CLOSER RODRIGUEZ, 1B MORALES DEALT

THURSDAY, MAY 5, 2011                                                                                       SPORTS, C1

TEXAS GETS PAIR OF RELIEVERS, YOUNG FIRST BASEMAN

BY PAT DORWIN

SPORTSWITER

DALLAS MORNING NEWS

ARLINGTON - THE TEXAS TO SAN DIEGO PIPELINE CONTINUES.

NO, NOTHING ILLEGAL HERE.

IT WAS SIMPLY ANOTHER TRADE BETWEEN THE RANGERS AND PADRES, FREQUENT DEALING PARTNERS THE PAST COUPLE OF SEASONS.

WITH CONCERN GROWING OVER CLOSER FRANKIE RODRIGUEZ' VELOCITY, THE VETERAN CLOSER WENT WEST ALONG WITH CUBAN KENDRY MORALES AND STRUGGLING RELIEVER RANDOLPH GINDL.

THE RANGERS PICKED UP NEEDED RELIEVERS PETER MOYLAN (2.53 ERA) AND JASON BULGER (2.78), ALTHOUGH THE KEY TO THE DEAL WAS 21-YEAR-OLD SWITCH-HITTING FIRST BASEMAN LUKE BALDWIN/

HE HIT .254 IN 185 AT-BATS WITH THE PADS LAST SEASON BUT IS OFF TO A STRONG 2011 START, HITTING .330 WITH FIVE HOMERS AND 17 RUNS DRIVEN IN. HE HAS ANOTHER YEAR LEFT ON HIS CONTRACT WHILE MORALES WAS IN A WALK YEAR, BUT BATTING ONLY .257, WITH SIX HOME RUNS AND 22 RBI's A YEAR AFTER HITTING .302 WITH 36 BLASTS AND 117 RIBBIES.

"KENDRY WAS OBVIOUSLY PRESSING WITH A POSSIBLE BIG CONTRACT LOOMING," SAID TEAM PRESIDENT NOLAN RYAN. "ESPECIALLY AFTER HIS 2009 SEASON (.306, 34, 108)."

RYAN SAID THERE WAS MO CONCERN THAT MORALES WAS OLDER THAN THE 27 YEARS STATED ON HIS BIRTH CERTIFICATE FROM CUBA. RYAN ADDED THAT WITH OUTFIELDER JORDAN SHAFER COMING OFF THE DISABLED LIST, THR ORIGINAL PLAN HAD RIGHTFIELDER NICK SWISHER PLAYING FIRST ALONG WITH DH DERREK WILEY IF MORALES WAS DEALT.

"BUT BALDWIN HAS TOO BRIGHT OF A FUTURE TO PASS ON," RYAN SAID.

GINDL, EASILY THE BEST PITCHER LAST YEAR FOR TEXAS, HAD SEEN HIS ERA SKYROCKET TO 9.64. RODRIGUEZ HAD PITCHED IN 10 GAMES - AND SAVED FIVE - BUT HAD JUST ONE STRIKEOUT FOR THE RANGERS.

COMMENTARY: STABLE AS AN EARTHQUAKE

MAY 1, 2011                                                                                              SPORTS, PAGE C1

FRANCHISE CONTINUES TO AMAZE OBSERVER

THIS IS MY 15TH YEAR COVERING THE TEXAS RANGERS - AND IF THE LAST YEAR OR SO HASN'T DRIVEN ME CRAZY, I DON'T THINK ANYTHING WILL.

TRADE AFTER TRADE HAS MADE KEEPING UP WITH THE LOGISTICS OF THE ROSTER A CHALLENGE, BUT ONE I DON'T MIND. CONFUSED ABOUT THE SALARY CAP? I JUST HAVE TOM SELVY, THE RANGERS' "CAPOLOGIST," DUMB IT DOWN FOR ME.

HAVE A STRATEGY QUESTION ABOUT WHY THE CLUB DID THIS OR THAT DURING A GAME? FIND MANAGER RON WASHINGTON AND HE'LL HAVE MOSTLY SOUND REASONS FOR DOING WHAT HE DID.

WASHINGTON READILY ADMITS HIS BLUNDERS WHILE MANNING UP FOR HIS PLAYERS. THAT USUALLY MAKES A MANAGER POPULAR. HITTING COACH CLINT HURDLE AND FIRST-BASE COACH GARY PETTIS, WHO COACHES OUTFIELD DEFENSE AND PROPER BASE-RUNNING TECHNIQUES, ARE JUST AS OPEN WHEN ANSWERING MY QUESTIONS.

ICON NOLAN RYAN, THE CLUB'S PRESIDENT SINCE NEW OWNERSHIP TOOK OVER IN LATE SUMMER 2010, IS AS EASILY ACCESSIBLE AS HE WAS WHEN HE COACHED TEXAS' PITCHERS BEFORE MOVING INTO THE FRONT OFFICE.

BORN IN AUSTIN, AND STARTING OUT AT A SMALL-TOWN NEWSPAPER COVERING ALL THE HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS, I HAVE LONG KNOWN FOOTBALL IS KING OF TEXAS.

I DIDN'T PLAY IN HIGH SCHOOL (AT 5-FOOT-6 AND 145 POUNDS, I LIKED MY COLLARBONES UNTAMPERED WITH, THANK YOU), BUT I DID PLAY RUGBY IN COLLEGE, STARTING MY LAST TWO SEASONS FOR A STRONG UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS TEAM. CERTAINLY, THIS PROVED I COULD HAVE BEEN A DECENT HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PLAYER - I WAS USUALLY THE FASTEST PLAYER ON THE RUGBY PITCH - AND SAW PLENTY OF TIME OFF THE BENCH BEFORE BECOMING A FULL-TIME STARTER.

THE GROWTH OF RUGBY ACROSS AMERICA THE PAST DECADE HAS BEEN ASTOUNDING - IT'S BECAUSE OF HOW MUCH CURRENT AND FORMER PLAYERS LOVE THIS GREAT SPORT AND THE SACRIFICES THEY MAKE TO GET THEIR KIDS INVOLVED WITH THE GAME.

RUGBY IS PLAYED THROUGHOUT HIGH SCHOOLS - AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS - THROUGHOUT TEXAS AND MANY OTHER STATES. THE ANNUAL BURNT ORANGE VS. BIG ORANGE SHOWDOWN BETWEEN TEXAS AND TENNESSEE HIGH SCHOOLS DRAWS 50,000 FANS - A DAY.

