2010 MLB Postseason Infographic

Source: Online Schools

Dallas Round-Up – Cowboys Finally Win, Mavs Streaking, Rangers Begin Lee Chase

There was a high pay per head price for tickets to last weekend’s Manny Pacquiao-Antonio Margarito fight, which is probably the best action in Cowboys Stadium yet this season. But the Cowboys finally made a change and ended up with a victory, which is a start. Meanwhile, the Mavericks are off to a fast start, while the Rangers are trying to hold onto their ace, among others.

Dallas Cowboys
NFL betting players were wondering how long it would take Jerry Jones to put Wade Phillips out of his misery, and the writing was on the wall after a 45-7 humiliation at Green Bay. Phillips was out the next day, making offensive coordinator Jason Garrett the interim head coach. Garrett’s first order of business was to institute a dress code and have the players practice in pads. The extra intensity must have worked as the Cowboys came out on fire in a 33-20 win on the road against the New York Giants in a game that wasn’t even that close. Dez Bryant had his first 100-yard game, and the defense forced three turnovers in their best performance in weeks. The talent has always been there, but the Cowboys actually cared this week, and that’s all it takes. They’ll have to bring that same attitude into Week 11, when they welcome an improved Detroit team to Dallas early on Sunday afternoon.

Dallas Mavericks
The Mavericks have won seven of their first nine games ahead of Wednesday’s meeting with the Hornets in New Orleans, and the Hornets will have their stingers out after the Mavericks became the first team to beat them. Dallas ended the Hornets’ unbeaten run at eight games with a 98-95 win on Monday night at home, getting 26 points from Jason Terry. That was the third straight game in which Dirk Nowitzki wasn’t the leading scorer, and that bodes well for the Mavericks’ NBA betting odds because we all know Nowitzki can score at will. If this keeps him fresher for the playoffs, the season will be a success. The Mavericks have won four straight going into their Wednesday showdown with New Orleans, then they’ll host Chicago on Friday, head to Atlanta on Saturday, followed by another back-to-back when they welcome Detroit on Tuesday, then travel to Oklahoma City on Wednesday.

Texas Rangers
Texas closer Neftali Feliz was named the American League Rookie of the Year after a phenomenal 40-save performance, and the Rangers are officially in offseason mode. The first order of business is to re-sign ace Cliff Lee, who has no shortage of suitors, including the deep-pocketed New York Yankees, who could barely hit Lee in the ALCS. They also are trying to re-sign slugger Vladdy Guerrero, and word is the Rangers are after catcher Victor Martinez to upgrade that position. If they can pull off this trio of signings, look for the Rangers near the top of next year’s betting odds.

Taking Down The Empire: The ALCS Preview

2010 ALCS Preview: Rangers vs Yankees

I’ve done a couple informal studies, and the results are overwhelming:

If Darth Vader had a favorite baseball team, it would be the New York Yankees.

In an unrelated story (as far as you know), every time I hear someone talk about the Yankees, I hear this.

So how our plucky little Rebels – the Texas Rangers – going to take down the Galactic Empire, er, New York Yankees?

Find out after the jump.

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2010 ALCS Preview Rangers vs Yankees

After dispatching the Rays in the first round of the 2010 MLB Playoffs, the Texas Rangers will face the New York Yankees in the 2010 ALCS. Both line ups are loaded with talent and both have capable pitching staffs. As a Rangers fan I am not used the restrictions that MLB puts in place to make you buy their stupid At Bat application if you want to listen to the games at work (without a radio). Usually I listen to radio over the web, but not during the playoffs, how dare anyone listen to their team over the internet with out paying Bud Selig and the MLB buffoons $10 – $20. MLB has even gone so far as to tell the tenants of the Rangers outfield office suites that they have to pay extra to use them during the playoff games, read more on that: Texas Rangers Suites. Enough about MLB’s iron fist, let’s preview the TV Channel, Game Information and pitching match ups between the Texas Rangers and the New York Yankees in the 2010 ALCS.

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Outfield Office Suites at Ballpark in Arlington

What started off as a story that left office tenants wondering, has quickly turned into a positive for Texas Rangers fans for the 2010 Playoffs. Below is a brief excerpt form TXCN as to exactly what happened to the Texas Rangers office suite tenants.

Excerpt for TXCN.com
The office suites beyond center field at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington may have some of the best seats in the house. But come Saturday, when the Texas Rangers play their first postseason home game in 11 years, those seats won’t be free.

Major League Baseball has informed the dozen or so businesses renting office space there that they will be charged $25 for each guest they invite to their balconies to watch the Rangers play the Tampa Bay Rays.

“Basically they are going to charge me to come to my office,” said Chuck Elhoff, a personal financial planner who moved into his ballpark office in 1994. “Why is Major League Baseball doing this? It’s a money grab.”

