Texas Rangers: The Show: HEROES APLENTY ON OPENING DAY

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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.

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DARKNESS FALLS

FOR BOTH THE TEXAS RANGERS AND MY PLAYSTATION3.

GOING TO FAST-FORWARD MODE EARLY, THE RANGERS FINISHED 2011 WITH A DISMAL RECORD. JUST AS I TYPED IN THE LEAGUE AND TEAM STATS, AND WAS READY TO START THE PLAYOFFS, MY PS3 WENT DEAD.

AGAIN.

A CALL TO SONY'S HELPLINE PROVED FRUITLESS.

AGAIN.

THESE SO-CALLED "TECHNICIANS" AREN'T TRAINED TO HELP YOU - THEY'RE TRAINED TO SELL YOU ON SENDING IN YOUR UNIT - OR GETTING HELP ONLINE - ALL FOR THE BARGAIN PRICE OF $180.

BULLSHIT, AGAIN.

AS PLAYSTATIONS ARE NO LONGER BEING CONSTRUCTED, THESE "NECESSARY REPAIRS" ARE SIMPLY A WAY FOR SONY TO KEEP A REVENUE STREAM FLOWING.

DON'T BUY IT. THESE BEHEMOTHS ARE TURNING TO PIECES OF SHIT - AND SONY KNOWS IT.

DON'T FALL FOR IT.

2011 TRANSACTIONS

5-12
PLACED SP WADE DAVIS ON OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT WAIVERS
ACQUIRED CP LEO NUNEZ , CP JAMAAL CHRISTIAN AND RP DANIEL BARD FROM THE PADRES FOR OF JUSTIN HUBER, SS DAN BEASHORE AND C DESAHWN WAECHTER
RECALLED C STANFORD ZIMMER

5-5

ACTIVATED OF JORDAN SHAFER FROM DL AND OPTIONED SS ODIS McMAHON TO AA

5-4

ACQUIRED RP PETER MOYLAN, RP JASON BULGER AND 1B LUKE BALDWIN FROM THE PADRES FOR CP FRANKIE RODRIGUEZ, 1B KENDRY MORALES AMD RP RANDOLPH GINDL

4-27

PLACED RP FRANKLIN MORALE ON OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT WAIVERS

RECALLED P FELIPE PAULINO FROM AA

OPTIONED P DELMON BHADELIA TO AAA

RECALLED P WADE DAVIS FROM AAA

OPTIONED CF NEVILLE LUCROY TO AA

PLACED 2B ALBERYO CALLASPO ON OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT WAIVERS

RECALLED CF BRYON NANCE FROM AA

RECALLED SS TOSHIHISA UCHIDA FROM AA

4-22

SENT CP MARCEL McARTHUR TO AAA

RECALLED CF NEVILLE LUCROY FROM AAA AFTER SIGNING HIM AS A FREE AGENT TO A 3-YR/90K CONTRACT

PLACED 2B EDDY CRAMM, SS TOSHIHSA OCHIDA AND SS IAN DIAMOND ON OUTRIGHT ASSIGNMENT WAIVERS

SIGNED CF ROLF DECKER TO A 3-YR/90K DEAL AND LF JUSTIN HUBER TO A 5-YR/160K CONTRACT.

4-21

ACQUIRED SS HANLEY RAMIREZ, 1B KENDRY MORALES AND RP MIKE MacDOUGAL FROM THE REDS FOR 1B ADAM DUNN, SP MAT LATOS AND SS ALEXEI RAMIREZ

4-20

RELEASED 2B ROBBIE DEPRIEST

4-19

SENT SS SANRO BERROA OUTRIGHT TO AAA

PLACED C YAMIL ZEPEDA (AAA) ON 15-DAY DL WITH TORN GROIN

RECALLED CF JAMESON KORECKY FROM AA

OPTIONED OF CRUZ IRIATE TO AA

4-15

CAIMED RP ELIEZER TEJERA OFF WAIVERS FROM THE DODGERS

SENT P's WEON JU AND WADE DAVIS OUTRIGHT TO AA

4-13

OPTIONED MAT LATOS TO AA

PLACED SP WADE DAVIS AND RP WEON JU ON OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT WAIVERS

4-12

ACQUIRED SP YOVANI GALLARDO FROM THE DODGERS FOR SP MADISON BUMGARNER, CP WANDY RINCON AND C KING SNYDER

ACQUIRED RP H. KUO, RP FRANKLIN MORALES AND SP WADE DAVIS FROM THE REDS FOR RF CAYDEN WOOTEN, LF CARLOS GONAZALEZ AND SS TYLER GREENE.