I PLAYED BASEBALL IN HIGH SCHOOL - AND IT WAS ALWAYS MY FAVORITE SPORT BUT GOT BURNED OUT ON IT AFTER PLAYING SINCE AGE 5. I DID TRY SOCCER FOR A SEMESTER AS A SENIOR - JUST BECAUSE SOME FRIENDS PLAYED, BUT WAS JUST AS CLUELESS ABOUT THE SPORT AS I WOULD BE ABOUT RUGBY AS A FRESHMAN AT UT IN 1983.

SO I HAVE THE BACKGROUND TO COVER A VARIETY OF SPORTS, BUT I LIKE THE STABILITY OF BASEBALL - NINE INNINGS, 162 GAMES, 25-PLAYER ROSTERS - SO I HAVE BEEN THE RANGERS' BEAT WRITER SINCE STARTING AT THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS.

(THE HIGHER-UPS HERE ARE NICE ENOUGH TO RUN MY NFL PREVIEWS AND WEEKLY SCORE PREDICTIONS, SOMETHING I HAVE DONE FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS, STARTING WITH MY HIGH SCHOOL NEWSPAPER AS A SOPHOMORE).

SPORTS ARE SO MUCH FUN BECAUSE OF THE UNPREDICTABILITY THE GAMES OFFER - BUT IT'S THE STABILITY OF AN ORGANIZATION THAT ALLOWS THE BETTER TEAMS TO WIN MORE THAN THEY LOSE, DESPITE THE PLETHORA OF WAYS ANY TYPE OF BALL BOUNCES.

THE RANGERS HAVE NEVER BEEN CONSIDERED "STABLE,"  AND YOU CAN TAKE THAT ANY WAY YOU LIKE, BUT THE SEEDS ARE PLANTED FOR FOUR OR FIVE YEARS OF - AND I AM GOING OUT ON A LEDGE HERE - CONTINUITY.

SURE, TRUE RANGERS FANS ARE LAUGHING - CHUCKLING AT HOW 2010's INTERIM OWNERSHIP MADE TRADE AFTER TRADE - INCLUDING DEALING
AWAY
NELSON MYLES, WHO WENT ON TO BECOMING THE NATIONAL LEAGUE'S ROOKIE OF THE YEAR.

IT WAS A TEXAS TORNADO OF DEALS - AND THEY HAVE CONTINUED THIS SEASON, SO HOW CAN I SEE STABILITY ANY TIME SOON?

TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH I DON'T REALLY KNOW - I JUST FEEL IT. BUT UT;S GOING TO TAKE A COMMITTEMENT FROM THE FANS.

REMEMBER, I AM ALSO A MARCH MADNESS FANATIC - FILLING OUT A ZILLION-AND-A-HALF BRACKETS YEARLY.

BUT I WILL NEVER RETURN TO THE STABILITY OF THE HOOPS EXTRAVAGANZA IN 1983 AND THE SIMPLE POWER OF TWO. FILLING OUT JUST A PAIR OF BRACKETS - INCLUDING SCORE PREDICTIONS FOR ALL THE GAMES - I PLACED THE BRACKETS ON TOP OF CABINET IN AN OFFICE AT THE UT BOOKSTORE I WORKED AT.

A FEW WEEKS LATER - WHILE WATCHING LOUSIVILLE PLAY DUKE - I SAID, "I THINK I GOT THE SCORE RIGHT, TOO," AS MY PREDICTION OF THE TWO MEETING IN THE FINAL HAD ALREADY COME TRUE.

SHE REALLY COULDN'T HAVE CARED LESS - BUT I DID. WHEN I WENT TO WORK THE NEXT DAY, I PICKED THE DUSTY BRACKETS UP - AND SURE ENOUGH, HAD WHOEVER IT WAS - PROLLY DUKE - WINNING 72-69.

I ONCE TOLD HANK GREENBERG, ESPN's FOOTBALL POINT-SPREAD GURU, MY STORY. HE SAID, "SON, IF YOU COULD HAVE BET ON THAT, YOU'RE LIFE WOULD HAVE BEEN A PICTURE OF TRANQUILITY AND STABILITY."

DON'T FORGET I WAS THE FIRST ONE TO LET YOU KNOW THAT STABILITY IS COMING TO THE RANGERS.

SPORTS EDITOR'S NOTE: PAT DORWIN IS A LONG-TIME BEAT WRITER COVERING THE TEXAS RANGERS WHOSE TAKE ON TEXAS' STABILITY WILL SOON BE TESTED AS THE TEAM HAS OPTED TO FAST-FORWARD GAME PLAY FOR PITCHERS, AND ONLY RETURN TO IT IN CLOSE GAMES.

OUCH!

SUNDAY, APRIL 24, 2011

RED SOX PUT UP PAIR OF 5-RUN INNINGS DURING ROUT

BY PAT DORWIN

SPORTSWRITER

DALLAS MORNING NEWS

ARLINGTON - HONG-CHIN KUO WENT FROM SAVIOR TO JANITOR IN 24 HOURS.

KUO, A NIGHT AFTER PRESERVING A 2-0 WIN OVER BOSTON, ALSO FOUND HIMSELF IN THE GAME FOR NINTH-INNING DUTY SATURDAY.

BUT THIS TIME KUO WASN'T TRYING TO KEEP THE RED SOX FROM SCORING, HE WAS JUST HOPING THEY WOULDN'T SCORE ANY MORE RUNS.

LO AND BEHOLD, BOSTON'S NEVILLE MALLETTE TACKED ON A THREE-RUN SHOT AGAINST KUO, TOPPING OFF A 17-10 ROUT AT THE HANDS OF BOSTON.

THE RANGERS (8-11) SCORED SEVEN RUNS IN THE FIRST TWO INNINGS, ONLY TO WATCH RATHER HELPLESSLY AS THE RED SOX (7-10) TALLIED A PAIR OF 5-RUN INNINGS, A 4-RUN STANZA, AND THOSE PESKY THREE RUNS IN THR NINTH.

ALL IN ALL, THE TEAMS COMBINED FOR 27 RUNS AND 38 HITS - AND NOT TOO MUCH OF ANYTHING WAS CHEAP AS THERE WAS JUST A SINGLE ERROR IN THE GAME.

IN WHAT MAY HAVE BEEN A FIRST, AT LEAST IN THE LAST 111 YEARS OR SO, THE GAME FEATURED THREE STARTING PLAYERS WITH THE FIRST NAME OF "NEVILLE."

BOSTON'S NEVILLE WAS CLEARLY THE STAR OVER THE TWO TEXAS NEVILLES.

