Cristian Guzman traded to Texas Rangers? Confirmed

Twitter is buzzing and the Washington Post is reporting that there is more Texas Rangers news, 2B/SS Cristian Guzman is heading to Texas. The Rangers traded prospects to the Washington Nationals for the veteran infielder. There are no more details yet on the trade, and we will update this post when we here more details on the Texas Ranger’s Cristian Guzman trade.

Washington Post Articte: Cristian Guzman Traded to Texas Rangers
Photo Credit: Sports of Boston

Jorge Cantu traded to the Rangers? Confirmed

**The Jorge Cantu Trade has been confirmed.**

It looks like the Jorge Cantu rumor is getting closer to being true. If  Jorge Cantu is coming, you can forget about Prince Fielder. I like this deal better, because we don’t have to give up the farm to get Cantu. In the Cantu deal the Texas Rangers are supposedly giving up to AA minor league pitchers for Jorge Cantu, at this point it is not confirmed. Rumor is that the Rangers will only be picking up very little if any of his salary. However Jorge Cantu is still in the game for the Marlins so this might be some BS, however this post will be updated as more information is available.

UPDATES:

Ken Rosenthal’s Tweet
• #Marlins’ return for Cantu will be Double A RHP Evan Reed & Double A RHP Omar Poveda, who is on DL recovering from TJ surgery. #Rangers #MLB

Other Tweets

• “The Marlins will obtain AA righties Evan Reed and Omar Poveda from the Rangers for Jorge Cantu” Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports @560wqam

Image Source: http://www.exposay.com/

Texas Rangers Lead the West, Cowboys WR Dez Bryant

Dallas Round-Up – Rangers Extending Lead In West; Cowboys, Bryant Hope To Avoid Holdout

College football betting online is about to get started, but until then, check out the Texas Rangers’ quest for the American League West, and things are looking good for them right now
(on the field, anyway).  Elsewhere in NFL news, the Dallas Cowboys have begun talks to try and avoid a Michael Crabtree situation.

Texas Rangers

Heading into Thursday’s opener of a massive four-game series at home against the rival Los Angeles Angels, the Rangers were five games ahead of the Angels in the West after a pair of series wins.  First, the Rangers proved they could win on the road by taking three of four against the Red Sox in Boston’s venerable Fenway Park, and they rode a 4-2 win in the Boston finale into a two-game romp in Detroit, outscoring the Tigers 16-6 in the first two of the series before falling 4-1 in the final game.  Benji Molina and Ian Kinsler both nailed a couple of homers for the Rangers, who are boosting their MLB betting odds with each win, while Nelson Cruz hit .438 with 11 RBIs over the week for the Rangers.  On the pitching side, young Tommy Hunter continues to dazzle, going 2-0 with a 1.32 ERA in 13.2 innings of work, and the 24-year-old righthander is now 7-0 in nine starts with a 2.09 ERA this season.  Cliff Lee is still looking for his first win for the Rangers since coming over from Seattle, but he’s gone nine innings in each of his starts so far, and he was unlucky to earn a no-decision in an extra-inning loss in Boston last week.  Lee will be on the mound this Thursday against the Angels in search of that elusive win.

Dallas Cowboys

NFL football betting players can practically taste the beginning of the season as camps are almost here, and rosters are becoming a bit clearer.  The Cowboys are hoping that their first-round draft pick will be a part of it all as they’ve begun contract talks with Dez Bryant, the talented but apparently troubled receiver that many are calling the next Michael Irvin.  Bryant would do well to look at the situation of San Francisco’s Michael Crabtree, who played with Texas Tech while Bryant was at Oklahoma State, another Big 12 school.  Crabtree held out for all of camp and the first five weeks of the season in 2009 because he thought he should have been drafted higher, yet wanted more money.  Crabtree was playing catch-up all season, and it was only at the end of the year that we were starting to see how special he could be.  Jerry Jones isn’t shy about splashing around money, so we think this situation will be sorted, and you can bet on Bryant in your best online sportsbook to win Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Dallas Round-Up: Rangers at the All-Star Game – Nowitzki Stays

If you’re betting on NFL football odds for the upcoming season, it’s pretty quiet for a change around the Cowboys’ camp, so there’s not much to talk about there, as well as with the Stars.  In baseball, the Rangers are sending a few players to the All-Star (held at the stadium of their division rival, no less), while the Mavericks ensured their star will probably retire in Dallas.