4-10

ACQUIRED SS ALEXEI RAMIREZ. 1B ADAM DUNN AND SP WANDY RODRIGUEZ FROM THE GIANTS FOR 1B MARK TEIXEIRA, SP BARRY ZITO AND 2B RICHIE WEEKS

4-9

RECALLED OF CRUZ URIATE FROM AA AND OPTIONED OF BRYON NANCE TO AA

RECALLED CP COLTON METZGER FROM AA

4-8

ACQUIRED 2B RICHIE WEEKS AND CF COLY RASMUS FROM MILWAUKEE FOR FOR SP RANDY WOLF, 2B AARON HILL AND RF DARIN LOWELL

4-7

ACQUIRED SP MATT CAIN AND RF NICK MARKAKIS FROM THE REDS FOR SP LEIGH WEIR AND LF CHRIS COGHLAN.

RECALLED RP WEON JU FROM AAA

PLACED RP IRA SOLERI ON OUTRIGHT ASSIGNMENT WAIVERS

4-6

SENT OF CARLOS GONZALEZ OUTRIGHT TO AAA

4-4

PLACED CF JORDAN SHAFER ON THE 15-DAY DL WITH TORN FINGER LIGAMENT.

APRILABOMINATION

SIX STRAIGHT LOSSES TO END APRIL PRETTY MUCHED SUMMED UP THINGS HERE IN ARLINGTON.
THE RANGERS STUMBLED TO AN 8-17 APRIL TO OPEN THEIR 2011 CLELEBRITY TRADE DOWN TOUR.
OFFENSIVE STARS INLUDED COLBY RASMUS, ACQUIRED IN AN EARY-SEASON DEAL. RASMUS, STARTING EVERY DAY IN CF SINCE JORDAN SHAFER TORE FINGER LIGAMENTS ON THE RANGERS' OPENING DAY, DROVE IN 111 RUNS IN 2010 FOR MILWAUKEE.
RASMUS IS KNOCKING AT A .337 MARK, WITH 29 HITS IN 22 GAMES, INCLUDING 15 EXTRA-BASE HITS AND 13 RIBBIES.
RASMUS WAS SLUGGING .674, THIRD IN THE AL BEHIND DERREK LEE AND DAVID ORTIZ WITH AN ON-BASE-PLUS SLUGGING PERCENTAGE OF 1.062
HE WAS SEVENTH ON THE STRIKEOUT-PRONE OFFENSE WITH 17 WHIFFS.
TEAM HAD HORRIBLE WALK-TO-K RATIO AT-BAT, DRAWING JUST 17 WALKS WHILE WHIFFING AWHOPPING 242 TIMES. TEAM STOLE 19 BASES, WAS CAUGHT 16 TIMES.
SECOND-YEAR DH DERREK WILEY HAD RIPPED A LEAGUE-LEADING 15 DOUBLES. NICK SWISHER. A YEAR AFTER BELTING 44 HOMERS, HAD SIX WITH 15 RBI's.
NICK MARKAKIS HAD A STRONG START, COMING TO THE CLUB IN THE MIDDLE OF A TEAR, WITH HIS OVERALL NUMBERS NOW AT .267, 7, 20. 3B NEVILLE CRUISE WAS SOLID AT .292, BUT HAD HOMERED JUST ONCE AND TOTALED OUT AT 3 RBI's. KENDRY MORALES HAD PICKED UP MOST OF HIS RBI'S BEFORE A TRADE AND HIS AVERAGE HAD FALLEN TO .230, WITH FOUR HR's AND 17 DRIVEN IN.

