, although we added one more later. No home runs at all too which I like. It’s nice to see a five spot without the aid of a longball. Gabe Kapler had two RBI’s, Pudge had two RBI’s, and Luis Alicea had a triple and the Rangers just looked overpowering early.
Hopefully, I can bring out my sweep graphic tomorrow afternoon. :) A short review, as I’m headed out for the afternoon, and wanted to get something in before I went out. :)
G10: Rangers beat Indians, 7-2. Some fans are dumb.
First off, a complaint. Listening to the radio coverage of this game today, the Ranger announcers talked about “protesters” outside Jacobs Field who were complaining against the Indians use of the “Indian symbol” as their team logo. I mean, this team has been around for what, a zillion years – and people are just NOW complaining? Why is it all of a sudden a problem? Political correctness, that’s why. To me, anyone who complains about useless things like this deserves to be horsewhipped themselves. Stop wasting everyone’s time, and protest against REAL problems. What a waste of time. I know my mother reads these things, so I won’t truly say what I’m feeling here. Suffice it to say it’s much stronger than these words. For these people, I present this group of images.. Wish I could find out where they all live, I’d sign ’em all up for Indians mailings. :)
On the Baseball front – oh man.. Rick Helling! And in April! :) 8 innings pitched (132 pitches), 4 hits, two earned runs. What a performance! The only mistake was a long ball to Omar Visquel in the first inning – Rick’s first allowed HR in 2000. At this point in 1999 he had given up, what about 100 of them? Actually, Rick never allowed an Indian runner to second base after that. He had 9 strikeouts in 8 innings as well as two walks. Overall, a totally dominating performance by Rick. This is the kind of game he used to pitch all last year, and never got any run support for. Hopefully he’ll get some better stuff this year – would be nice to be more like the 20 game winner from two years ago.
On the other side, for a change, we started out the game with the lead – which hasn’t happened much so far this season. David Segui had a home run in the first for two of the three runs in that frame. We had a couple more runs in the third with small ball, which was nice to see. Our remaining two runs came off of solo home runs by Raffy & Pudge.
Was nice to see former Ranger Bobby Witt on the mound, and pitching fairly well, going three innings, allowing two hits and no runs with a strikeout. Fortunately, that wasn’t damaging to us.
One final remark – where was all of this when we were in New York? Sigh.
G9: Rangers lose to Yankees AGAIN, 5-1
No time to write commentary for this game, didn’t even get to do this until 5PM Friday, after the first game against the Indians has already been over for about two hours. :)
Besides, it’s the Yankees, what more do I need to say?
G8: Rangers drop first game in Bronx to Yankes, 8-6
It’s the Yankees again – what can I say? We always seem to find a way to lose to them. The Yankees themselves don’t bother me – it’s the fact that we can’t beat them that bothers me.
Actually, I liked the game – went back and forth, and never really totally got out of hand – although it was a sloppy game. Perrenial Ranger killer Bernie Williams killed us again with another home run. I didn’t like that we lost, but I did like that the game was close the whole way along – one of those see-saw games.
Couldn’t watch on TV – listened on the radio, and it appeared that Mr. Whiny (O’Neill) was being his usual self at the plate. Always love when he flares up like that, and even David Cone was getting into the act.
I also liked reading in the DMN this morning about Kenny Rogers getting booed during player introductions, and then tipping his hat to the fans. Wish I could have seen that. :) We seem to be stuck in a Win lose win lose pattern right now. Still early, our division is all right next to each other, probably won’t start to break apart until the end of April, I would think.
Rangers and Yankees game rained out
Rainout – and it was called the day before – almost 24 full hours before the game. This game will be made up in August – exact date is as of yet undetermined. Tomorrow’s game time will be changed from 7PM to 1PM (NY Time).
G7: Rangers edge Toronto, 7-5
A very nice day at the Ballpark for a game. Sunny, cool, a perfect Sunday afternoon. Of course, I left with sunburn on the right side of my face because I never remember to use sunblock. :)
Anyway, Rick Helling came out and threw a LOT of pitches. I was scoring the game, and for some reason, the number of pitches really seemed to concern me – he was at 75 through the first three innings. Rick gave up runs in the top of the first, a disturbing trend in just about every game the Rangers have had so far this season. However, that was about it for him. He did give up another run later in the game, but he seemed like he was never totally in control. He had 7 strikeouts in 6 innings, but really seemed to have to work for everything he got. What I didn’t realize is that I looked at the line score right before he came out, and realized that he had only given up four hits over 6 innings – and one of the runs was unearned (via one of three Alicea errors on the day). It didn’t really seem like he was overpowering at all at the game, but the line score shows it – only 2 earned runs over 6 innings, and 4 hits. A “Quality Start” by the technical defintion of the word. :)
On the other side of the coin, we got a long ball from Raffy, but the rest of the game was hits here and there that happened to be bunched together at the right time. We had three doubles and a triple in the game – coupled with some walks, we got more than enough runs across the plate. I liked the offense today – we scored runs, but it wasn’t all on the longball (in fact, Raffy’s solo HR was the only run from a long ball).