Source:TXCN

However, now Texas Rangers fans that normally wouldn’t be able to sit in the outfield office suites have a chance to sit in these boxes. We found one Luxury Suite that does not mention whether they allow individuals to come in, but we have been told you can contact them from their website ballpark308.com contact form to ask to be put on their guest list for a game.

Game 5 Preview: Texas Rangers vs Tampa Bay Rays

The Claw and Antlers couldn’t get it done in Arlington, and now the Rangers and Rays will return to Tampa Bay for ALDS game 5. The Rangers played sloppy defense and couldn’t get anything going on offense. If the Rangers want to win ALDS game 5 against the Rays they will have to pick up their play on both sides of the ball.

Rangers at Rays Game 5 Preview
Cliff Lee and David Price will take the mound in a game 5. If this sounds familiar, it should these two faced each other in game 1 of the Rangers-Rays playoff series. Cliff Lee looked dominant for the Rangers in game 1, and David Price didn’t impress. Don’t expect this to be a Rangers blowout again. The Rays seem to have it figured out on offense and the Rangers are looking sloppy in the field, which should make for a close game.

ALDS Game 5 Preview: Texas Rangers at Tampa Bay Rays TV Game Information
Rangers-Rays Day/Date: Tuesday – October 12th 2010
Rangers-Rays TV Time: 7:00 PM Central Time
Rangers-Rays TV First Pitch: 7:07 PM Central Time
Rangers-Rays Location: Tropicana Field
Rangers-Rays TV Channel: TBS

Texas Rangers ALDS Game 1 Running Diary

We’re LIVE on TBS! Cliff Lee vs. David Price! Rangers Playoff Baseball! Read more

Texas Rangers Playoff Preview: 2010 ALDS Schedule

The Texas Rangers are in the playoffs! Let me repeat that the Texas Rangers are in the playoffs!

The Rangers will face the Rays in a best of 5 game series. At the beginning of the season it looked like the negativity surrounding the team might keep this team from having a 2010 playoff schedule. There was the Ownership situation, the Ron Washington’s debacle, and Josh Hamilton’s night on the town waiting to take the team down. However the Rangers were able to put all that behind them and overcome a host of injuries during the season and make it to the 2010 ALDS. Could this be the year that our beloved Rangers can wipe out some of these awful post season records the franchise currently owns:

Current Rangers Playoff Records

• Only team in the MLB that hasn’t won a playoff series.
• 1 of 3 current that have never appeared in a World Series.
• Oldest franchise in MLB, NFL, NHL, NBA that has never appeared in a league championship.

Currently the Rangers do have a few injuries heading into their 2010 playoff schedule. Josh Hamilton has been out with a small fracture to his ribs, will return tonight to test them out. David Murphy who has filled in admirably for Josh Hamilton, but suffered a mild groin strain, however if these two can get healthy enough the team has a chance to do some big things this post season.

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With Hamilton sidelined, Rangers’ offense struggles

Without All-Star Josh Hamilton in the lineup, the Rangers have stumbled to a 2-5 start on their current West coast road trip. On full display Thursday were the Rangers offensive struggles in a 5-0 loss at Oakland, in which Dallas Braden (10-13) and Brad Ziegler limited Texas to 1 hit in a dominating shutout. Though Cliff Lee wasn’t spectacular, surrendering 4 ER over 5 innings, the Rangers once again failed to do anything productive at the plate.

Since leaving Arlington, the Rangers offense has produced only 14 runs over their past 7 games. In their previous 7 games in Arlington, all of which were wins, Texas scored a grand total of 51 runs, or 7.3 runs/game. Their offensive struggles can’t be pinned on 1 individual, as Ian Kinsler (4 for 26), Michael Young (4 for 29), Vladimir Guerrero (6 for 28) and Nelson Cruz (6 for 24) have all been dreadful. If not for the Rangers pitching staff, which has a respectable 2.80 ERA on the current trip, things could be much worse for the club. In a span of 5 days, the Rangers once untouchable 10 game lead has withered to 7 games with 10 remaining.

With Josh Hamilton targeting the final 3 games of the season for his return, the current Rangers lineup will have to improve upon their poor production. If the Rangers can salvage a 4 game split this weekend, the team can relax knowing they have clinched their first AL West crown since 1999. A sweep at the hand of the Athletics would surely make things interesting as Texas returns home for a 7 game home stand against the Mariners and Angels.

With Tommy Hunter (12-4) on the hill Friday, the Rangers can put themselves in position to seal the division this weekend with a win. Stay tuned.

The Rangers Get to Celebrate

For most of their history, the Texas Rangers have made their fans wonder why they cared so much.

Season after season without a whole lot of hope, until the last couple, which seemed to give a glimpse of what this franchise was capable of.

But today is why it’s worth it. Today is why it’s worth it to be involved with the Texas Rangers. Read more

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