SWISHER 277, 6, 15
WILEY .322, 4, 11

PITCHERS.
TOO BLOODY TO DISCUSS.
W DAVIS 0-0 18.00
FMORALES 1-3 9.28
GALLARDO 2-0 7.71
MacDOUGAL 0-0 7.50
HERNANDEZ 0-3 6.91
GINDLE 0-0 5.59
JOHNSON 3-2 4.50
CAIN 2-2 4.20
KUO 0-2 3.24
FROD 0-0 3.18
CAIN 2-2 4.20
METZGER 0-1 3.00
WROD 2 -3 2.70

SCORES
KC (7-5, 0-10, 6-5, 4-11)
LAA (2-11, 3-10, 5-2)
BOS (2-4, 4-1, 4-6)
TB (5-1 6-7, 8-6)
CLE (6-4, 1-5, 1-7, 2-3)
BOS (2-0, 10-17, 1-2)
CWS (1-5, 1-6, 8-14)
CLE (0-11, 5-6)

TOUGH STUFF

FOR THE SECOND EXHIBITION SEASON IN A ROW, TEXAS STARTED OUT SLOW, LOSING ITS FIRST SIX GAMES.

THE RANGERS LOST THREE STRAIGHT TO DEFENDING AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPS KANSAS CITY BY SCORES OF 10-2, 5-2 AND 9-3.

LOSSES TO A MUCH-IMPROVED CLEVELAND SQUAD (8-3), THE ANGELS (3-2) AND SEATTLE (5-1) FOLLOWED.

THE ROTATION WENT AS FOLLOWS: FELX HERNANDEZ, BARRY ZITO, JOSH JOHNSON, MAT LATOS AND RANDY WOLF, WITH WOLF THE OPENING DAY STARTER IN 2010, TURNING IN THE ONLY DECENT PERFORMANCE BY A STARTER.

BIG HOME RUNS EARLY STALLED MOST OF THE STARTS.

HERNANDEZ WAS CLOCKED AT 98 MPH, JOHNSON 97 AND LATOS 96.

SEASON TWO-2010 TRADES

7-22
ACQUIRED 1B MARK TEIXEIRA, SP BARRY ZITO AND LF CHRIS COGHLAN FROM BALTIMORE FOR LF RYAN BRAUN, 1B JUSTIN MORNEAU AND SP COLE HAMELS.

7-21
ACQUIRED SS ODIS McMAHON AND CP FRANKIE RODRIGUEZ FROM FLORIDA FOR SP M. OGAWA, SP NESTOR EPPERSON AND SP CHARLIE MORTON.

7-15
ACQUIRED CF JORDAN SHAFER FROM ST. LOUIS FOR CF MICHAEL BOURN, LF DELWYN YOUNG AND RP DAN RUNZLER

ACQUIRED C DESHAWN WAECHTER FROM SSAN FRANCISCO FOR C TYLER CROOK, RP CRAIG HANSEN AND LF CHA SEUNG LEE.

6-24

ACQUIRED CF DARIN LOWELL FROM THE GIANTS FOR SP DANIEL HUDSON, RP CLA MEREDITH AND OF BRETT GARDNER.

6-23

ACQUIRED C KOYIE HILL AND 3B CHRIS JOHNSON FROM SAN DIEGO FOR RP RANDY CHOATE, CF BRIAN BARTON AND RF GABE GROSS.

6-11

ACQUIRED CF MICHAEL BOURN FROM SAN DIEGO FOR RF AUSTIN KEARNS, C SHINICHI IGUCHI AND CP RYAN FRANKLIN.

5-21

ACQUIRED SP COLE HAMELS, C JASON JARAMILLO AND 2B IAN KINSLER FROM ATLANTA FOR SS YUNEL ESCOBAR, C YORVIT TORREALBA AND 3B ANDY MARTE.

5-13

ACQUIRED SP JOHN JOHNSON FROM TORONTO FOR 2B ROBINSON CANO, 3B DAVID FREESE AND RF JAY BRUCE.

5-12

ACQUIRED SP FELIX HERNANDEZ AND C JUDSON BANKS FROM SAN DIEGO FOR RF ICHIRO SUZUKI, RP TIM WAKEFIELD AND 3B CASEY McGHEE.

ACQUIRED C YORVIT TORREALBA FROM WASHINGTON FOR C NELSON MYLES.

ROUGH START

TEXAS BEGAN ITS 2010-SEASON TWO PRESEASON CAMPAIGN WITH FIVE STRAIGHT LOSSES FROM MAY 4 TO 8.