Texas Rangers

The Rangers will have a pair of All-Star starters in Los Angeles, as outfielder Josh Hamilton and designated hitter Vladdy Guerrero will represent Texas.  This is an extra-special trip for Guerrero, who played at the Angel Stadium of Anaheim for five years and was a fan favorite there.  Guerrero is second in the American League in RBIs and fifth in homers after most MLB betting players thought he was washed up, while Hamilton is third in average, second in homers and fourth in RBIs, showing everyone that last season’s decline was due to injuries.  Closer Neftali Feliz is tied for second in the league with 23 saves, so that was enough to get him on the roster, and the Rangers could have a fourth player if Michael Young wins the fan vote.

On the field, the Rangers have certainly cooled off, losing two of three at home to the White Sox last weekend, but they rebounded to win two of three at home against Cleveland through the week.  Hamilton had another big week, hitting .308 with three dingers and five RBIs, while Joaquin Arias also added five RBIs for the Rangers, who will wrap up the first part of their schedule with a four-game set against Baltimore at the Ballpark, and the Orioles are the worst team in the major leagues, so the Rangers will expect to take at least three of four heading into the All-Star break.  The Rangers swept a two-game set with the Orioles at home back in May.

Dallas Mavericks

College football betting players don’t have to worry about players staying for a team for 12 years, but they surely understand the importance of Dirk Nowitzki retiring as a Maverick.  That should happen now as the Mavericks re-signed their franchise player to a four-year, $80-million deal, and this benefits both sides.  One, Nowitzki knows that the market won’t be as good for players when the new CBA is negotiated, so he had to opt out of his previous deal so he could get as much as he could, but he was never in danger of leaving Dallas.  Second, he gave the Mavericks a bit of a hometown discount so they could pursue other free agents in hopes of helping Nowitzki get a championship.  Check out the Mavericks’ odds for next season when you’re betting online.

Texas Rangers Land Cliff Lee? Confirmed

The rumor mill is spinning big time Ranger fans, apparently the Yankees & Mariners Cliff Lee trade talks broke down and the Rangers swooped in and made a deal to bring Cliff Lee to Arlington. The Rangers are reportedly giving up Justin Smoak and a few other prospects to get Lee here. There is no doubt that Cliff Lee will be the Texas Rangers ace, and will also help the younger starting pitching in Texas learn to carry themselves and prepare for games. More info as it is available.

1310 the ticket is reporting that the Rangers will get Cliff Lee and injured reliever Mark Lowe from the Mariners. The Texas Rangers will give up 1B Justin Smoak, Pitching Prospect Blake Beavin, 2B Prospect Matt Lawson and RHP Prospect Josh Lueke.

Texas Rangers Press Conference

John Daniels confirmed that the trade for Cliff Lee is official

Halfway Home: A look at the Texas Rangers through 81 games

The Texas Rangers are 48-33 halfway through the MLB season. I continue to remind myself of this fact despite the recent four losses in six games.

Perhaps this is a loser’s mentality. Perhaps I shouldn’t be as thrilled that the Rangers are 15 games above .500, and have a 3.5 game lead in the AL West.

But I can’t help myself. I’ve been waiting for a team like this for so long, I just don’t know what to do with myself.

Keep on reading for some thoughts on each part of the Texas Rangers.

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Dallas Round-Up – Rangers Looking To Make Moves, Mavs Getting Worried About Dirk?

World Cup betting players in Dallas may have had the blow of the United States elimination in South Africa softened by the recent hot streak of the Texas Rangers, who are looking to build on their lead heading into July.  Elsewhere in the NBA, the Mavericks will be kicking off a crucial free-agent period.

Texas Rangers

The Rangers had an 11-game winning streak snapped last Friday against Houston, but they still went on to win two of three against the Astros, and they had split a pair against the Angels in Los Angeles ahead of Thursday’s series finale.  Josh Hamilton had 10 hits over six games, and his 49 hits in June was a franchise record.  Vladdy Guerrero also went deep three times and drove in 10 runs for the Rangers, while Ian Kinsler is regaining his power stroke with two homers and six RBIs last week.  On the pitching side, Scott Feldman didn’t have a good week with a 7.71 ERA in two starts, and those who bet on MLB odds know that you have to have a little bit of pitching to be successful in the postseason.  The Rangers are apparently hot on the heels of Houston’s Roy Oswalt, and they could even go after Seattle’s Cliff Lee, but their financial problems may put Lee out of their reach.   The Rangers also may have helped their hitting problem behind the plate by picking up Bengie Molina from San Francisco.  Texas has the worst-hitting catchers in the league, and Molina’s also a solid defensive catcher, so this should work out for the Rangers, but they will keep an eye for a pitcher to bolster themselves for the stretch run.