NEVILLE MALLETTE, BOSTON'S RIGHTFIELDER, SLAMMED A PAIR OF THREE-RUN HOMERS, THE INITIAL BLAST GIVING BOSTON A 9-7 LEAD IN THE FOURTH, THE SECOND CLUBBING KUO TO FINISH OUT HIS TEAM'S SCORING.

TEXAS' NEVILLE'S, CRUISE AND LECROY, COMBINED TO GO 3-FOR-7.

THINGS STARTED BADLY IN THE BULLPEN FOR THE RANGERS BEFORE THE GAME AS JOSH JOHNSON SUFFERED BRUISED RIBS WHILE WARMING UP. HE'S EXPECTED TO  START.

BUT THINGS BEGAN TO LOOK UP FOR EMERGENCY STARTER DELMON BHADELIA IN THE BOTTOM HALF OF THE FIRST WHEN TEXAS PLATED FOUR RUNS.

BHADELIA PROMPTLY GAVE BOSTON THE FOUR-SPOT BACK IN THE SECOND FRAME, THEN AFTER THE RANGERS PLATED THREEE MORE IN THEIR HALF OF THE INNING, BHADELIA WAS IN THE MIDST OF BOSTON'S FIRST FIVE-RUN UPRISING.

THE RANGERS WOULD MAKE IT 9-9 AFTER SIX INNINGS, BUT BOSTON IMMEDIATELY HIT BACK WITH FIVE RUNS IN THE SEVENTH TO END THE SUSPENSE.

                     1   2    3    4    5     6    7    8     9     R    H   E
BOSTON     0   4    0    5   0     0     5    0     3    17   20   0
TEXAS        4   3    0    0    0     2     0    0     1    10   18   1


BOSTON               AB  R  H  BI  BB  SO
REYES                     5   0   3    1   0     1
GREENE                  1   1   0    0   0     1
OLIVO                    5   2    2    3   1     1
DAMON                 4   2    2    1   1     2
SNIDER                  6   1    1    0   0     2
MALLETTE            6   3    3    6   0     1
BARMES                5   2   2     0    1     1
KOUZMANFF       4   2   2     3    1     1
BRIGNAC              5   1   2     0    0     1
CORPORAN         4   3    2     3    1     0

TEXAS
RAMIREZ              5   1    1  0    0     2
WILEY                  5    3    3   3   0     1
SWISHER              5   2    2    3   0     1
CRUISE                 5    1    2   0    0    2
RASMUS               5   2     4   2   0     0
LUCROY               2   0    1    0   0     0
MORALES            1    0    0    0   0    0
MARKAKIS          1    0   0    1    0    1
McMAHON          5     0   0    0    0    2
JARAMILLO         5    0    4    1    0    0
CALLASPO           4    1    1   0    1     1
'

AND THE BEAT GOES ON

THURSDAY APRIL, 13, 2011

2011 SEASON

RUSH OF TRADES SEE 25 PLAYERS CHANGE TEAMS IN JUST SEVEN DAYS

BY PAT DORWIN

SPORTSWRITER

DALLAS MORNING NEWS

ARLINGTON - THE TRADE DRUMS RUMBLED AGAIN FOR THE RANGERS.

AND AGAIN.

IN THE LIGHTING-STRIKE TRADITION OF ROCK POWER DRUMMER NEIL PEART OF THE GROUP RUSH,  TEXAS KABOOMED ITS WAY THROUGH FIVE TRADES IN A WEEK LONG BLITZ (SEE TRANSACTION SIDEBAR ON RIGHT).

WHEN IT WAS ALL SAID AND DONE, TEXAS HAD PICKED UP SP YOVANI GALLARDO, WHO IT HAS BEEN TRYING TO PRY AWAY FROM THE DODGERS FOR MORE THAN A YEAR AND ANOTHER STARTER HAVING A STRONG SEASON IN WANDY RODRIQUEZ.

THE RANGERS ADDED BASHER ADAM DUNN, FIELDING WHIZ ALEXEI RAMIREZ, A SHORTSTOP, AND PITCHERS THAT COULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN HONG-CHI KUO, WADE DAVIS AND FRANKLIN MORALES. KUO HAS ALREADY MOVED INTO A SET-UP ROLE AND MORALES AS A LONG RELIEVER. THE PAIR IS HIGHLY RATED BY RANGERS' SCOUTS, WHO ALSO BELIEVE DAVIS, NOW A SP IN AAA OKLAHOMA CITY, COULD ALSO SEE TIME SOON WITH THE BIG CLUB.

LEAVING ARLINGTON ARE HIGHLY-REGARDED SP MADISON BUMGARNER, 20, WHO HAD MOVED INTO A SET-UP ROLE AFTER A STRONG 2010 IN LONG RELIEF, CLOSER WANDY RINCON AND CATCHER KING SNYDER, WHO NEVER COULD CRACK THE RANGERS' LINEUP MUCH. THE TRIO LANDED IN LOS ANGELES FOR GALLARDO.

MAT LATOS, THE 23-YEAR-OLD FIFTH STARTER, WAS OPTIONED TO AA, WHERE HE'LL CLOSE.

KUO, MORALES AND DAVIS CAME FROM THE REDS FOR RF CAYDEN WOOTEN, LF CARLOS GONAZALEZ AND SS TYLER GREENE. WOOTEN WAS WELL-LIKED BY SCOUTS FOR HIS HITTING ABILITY, BUT WAS AN EXTREMELY SLOW BASERUNNER WHO THE REDS CAN'T HIDE AT DH AS TEXAS COULD.

GONZALEZ HAS ALWAYS BEEN CLOSE TO AN EVERYDAY JOB IN ARLINGTON, BUT NEVER GOT THE NEEDED BREAKS AND COULD SHINE IN CINCINNATI, SCOUTS SAY. GREENE IS A CAREER BACKUP SHORTSTOP.

TEXAS PICKED UP THE ACROBATIC RAMIREZ, SLUGGING DUNN AND RODRIGUEZ. WHO HAS AN ERA OF 2.57 WITH 38 STRIKEOUTS IN 27 ININGS PITCHED AND JUST THREE WALKS FROM THE GIANTS.

THAT TRADE CAME WITH A HIGH COST, WITH 1B MARK TEIXEIRA, SP BARRY ZITO AND 2B RICHIE WEEKS TRAVELING WEST.