THE RANGERS OPENED THEIR SEASON BY DROPPING THREE STRAIGHT TO KANSAS CITY, 4-3, 6-2 AND 6-2, STRIKING OUT 26 TIMES AMD COLLECTING JUST 28 HITS.

THOSE LOSSES WERE FOLLOWED BY DEFEATS TO CLEVELAND (5-4) AND THE ANGELS (14-5).

RUMOR HAS THE TEAM TRYING TO PACKAGE THREE PLAYERS TO THE REDS TO ACQUIRE HANLEY RAMIREZ, A STANDOUT IN SEASON ONE.

ICHIRO AND SKIP SCHUMAKER ARE LIKELY LEADOFF CANDIDATES, BUT EITHER ONE IS COMFORTABLE LOWER IN THE ORDER.

NEVILLE CRUISE, THE 18-YEAR-OLD PHENOM, IS WORKING ON MAKING THIRD BASE HIS FOR THE SEASON. FELLOW YOUNGSTER LORENZO ORTIZ, WHO POSTED BIG NUMBERS IN PITTSBURGH FOR SEASON ONE, BACKS UP CRUISE AND COULD PRESSURE ROBINSON CANO FOR PLAYING TIME AT SECOND.

FIRST BASE REMAINS JUSTIN MORNEAU'S, BUT DERREK WILEY SHOULD SEE TIME THERE AND AT DESIGNATED HITTER.

RYAN BRAUN (LEFT FIELD), JAY BRUCE (CENTER FIELD) AND ICHIRO (RIGHT FIELD) SEEM LIKE LOCKS, WHILE A LARGE MIX OF CANDIDATES TO BACK THEM UP ARE IN CAMP.

YUNEL ESCOBAR STARTS AT SHORTSTOP, BACKED UP BY IAN DIAMOND.

ALL PHASES OF THE PITCHING STAFF ARE HUGE QUESTION MARKS.

TRANSACTIONS 2010-SEASON ONE

8/8-PLACED P EDDIE GUARDADO ON REVOCABLE TRADE WAIVERS

7/30-AQUIRED P EDDIE GUARDADO AND P SCOTT LINEBRINK FROM THE NATIONALS FOR P CLA MEREDITH, OF BRANDON BOGGS AND P BOBBY PARNELL

7-22- ACQUIRED P MAICER MARINO FROM THE NATIONALS FOR OF ANDRES TORRES

7-22-ACQUIRED P JASON BULGER FROM THE REDS FOR SS TYLER GREENE

7/17-RELEASED 1B JO-JO HALAMA

7/16-ACQUIRED 3B NEVILLE CRUISE AND 1B DERREK WILEY FROM THE PADRES FOR P RANDY CHOATE, P MADISON BUMGARNER AND 1B JOEY VOTTO

7/15-ACQUIRED P LEIGH WEIR FROM THE GIANTS FOR P ARTHUR RHODES, P SERGIO ROMO AND P JOBA CHAMBERLAIN

7/3-ACQUIRED SS IAN DESMOND FROM THE BLUE JAYS FOR 3B WILKISON BETAMIT AND P JOBA CHAMBERLAIN

ACQUIRED SS HANLEY RAMIREZ FROM THE PADRES FOR OFs MATT HOLLIDAY AND CHRIS YOUNG AND SS ALCIDES ESCOBAR

ACQUIRED P JOSH JOHNSON FROM THE RED SOX FOR OF-3B JOSE BAUTISTA, 2B-3B DAVID FREESE AND 3B BRANDON WOOD

ACQUIRED P THEODORE STARK FROM THE ASTROS FOR P KYLE FARNSWORTH, LEO NUNEZ, 3B BRIAN BUSCHER AND P GIO GONZALEZ (MUST HAVE BEEN OTHER PLAYERS INVOLVED)

ACQUIRED P JOAQUIN BENOIT FROM THE FROM THE DODGERS FOR 1B BILLY BUTLER, SS BILL HALL AND 1B STEVEN PEARCE
(MAY HAVE BEEN OTHER PLAYERS INVOLVED)

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HEROES APLENTY ON OPENING DAY

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