Relief pitching was great, too. Venafro only pitched to one batter, but Francsico Cordero looked great, and Jeff Zimmerman looked the most dominating I’ve seen him all year so far (including spring training). John Wetteland should have had an easy inning, but the third Alicea error of the game allowed two unearned runs to score, making the game a bit closer in the score than it should have been.
Overall a great game on a Sunday afternoon. I love my new season ticket seats – they have such a great vantage point – there’s nothing you can’t see from where I sit. On to the Bronx on Tuesday. Ugh.
G6: Rangers shut out by David Wells and Jays, 4-0
What can you say about this one? Kenny Rogers pitched well, but made one or two minor mistakes, and paid for them. David Wells made none. Not a whole lot more can be said about this one – David Wells shut us down, and he also stopped Kenny Rogers’ home winning streak of 19 games, which dated back to mid 1997 when he was with the Yankees.
A Dream that just didn’t happen
Most of them have moved on to life beyond baseball: a head of construction for a builder in Fort Myers, Fla., a benefits representative for an insurance company in Durham, N.C., a factory worker in Columbus, Miss.
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Second baseman Lonnie Goldberg, who will play for Yuma, Ariz of the western league, and his replacement teammates brought at least one fan to tears of appreciation. |
There are some hard-luck stories. A few have scattered across the globe, chasing chances to keep playing.
For one odd but shining spring five years ago, this disparate group was something special. It made up the Rangers’ replacement team: scourge of the faux American League and Will Clark; darlings of the fans.
“We were a very close-knit group,” said outfielder Eric Mangham, living in Atlanta and recovering from a serious automobile accident. “We enjoyed that spring, and we thought we might have a chance to be in the big leagues. “It was a dream that just didn’t happen.”
* * *
The replacement spring foreshadowed what was to come for the Rangers. It was the debut of the Doug Melvin-Johnny Oates management team, brought in by then-president Tom Schieffer after the 1994 season. Melvin and Oates showed how they would operate.
Melvin specialized in finding players in out-of-the-way places. He put together the replacement club much as he would future Rangers teams: using every possible avenue.
Oates and his staff were good teachers. They molded the collection of unfamiliar players into a club that paid attention to the details.
The result was the American League’s best replacement team at 19-7. A year later, using the same formula, the Rangers would win the first title in franchise history.
“Everybody started at zero, and we came out with the best team,” Schieffer said. “It was a real good indication of what we had. It was a difficult situation for everybody, but Doug and Johnny and the coaches handled it in a very positive way.”
* * *
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Jackie Davidson was the scheduled opening day starter for the Rangers’ replacement team. He works as a supervisor for a concrete firm and watches his son pitch for Everman High school. |
Clark, then the Rangers’ first baseman, took several verbal shots at the replacement players, hinting at retaliation. Replacement players were viewed by some as pawns of management.
“It was a very tough situation,” said infielder Jim Clinton, who owns a restaurant in Lewiston, Mont. “We were between what the players wanted and what the owners wanted.”
The team inspired sentiment so positive that the regular major leaguers needed several years to rebuild relationships after they returned.
On the day before spring training ended in Port Charlotte, Fla., a fan handed infielder Lonnie Goldberg a letter before breaking into tears. The letter thanked Goldberg and his teammates for their effort. The club played two exhibitions at The Ballpark in Arlington, drawing more than 13,000 for each game. The crowd reception was memorable.
“Everything was first-class,” said lefthander Jack Kimel, who works for an insurance company out of Durham, N.C. “I have nothing but good feelings about what happened.
“I was never against the union. But I knew Will Clark wasn’t striking for my interests, either.”
Replacement ball ended on April 1, when the Rangers defeated the Chicago Cubs. After the game, Schieffer told the players that management would accept the union’s offer to return to work. The 234-day strike was over. The replacement players were no longer needed.
Schieffer turned emotional during the meeting, as did several players. The Rangers gave the players their game uniforms, a commemorative plate and a $10,000 bonus.
“I have nothing but fond memories,” said righthander Jackie Davidson of Everman, who was to be the Rangers’ opening-day starter. “Johnny Oates taught me so many things about life, about how to be a professional outside the lines and inside the lines. I learned from [pitching coach] Dick Bosman, too.