THE RANGERS ARE 7-9 AND IN THIRD-PLACE IN THE AL WEST, 5 GAMES BEHIND 12-4 ANAHEIM. TEXAS HAS UPPED ITS TEM BATTING AVERAGE TO .269, AS SHUMAKER (.375),
RASMUS (.346),
DUNN (.326) DESHAWN WAECHTER (.323) AND DERREK WILEY (.322) ALL HITTING ABOVE .300.

NICK MARKAKIS (.290), NEVILLE CRUISE (.286), NICK SWISHER (.281) AND RAMIREZ (.275) ROUND OUT THE LEADING HITTERS.

ODIS McMAHON, THE FORMER STARTER AT SS, HAS DROPPED TO .233 WHILE BACKUP C JASON JARAMILLO HAD TO GO ON A TEAR TO REAXH .231. BACKUP INFIELDER ALBERTO CALLASPO IS JUST 5-FOR-25 (.200) AND RESERVE OF JAMISON KORECKY, JUST 18, HAS ONE HIT IN SIX AT-BATS.

THE BULLPEN UPGRADE HAS SEEN GOOD RESULTS. KUO HAS A COMBINED 1.69 ERA, WITH MORALES AT AN EVEN 3.00. HOLDOVERS COLTON METZGER (NO EARNED RUNS IN THREE GAMES), RANDOLPH GINDL (2.70), CLOSER FRANKIE RODRIGUEZ (3.38 AND FOUR SAVES), MARCEL McARTHUR (4.82) AND DELMON BHADELIA (1.93 HAVE ALL PITCHED WELL.

THE CLUB AWAITS TURNAROUNDS FROM STARTERS
GALLARDO
(12.00 ERA WITH 16 HITS IN 9 IP) AND FELIX HERNANDEZ (0-2, 5.18 ERA, 10 BB IN 20 IP).

JOSH JOHNSON IS 3-0 WITH A 3.79 ERA AND 23 SO IN 19 IP WITH JUST A DOZEN HITS ALLOWED AND MATT CAIN IS 2-1 OVERALL WITH A 4.76 ERA BUT 20 SO IN 20 IP.

WHEELING AND DEALING

SUNDAY, APRIL 9, 2011

RANGERS ACQUIRE TOP HURLER IN CAIN AND OUTFIELDERS MARKAKIS, RASMUS

BY PAT DORWIN

SPORTSWRITER

DALLAS MORNING NEWS

ARLINGTON - TRADES HAVE BEEN LIKE AN OLD CLINT EASTWOOD MOVIE FOR THE RANGERS: "THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY."

NOTHING WAS UGLIER THAN DEALING CATCHER NELSON MYLES IN EARLY-MAY 2010 ONLY TO SEE HIM BLOSSOM INTO THE NATIONAL LEAGUE'S ROOKIE-OF-THE-YEAR.

OTHER TRADES A SEASON AGO CERTAINLY COULD BE CONSIDERED IN THE "BAD" CATEGORY, SUCH AS ACQUIRING A SLUMPING PITCHER IN COLE HAMELS.

BUT LATELY THE GOOD HAS OUTWEIGHED THE BAD - BY FAR. DEALS ARE REPLACING POOR CONTRACTS AND OFFERING HELP FOR INJURIES - AS WELL AS SETTING UP POSSIBLE FUTURE MOVES.

ON SATURDAY, TEXAS ACQUIRED 2B RICHIE WEEKS AND CF COLBY RASMUS FROM MILWAUKEE FOR SP RANDY WOLF, 2B AARON HILL AND RF DARIN LOWELL. WEEKS TAKES OVER FOR HILL, WHO DIDN'T HIT IN SPRING TRAINING OR AT THE START OF THE SEASON LIKE HE'S CAPABLE - THIS AFTER SIGNING A LOMNG-TERM DEAL IN THE OFFSEASON.

WEEKS MAY NOT STICK AROUND, HOWEVER, AS SKIP SHUMAKER AND YOUNGSTERS HUGO GARZA AND LEONARDO ORTIZ AWAIT CHANCES AT SECOND.

RASMUS WAS FIFTH IN THE NL LAST YEAR WITH 111 RBIs AND TAKES OVER CENTERFIELD FOR INJJURED JORDAN SHRADER.

WOLF, THE FIFTH STARTER, WAS EXPENDABLE AFTER THE RANGERS MADE A DEAL FRIDAY TO ACQUIRE STARTER MATT CAIN AND RF NICK MARKAKIS FROM THE REDS FOR SP LEIGH WEIR AND LF CHRIS COGHLAN.

WEIR, THE MUCH-SOUGHT AFTER 20-YEAR-OLD LEFTY, COULD NEVER CRACK THE TEXAS ROTATION ALTHOUGH HE HAD MADE THE TEAM COMING OUT OF SPRING AS A LONG RELIEVER.

CAIN GIVES TEXAS FOUR NO.1 STARTERS, ALONG WITH FELIX HERNANDEZ, A REJUVENATED BARRY ZITO AND JOSH JOHNSON, ALL ACQUIRED IN TRADES LAST SEASON, TO GO ALONG WITH A POTENTIAL NO. 1 IN MAT LATOS.

COGHLAN STARTED MOST OF 2009 IN FLORIDA AND PLAYED WELL IN LEFT FIELD IN 2010 FOR BALTIMORE, SHOWING SPEED AND FLASHING POWER, BEFORE FINISHING OUT THE YEAR WELL IN TEXAS.

HE WAS SIGNED TO A HEALTHY CONTRACT - AS PROMISED BY TEAM PRESIDENT NOLAN RYAN - BUT COGHLAN, LIKE HILL WHO ALSO SIGNED A BIG DEAL, HADN'T HIT MUCH OVER THE PAST SIX WEEKS.

MARKAKIS MORE THAN MAKES UP FOR THAT AND IS SIGNED TO A DEAL SIMILAR TO COGHLAN'S. MARKAKIS HAS LONG BEEN TOUTED AS A POSSIBLE SUPERSTAR AND COULD BREAK OUT AT AGE 27, TWO YEARS OLDER THAN COGHLAN.

HEROES APLENTY ON OPENING DAY

TUEDAY, APRIL 4, 2011
RANGERS KNOCK OFF DEFENDING AL CHAMPS

BY PAT DORWIN

SPORSTSWRITER

DALLAS MORNING NEWS

ARLINGTON - QUESTIONS WERE ASKED.

TEXAS FANS LIKED THE ANSWERS ON MONDAY EVENING, OPENING DAY FOR THE RANGERS, AS THE HOME TEAM POSTED A 7-5 WIN OVER KANSAS CITY.

"A WIN IS A WIN IS A WIN," SAID STARTING PITCHER FELIX HERNANDEZ, WHO SAW TOO FEW OF THOSE IN 2010 (SIX) AS OPPOSED TO LOSSES (21).

ALTHOUGH HE DIDN'T GET CREDIT FOR THE WIN, HERNANDEZ' PITCHING IS WHAT GOT THE RANGERS, A DISMAL 54-108 LAST SEASOM, OFF TO A SOLID START AGAINST A ROYALS TEAM COMING OFF A TRIP TO WORLD SERIES, THAT THEN ADDED MANNY RAMIREZ AND CHIPPER JONES IN THE OFFSEASON.

"FRANKLY, WE PLAYED SEVEN INNINGS OF 2011 BALL, AND A COUPLE FRAMES OF 2010 BALL," SAID RANGERS MANAGER RON WASHINGTON AFTER WATCHING RAMIREZ GO YARD WITH A THREE-RUN SHOT THAT BROUGHT THE ROYALS BACK TO 5-5.

SECOND-YEAR DESIGNATED HITTER DERREK WILEY UNTIED THE SCORE WITH A OPPOSITE FIELD BLAST IN THE 8TH AND THE RANGERS ADDED ANOTHER MARKER IN THE INNING.

TEXAS LOST CENTER FIELDER JORDAN SHAFER FOR FOUR- TO EIGHT-WEEKS WITH A TORN FINGER LIGAMENT. BRYON NANCE WAS CALLED UP TO REPLA\CE SHAFER AND HE AND DARIN LOWELL MAY PLATOON.

2011 SPRING TRAINING DEPTH CHART

MANAGER, RON WASHINGTON (38); HITTING COACH, CLINT HURDLE (13); PITCHING COACH, NATHANIAL CARNEY (14); FIRST BASE COACH, GARY PETTIS (24); THIRD BASE COACH, DAMIAN FRANCO (21) AND BENCH COACH, JERRY HENRY (53)


CATCHERS (8)
NO.  NAME                                              AGE  HT  WT  CONTRACT
22     DESHAWN WAECHTER                   24   5-10  197    2/3
39     JASON JARAMILLO                         28    6-0   210     1/3
17     YAMIL ZEPEDA                                25    6-4   218    2/2
2       KING SNYDER                                  23   6-3    186    2/2
56     DIONER LOPES                                 22    6-3    215    1/2
69     STANFORD ZIMMER                        23     6-1   175    2/3
19     SHAWON LOCKE                             21     6-4   191    2/3
28     JOHN JASO                                        27     6-2   205    1/1

FIRST BASEMEN (4)
25     MARK TEXEIRA                               30    6-3   225    2/7
45     DERREK WILEY                                24    6-4  209    2/2
23     LINO DE AZA                                    25    6-4  219      1/1
35     SALVADOR MERCADO                   19    6-2   190    1/2

SECOND BASEMEN (6)
8       AARON HILL                                      28                      2/2
55     SKIP SHUMAKER                              31                       1/3
99     ALBERTO CALLASPO                       27                       1/2
5       CLARENCE LONEY                           25                       1/1
49     EDDY CRAMM                                   25                      1/2
8       ROBBIE DEPRIEST                             40     6-4  198     1/2

THIRD BASEMEN (5)
9       NEVILLE CRUISE                                 19                       2/3
35     LORENZO ORTIZ                                 20                        2/2
2       HUGO GARZA                                      20                        2/3
23     CHRIS JOHNSON                                26      6-3   210   1/3
11     BILLYA DABROWSKI                         18      5-11 197    1/2   

SHORTSTOPS (8)
7      ODIS McMAHON
3      IAN DESMOND
5      SANTO BERROA
60    TOSHIHISA OCHIDA
88    TYLER GREENE
10    DAN BEASHORE
 6     HONG-CHIN MA
12    ROMULA DE LA CRUZ

THIRD BASEMEN (5)
9      NEVILLE CRUISE
35    LORENZO ORTIZ
2      HUGO GARZA
23    CHRIS JOHNSON
11    BILLYA DRABOWSKI

LEFTFIELDERS (5)
33    CHRIS COGHLAN
11    CARLOS GONZALEZ
15    GRAHAM DOLAN
87    MICHAEL BRANTLEY
32    CRUZ URIATE

CENTERFIELDERS (5)
50    JORDAN SHAFER
55    JAMISON KORECKY
30    JOHAN FERREIRA
9      BRYON NANCE
25    CHANG-HO DO

RIGHTFIELDERS (5)
44     NICK SWISHER
20     DARIN LOWELL
54     TORU MATSUMATO
17     TYLER COLVIN
33     LLOYD TULLUES
12    CAYDEN WOOTEN

STARTING PITCHERS (19)
10    FELIX HERNANDEZ
77    BARRY ZITO
28    JOSH JOHNSON
32    MAT LATOS
43    RANDY WOLF

59    FERNANDO NIEVE
47    GIO GONZALEZ
40    DELMON BHADELIA
41    MADISON BUMGARNER
27    LEIGH WEAR


29   MARLIN GREER
45   DYLAN JARAMILLO
27   JEREMY WHITTEN
37   AUGUSTAS ROJAS
36   BILLY BUCKNER
56   JASON VARGAS
58   FELIPE PAULINO
60   ROBERT RAY
28   NOAH ANTHONY

RELIEF PITCHERS (12)
31   IRA SOLERI
37   RANDOLPH GINDL
52   ESMERLING VALDEZ
59   ZANE MIDDLEBROOK
61   YUSLAN QUINTANA
62   ASDRUBAL ESCOBEDO
63   JARVIS SHERRILL
70   DAREL GETZ
71   DINO DE LA ROSA
73   RENALDO JOYNER
74   HUNTER JONES
50   WEON JU