“They made me realize the man I had to be. I think we all benefited and grew from it.”
* * *
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Johnny Monell, a designated hitter with the Rangers’ replacement team, is in his third season with the Atlantic City Surf of the Atlantic League. |
Some members of the replacement gang refuse to give up the dream. At least five are still playing, but only one is with a National Association team: catcher Frank Charles, in the San Francisco organization. The others are scattered about the landscape of foreign and independent leagues.
Outfielder Tony Chance, the top overall talent on the Rangers, is in Mexico with the Monterrey Sultans for the seventh year.
Designated hitter Johnny Monell, who returned Clark’s barbs, heads into his third season with the Atlantic City Surf of the Atlantic League.
Righthander Rob Wishnevski and Goldberg were teammates with the Taichung Robomen of Taiwan two years ago. Wishnevski moved to Mexico this season. Goldberg will play with Yuma, Ariz., of the Western League.
“This is a make-or-break year for me,” said Goldberg, recovering from a rotator-cuff injury. “I don’t want to stop playing. I’m looking forward so much to getting back to playing.”
The Rangers have kept the replacement spirit alive. Outfielder Scarborough Green, in the major league camp this spring, was a replacement player with St. Louis.
Darryl Kennedy, manager of the organization’s entry in the rookie-level Gulf Coast League, was a catcher with the Rangers’ replacement team.
Edgar Cacares, a coach at Class A Charlotte, played with Kansas City’s replacement team and reached the majors with the Royals.
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Tony Bouton, who works for an Atlanta technology firm, says it was hard to walk away from baseball. |
Lefthander James Hurst keeps an unlisted telephone number at his home in Greenwood, Ind. Former teammates said the replacement experience scarred Hurst.
He appeared with the Rangers in 1994. In the spring of 1995, Hurst was torn between trying to keep his career going with the Rangers but not being seen as a strike-breaker.
Hurst tried to compromise by saying he would not participate in regular-season replacement games. That was not good enough for some union hard-liners, who branded Hurst a scab.
That haunted him. Hurst moved from the Rangers to Baltimore organization during the 1995 season, and the Orioles summoned him to join the team in Seattle. When Hurst arrived, righthander Mike Mussina organized a boycott. The Orioles determined Hurst was not worth the trouble and returned him to the minors the next day.
The experience soured Hurst. He walked away from the game after that season.
* * *
Righthander Tony Bouton came to the replacement spring seeking closure. The top reliever in the rookie-level Gulf Coast League in 1990, Bouton was released by the Rangers in the spring of 1993. He came back to say goodbye.
“It was a chance for me to mentally close out my baseball career,” Bouton said. “I knew I had another career, but it’s hard to walk away from baseball.”
Bouton returned to the real world after the strike ended and worked his way to head of sales for an Atlanta information-technology firm. Bouton recognizes life has been good to him, but he has one longing.
“I wish I was still playing ball,” Bouton said. “It’s still in my blood. I think we were all that way.”
This article originally appeared here and was written by Gerry Fraley.
G5: Rangers beat Blue Jays, 11-5
This team is certainly up and down and all over the place so far this season. We win the first two games big, then we lose the second two, and we bounce back with a big 5 home run filled drubbing of the Toronto Blue Jays.
Mark Clark took the mound for the first time since last June, and to be honest, after the first two innings, I didn’t feel he was a whole lot different. Sure, he pitched fairly well during spring, but Florida’s games are a lot different than the ones that count. After two innings, we were down 4-0 (although one of the runs was unearned). However, that was it for the Blue Jays (except a solo HR by them in the 9th). From this point on it was all Texas.
What was interesting about this game if you check the line score, is that someone scored in all nine innings. The Jays scored in innings 1 & 2, and we scored in innings 3 through 8, and Toronto did in the 9th. However, we belted a total of five home runs, led by Royce Clayton, who had his first ever two home run game ever. Just about every one of our runs came from the long ball – was nice to see that, although I would not like to have to rely on it, as I can’t believe we can sustain that over the course of a whole season.
Mark Clark, after the first two innings, settled in, and became the pitcher he was supposed to be when we first obtained him. He looked good, and was pulled probably out of concern based on his past – he didn’t look thrilled sitting in the dugout after being pulled. However, he got a win for the first time in a long time, and he’s got to feel happy about that.
G4: Rangers drop finale 6-2, split series
I’m really busy at work today, but I can sum up what I wanted to say about this game in two words.. “James Baldwin”. Man, he killed us last year, and he did it again last night! Not a whole lot more needs be said about this one. :)
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