CLOSERS (5)
75    FRANKIE RODRIQUEZ
66    MARCEL McARTHUR
67    WANDY RINCON
68    COLTON METZGER\
51    OTTO SEANEZ

2010-SEASON TWO REVIEW

AL MVP-ALBERT PUJOLS, SEA, .316, 61, 156
NL MVP-TIM LINCECUM, NYM, 19-8, 3.17 ERA, 235 SO

AL CY YOUNG-CLAY BUCHOLZ, SEA, 18-8, 3.67 ERA, 194 SO
NL CY YOUNG-DERICK LOWE, LA, 22-6, 2.89 ERA, 163 SO

AL ROY-JESUS ROCHA, OF, OAK, .257, 20, 73
NL ROY-NELSON MYLES, C, WASH, .307, 23, 77

AL SILVER SLUGGER-JOEY VOTTO, KC, .355, 40, 134
NL SILVER SLUGGER-JIM THOME, NYM, .325, 34, 100

AL LEADERS
AVG
VOTTO KC .355
NMORGAN ANA .348
ARODRIGUEZ DET .336
JETER OAK .321
PUJOLS SEA .316

HITS
JETER 214
VOTTO 207
PUJOLS 200
AROD 193

2B
POLANCO NYY 56
PIERRE CWS 53
JETER 52
KEMP MIN 46

3B
ROLLINS CWS 16

HR
PUJOLS 61
AROD 58
SWISHER TEX 44
DUNN MIN 43
FIELDER NYY 42

RBI
PUJOLS 156
AROD 145
VOTTO 134
ZIMMERMAN 125
BAY 118

RUNS
AROD 130
PUJOLS 125
KEMP 114

SB
PIERRE 72
NMORGAN 56
ROLLINS 51
EGODWIN CLE 40
BROBERTS 40

NL LEADERS
AVG
THOME NYM .335
MRAMIREZ ARIZ .335
NJOHNSON MIL .332
HELTON HOU .332
ESCOBAR ATL .328

HITS
HELTON 215
MARKAKIS CIN 200
MHOLLIDAY NYM 198
TEJADA PHIL 198

2B
ADAM JONES NYM 51
GRANDERSON ATL 50
AYBAR WASH 49

3B
CRAWFORD PIT 15

HR
UTLEY STL 44
RHOWARD PIT 42
CPENA CHI 42
MRAMIREZ 40

RBI
KMORALES CIN 117
HOLLIDAY 116
HOWARD 116
MREYNOLDS SF 114
RASMUS MIL 111

RUNS
HELTON 114
ABREU 110
REYNOLDS 108
FIGGINS NYM 107

SB
FIGGINS 84
ELLSBURY SD 65
ANDRUS COL 40

AL LEADERS
WINS
BUCHHOLZ SEA 18
LILLY SEA 16
LEE CWS 16
DUCHSHERER OAK 16

SAVES
NATHAN TB 52
SORIANO KC 48

ERA
CUETO KC 3.26
LILLY 3.44

NL LEADERS
WINS
LOWE LA 22
LINCECUM NYM 19
FGARCIA STL 17
SHEETS NYM 17

SAVES
BWILSON STL 49
CAPPS LA 44

ERA
SHEETS 2.11

STANDINGS
AL EAST
TB  93 69 -
BAL 87 75 6
NY 78 84 15
TOR 78 84 15
BOS           27

AL CENTRAL
KC 91 71 -
CLE 89 73 2
CHI 85 77 6
DET 78 84 13
MIN 73 89 18

AL WEST
OAK 88 74 -
ANA 86 76 2
SEA 86 76 2
TEX 54 108 34

NL EAST
NY 108 54 -
PHI 83 79 25
WAS 72 90 36
ATL 70 92 38
FLA 68 94 40

NL CENTRAL
HOU 96 66 -
CIN 88 74 8
STL 84 78 12
MIL 84 78 12
CHI 81 81 15
PIT 66 96 30

NL WEST
LA 99 63 -
SF 84 78 15
COL 82 80 17
SD 67 95 32
ARI 66 96 33


PLAYOFF BRACKET

CLE 3
TB 1

KC 3
OAK 2                            KC 4
                                        CLE 2
NYM 3
CIN 1                                                                                 NYM 4
                                                                                            KC 1
LA 3                                NYM 4
HOU 0                             LA 2

THE 'I's' OF TEXAS NOT SHINING BRIGHTLY

RANGERS STUMBLE TO MAJORS' WORST RECORD

BY PAT DORWIN

SPORTSWRITER

DALLAS MORNING NEWS

ARLINGTON - IMPATIENCE, IMPOTENCE AND INCOMPETENCE ARE NOT A COMBINATION ANYONE IS FOND OF.

UNLESS, OF COURSE, YOU HAVE AN INCLINATION TO BE IMPOSSIBLY SELF-DESTRUCTIVE.

THAT'S THE COURSE THE TEXAS RANGERS FOUND THEMSELVES PLODDING THROUGH IN SEASON TWO OF MLB: THE SHOW 2010, DAWDLING THEIR WAY TO A 54-108 RECORD, POOREST IN ALL THE LAND.

BUT OBSERVERS HAVE AN INKLING ALL THAT IS BEHIND THE FRANCHISE.

"NOW THAT THEY HAVE THE NEW OWNERSHIP IN PLACE (THE CLUB WAS RUN BY MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL UNTIL SUITABLE OWNERS WERE FOUND IN AUGUST), THEY HAVE A WHOLE OFFSEASON TO GET THE BAD TASTE OF 2010 OUT OF THEIR MOUTHS," SAID AN AMERICAN LEAGUE SCOUT. "THEY WERE BY FAR THE YOUNGEST TEAM, SO THERE IS PLENTY OF ROOM FORE THEIR YOUNGSTERS TO BLOSSOM."

TEENAGERS SUCH AS NEVILLE CRUISE, LORENZO ORTIZ, CAYDEN WOOTEN. LEIGH WEIR AND OTHERS GOT TO EXPERIENCE THE BIGS.

"ALTHOUGH THAT EXPERIENCE WAS A LOSING ONE, THEY STILL GOT TO SEE WHAT IT TAKES TO BE CONSISTENT," THE SCOUT SAID.

THE TRIPS MADE BACK AND FORTH BY PLAYERS FROM ARLINGTON, CLASS AAA OKLAHOMA CITY AND AA FRISCO WERE SEEMINGLY MADE DAILY. THE TRADES WERE NUMEROUS - AND HARDLY SUCCESSFUL.

"(INTERIM GENERAL MANAGER DAN) RAJKOWSKI WAS BEHIND THE EIGHT-BALL FROM THE START," SAYS A NATIONAL LEAGUE SCOUT. "HE HAD A DECENT DRAFT OFFENSIVELY, GETTING YOUNG PLAYERS SIGNED TO LONG-TERM DEALS, BUT THAT LEFT THE PITCHING STAFF IN SHAMBLES."

INDEED, JOURNEYMAN RANDY WOLF WAS THE ACE OF THE STAFF UNTIL BREAKING HIS ARM, THEN RETURNING TO DUTY TO FIND THE RANGERS HAD ACQIURED FELIX HERNANDEZ, JOSH JOHNSON AND COLE HAMELS, A TRIUMVIRATE OF STARTERS ANY CLUB WOULD LIKE.

WOLF BARELY MADE IT OUT OF THE BULLPEN FOR A FEW LATE SEASON STARTS WHILE "KING FELIX" LOST 21 GAMES, JOHNSON WAS 10-13 AND THE INEFFECTIVE HAMELS WAS LATER TRADED..

"IT'S CERTAINLY EASY FOR A STARTER TO LOSE FOCUS WITH THE CATCHING SITUATION THE WAY IT WAS," THE NL SCOUT SAID.

INDEED, THE CLUB TRADED AWAY NELSON MYLES EARLY IN THE SEASON - WHERE HE EARNED NL ROOKIE-OF-THE-YEAR HONORS WITH WASHINGTON - AND IT WAS ALL DOWNHILL BEHIND THE PLATE AFTER THAT.

BELOW ARE SEASON STATS FOR MANY OF THE RANGERS, WITH PLAYERS ACQUIRED THROUGH TRADES MARKED WITH ASTERISKS, AND STATS FOR ALL MLB TEAMS COMBINED. ROOKIES ARE DENOTED WITH AN "R" BEFORE THEIR NAMES.

*AARON HILL, 2B, 155 GP, 637 AB, 176 H, .276 AVG, 86 R, 34 2B, 27 HR, 91 RBI, 1 SB

*MARK TEIXEIRA, 1B-DH, 154 GP, 588 AB, 168 H, .286 AVG, 93 R, 33 2B, 31 HR, 91 RBI, 0 SB

NICK SWISHER, RF-CF, 145 GP, 554 AB, 158 H, .285 AVG, 84 R, 22 2B, 44 HR 100 RBI, 0 SB

*CHRIS COGHLAN, LF, 115 GP, 437 AB, 137 H, .314 AVG, 56 R, 20 2B, 8 HR, 44 RBI, 8 SB

R-GRAHAM DOLAN, OF, 102 GP, 291 AB, 81 H, .278 AVG, 27 R, 12 2B, 6 HR, 32 RBI, 5 SB

SKIP SHUMAKER, 2B-OF, 101 GP, 279 AB, 71 H, .276 AVG, 31 R, 12 2B, 0 HR, 19 RBI, 16 SB

R-DERREK WILEY, DH-1B, 100 GP, 394 AB, 104 H, .264 AVG, 42 R, 16 2B, 11 HR 46 RBI, 10 SB

JASON JARAMILLO, C, 69 GP, 151 AB, 41 H, .272 AVG, 12 R, 2 2B, 0 HR, 8 RBI, 1 SB

R-HUGO GARZA, 3B-2B, 59 GP, 212 AB, 54 H, .258 AVG, 12 R, 12 2B, 0 HR, 12 RBI, 2 SB

*JORDAN SHAFER, CF, 48 GP, 132 AB, 42 H, .318 AVG, 19 R, 13 2B, 3 HR, 12 RBI, 4 SB

ALBERTO CALLASPO, INF, 39 GP, 118 AB, 29 H, .246 AVG, 9 R, 4 2B, 3 HR, 16 RBI, 0 SB

R-S. BERROA, SS, 37 GP, 123 AB, 30 H, .244 AVG, 11 R, 3 2B, 0 HR, 8 RBI, 0 SB


R-DIONER LOPES C                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               .143, 0, 0  (2-14)

R-CAYDEN WOOTEN, OF, 19 GP, 45 AB, 10 H, .222 AVG, 4 R, 2 2B, 1HR, 2 RBI, 1 SB

DESHAWN WAECHTER, C, .248, 0, 13 (29-117)

-

R-NEVILLE CRUISE, 3B, 2B, 1B

R-LORENZO ORTIZ, 3B-2B,

R-KING SNYDER, C, .159, 1, 3

STANFORD ZIMMER, C, .255, 0, 1 (13-51)

JOHN JASO, C, .000, 0, 0

T-YAMIL ZEPEDA. C. .282, 0, 3 (20-71)

HUGE DEALS CONTINUE

BRAUN, MORNEAU AND HAMELS SHIPPED OUT; TEIXEIRA, ZITO AND COGHLAN TEXAS-BOUND

BY PAT DORWIN

SPORTSWRITER

DALLAS MORNING NEWS

ARLINGTON - RYAN BRAUN - WHO STOPPED THE NEAR-RECORD 21-GAME LOSING SKID BY THE RANGERS EARLIER IN THE SEASON, AND FORMER AMERICAN LEAGUE MVP JUSTIN MORNEAU WERE SENT PACKING THURSDAY, JULY 22.

BRAUN AND MORNEAU, TEXAS' FIRST- AND THIRD-ROUND SEASON TWO DRAFT PICKS, ARE HEADED TO BALTIMORE WHERE THE ORIOLES (58-38) SIT ATOP THE AL EAST, 4.5 GAMES AHEAD OF TAMPA.

THE RANGERS, WITH THE MAJORS' WORST RECORD AT 33-64, PICK UP VETERAN FIRST BASEMAN MARK TEIXEIRA (HITTING .299 WITH 20 HOMERS AND 60 RBI'S), PITCHER BARRY ZITO, THE STARTER IN LAST WEEK'S ALL-STAR GAME AND UP-AND-COMING LEFTFIELDER CHRIS COGHLAN.

"OBVIOUSLY, WE'VE TURNED OUR ATTENTION TO 2011," SAID TEAM PRESIDENT NOLAN RYAN, "AS HAD THE INTERIM FRONT-OFFICE PERSONNEL."

RYAN, PART OF HE GROUP THAT RECENTLY PURCHASED THE TEAM, SAID THE TRADE MATCHED UP WELL CONTRACT- AND COST-WISE.

FORMER RANGER TEIXEIRA IS IN THE OPENING YEAR OF A 7-YEAR DEAL THAT PAYS HIM $126 MILLION, TOPPING OUT AT ALMOST $21 MILLION IN 2016, WHEN HE'LL BE 36 YEARS OLD.

ZITO, 31, HAS ALREADY MATCHED HIS 2009 WIN TOTAL WHILE COMPILING A 10-2 MARK WITH 101 STRIKEOUTS AND 102 HITS ALLOWED IN 130 INNINGS OF WORK. THE 6-FOOT-4, 215-POUND BREAKING BALL SPECIALIST HAS QUALITY STARTS IN 12 OF 19 OUTINGS WITH THREE SHUTOUTS WHILE POSTING A 2.63 ERA.

HIS FOUR-YEAR DEAL PAYS HIM $5.9 MILLION THIS SEASON AND TOPS OUT AT $6.9 MILLION IN THE FINAL YEAR.

"WE'VE BEEN KEEPING AN EYE ON HIM SINCE LATE LAST YEAR," RYAN SAID. "HE'S LOOKED UNHITTABLE TO ME AT TIMES AND WE THINK HE'S RETURNED TO HIS DAYS OF PITCHING OUTSTANDING BALL IN OAKLAND."

THE 24-YEAR-OLD COGHLAN WILL STAY IN LEFT FIELD, LEAVING ROOKIE GRAHAM DOLAN OUT IN THE COLD FOR NOW, ALTHOUGH COGHLAN CAN ALSO PLAY RIGHT FIELD, SECOND BASE AND THIRD BASE.

COGHLAN IS BATTING .310 WITH SIX LONGBALLS AND 32 RUNS DRIVEN IN, A YEAR AFTER POSTING .321, 9, 47 NUMBERS IN NEARLY FULLTIME WORK FOR THE MARLINS.

"WE'LL DEFINITELY BUMP HIS SALARY UP FROM ITS CURRENT $400,000 IF HE CONTINUES HIS STRONG PLAY," RYAN SAID OF COGHLAN.

AN OPTION TO GET THE SLUMPING DOLAN INTO THE OUTFIELD MIX WOULD BE TO TRADE SECOND BASEMAN IAN KINSLER, WHO IS HITTING JUST .223 AND HAS A 3-YEAR CONTRACT NEARING $20 MILLION.

"PEOPLE FORGET IAN IS ONLY 27 YEARS OLD," RYAN SAID. "HE'S IN THE MIDST OF A SECOND STRAIGHT POOR SEASON BUT HAS TONS OF NATURAL POWER."

BRAUN CONTRIBUTED STELLAR DEFENSE IN LEFT ALONG WITH A .295 AVERAGE, 22 HOMERS, 54 RBI'S, 25 DOUBLES AND SEVEN STEALS FOR THE RANGERS.

"(HITTING COACH) CLINT (HURDLE) SAW SOME HOLES IN RYAN'S SWING THAT THE PAIR COULDN'T SEEM TO FIX," SAID RYAN.

BRAUN (SIX-YEARS, $46.8 MILLION) SAID HURDLE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT BRAUN'S PERFORMANCE AGAINST RIGHT-HANDED PITCHERS.

"BUT THE NUMBERS DON'T SEEM TO INDICATE THAT," SAID BRAUN, HITTING .292 VS. RIGHT-HANDERS OPPOSED TO .302 VS. LEFTIES.

BRAUN'S BIGGEST DISCREPANCY CAME AT HOME, WHERE THE RANGERS PLAY DISMAL BALL, WHERE HE HIT ONLY .240 WHILE POUNDING AWAY AT .359 ON THE ROAD. MORNEAU HIT ONLY .212 AT HOME, WHILE POSTING A .315 AVERAGE AWAY FROM ARLINGTON.

MORNEAU, IN THE INITIAL SEASON OF A FIVE-YEAR, $36.3 MILLION DEAL, HIT .265 OVERALL FOR THE RANGERS WITH 16 HOMERS AND 48 RBI'S.

"THE KEY TO THE TRADE WAS (COLE) HAMELS," RYAN SAID.

HAMELS (TWO-YEARS, ALMOST $15 MILLION) IS JUST 4-8 OVERALL WITH AN ERA APPROACHING 5.00, IS A YEAR REMOVED FROM A 10-11, 4.32 SEASON WITH PHILADELPHIA.

"OVERALL, HAMELS IS 10 GAMES OVER .500 FOR HIS CAREER," RYAN SAID OF THE 26-YEAR-OLD LEFTY. "I WISH HIM WELL IN RETURNING TO HIS EARLIER YEARS."

THE DAY BEFORE THIS BLOCKBUSTER, RYAN PULLED OFF A DEAL WITH THE MARLINS, SENDING THREE LIGHTLY REGARDED STARING PITCHERS TO FLORIDA FOR TOP-NOTCH CLOSER FRANKIE RODRIGUEZ. THE 28-YEAR-OLD RIGHTY IS BACK TO HIS OLD SELF, RYAN SAID.

RODRIGUEZ HAS POSTED 26 SAVES WITH A 1.72 ERA A YEAR AFTER HIS 35 SAVES CAME AT THE EXPENSE OF A 3.71 ERA. HE MAKES $8 MILLION THIS YEAR AND $8.4 MILLION IN 2011. TEXAS ALSO ACQUIRED LEFT-HANDED HITTING CATCHER DESHAWN WAECHTER, WHO IS HITTING .316 IN 19 AT-BATS AND WILL PLAY MOST EVERYDAY FOR TEXAS, RYAN SAID.

WAECHTER, 23, HAS A 3-YEAR, $90,000 CONTRACT.

FINALLY!

LONG LOSING SKEIN COMES TO END

BY PAT DORWIN

SPORTSWRITER

DALLAS MORNING NEWS

HOUSTON - THE RANGERS HAD TO LOOK TO CANADA FOR INSPIRATION TO HALT THEIR LOSING STREAK.

WITH "IT'S OVER" BY LONG-BROKEN UP LOVERBOY, AND "IN THE END" BY LONG-IN-THE-TOOTH ROCK BAND RUSH, BLARING IN THE RANGERS' CLUBHOUSE THE PAST WEEK, THE SONGS PROVED LUCKY SATURDAY, JUNE 19 AT HOUSTON.

THE SONGS BY THE CANADIAN BANDS WERE FIRST BASEMAN JUSTIN MORNEAU'S IDEA.

WHATEVER WORKS.

AFTER COMPILING A 21-GAME LOSING STREAK - NEARING THE PREHISTORIC CLEVELAND SPIDERS' 24 STRAIGHT LOSSES IN 1896 AND PHILADELPHIA'S 23-GAME SLIDE IN 1961 - IT ALL ENDED WITH A 5-4 WIN OVER THE ASTROS.

RYAN BRAUN'S SECOND SOLO HOMER - THIS COMING IN THE TOP OF THE 10TH - VAULTED THE RANGERS TO THE WIN AFTER HOUSTON TIED THE GAME IN THE BOTTOM OF THE NINTH.

"RYAN GOT THE MONKEY UNCLAWED FROM OUR BACKS," SAID TEXAS RANGER MANAGER RON WASHINGTON. "TIME TO TOSS THOSE OLD CDs AND GET SOME NEW MUSIC ON."