Dallas Mavericks

Dirk Nowitzki figured to be a Maverick for life, but stranger things have happened (look at Ghana, who are on the verge of reaching the World Cup semi finals betting stage).  But he did opt out of his contract and is officially fielding offers from other teams in the 2010 free-agent summer sweepstakes.  Now, the odds are still very good that Nowitzki will remain in Dallas, where he has spent all 12 years of his NBA career, and some feel that he’s just trying to get a contract under the current CBA, which will expire after next season.  But the Mavericks are going to have to go out and aggressively pursue another big free agent to join Nowitzki in Dallas, and some have even said they’re a solid betting darkhorse to land LeBron James, who is good friends with Dallas owner Mark Cuban.  Although that’s unlikely, the Mavericks have to go out and get someone better than Caron Butler to boost their betting odds.

Dallas Round-Up – Rangers Rolling In AL West; Cowboys Look to Shore Up Kicking Position

While World Cup betting is just getting into the meat of the bracket, sports betting players who choose to ride with Texas in the American League West have watched their team run up a 10-game winning streak as they stretch their lead atop the division.   In football news, the Cowboys are hoping their kicking woes are over.

Texas Rangers

On Thursday night, the Rangers will be at home at the Ballpark against Pittsburgh, looking to finish off their third straight sweep.  After a sweep in Florida, and then they rolled through Houston, outscoring the Astros 19-8.  They won the first two games of their three-game set against the Pirates by a combined score of 19-6.  Michael Young hit three homers in six games last week, while Justin Smoak added a pair.  Josh Hamilton continued his torrid run, hitting .522 with a homer and five RBIs last week, and Hamilton may never want June to end.  This month, Hamilton is hitting .476 with eight dingers and 26 RBIs, and there’s not a whole lot you can do against him right now.  Hamilton covers the entire plate, and he’s getting a lot of help in the lineup with Vladdy Guerrero, Nelson Cruz and of course, Young.  The Rangers are looking to boost their MLB betting odds in the way of starting pitching, and word is they’re hot on the trail of Houston’s Roy Oswalt, but it could be difficult to swing a deal because of owner Nolan Ryan’s testy relationship with the Astros, where he played for eight years but left because of a contract dispute.  But they found out they have some solid middle relief as Alexi Ogando won his first three appearances of the season, and that will be crucial as the Rangers’ rotation has been hit by injuries.  Neftali Feliz saved all three chances he had over the last week, and he now has 20 saves to pace the American League.

Dallas Cowboys

World Cup round of 16 betting players know that you have to have players capable of making penalties at this time of the tournament.  Field-goal kickers are just as important in the NFL, and the Cowboys didn’t have much luck in that department last season as their kickers missed a league-high 11 field-goal attempts last year, with Nick Folk missing 10 of them.  Folk is now in New York with the Jets, and the Cowboys are resting their hopes on David Buehler as they cut Connor Hughes, leaving Buehler as the only kicker in camp.  Last year, Buehler was the kickoff specialist for the Cowboys and his 29 touchbacks was tops in the league.  Now, the Cowboys are hoping he can be a boost for their betting odds this year.

Dallas Round-Up – Rangers Catching Fire

World Cup betting players in Dallas should have been happy to see Clint Dempsey, a Texas native, score the goal that gave the Americans a 1-1 draw against England in their first match.  Outside of the World Cup, it’s been quiet in Dallas as the Cowboys, Mavericks and Stars are all getting ready for next season, which leaves the entire floor to the Rangers, who are showing that their quest for the American League West crown is no joke.

Texas Rangers

The Rangers have had a big week in interleague action, taking two of three in Milwaukee, and they were going for the sweep of Florida on the road on Thursday night.  Josh Hamilton has had a wild seven days, hitting .500 on 24 at-bats with four dingers and nine RBIs, and the Texas slugger is now tied for fourth in the American League with 16 homers.  Michael Young had a typically solid week, hitting .346 with a homer and four RBIs, but more importantly, Young set the Rangers’ all-time record for hits on Wednesday night against the Marlins.  Young now has 1,748 career hits, and there doesn’t seem to be any end in sight for the 33-year-old third baseman.  The Rangers may be a little worried because Ian Kinsler said that the ankle injury that kept him out of the Opening Day lineup isn’t fully healed yet.  To a USA World Cup betting player, this would be like Dempsey operating at half-speed for the national team.  Also on the injury front, the Rangers would love to have Nelson Cruz back in the lineup.

Everyone knows that the Rangers’ MLB betting odds will depend on how their pitching holds up, and it’s still doing pretty well two months into the season.  However, injuries could play a big role in this portion of the season, and the Rangers may have to decide if they’re going to go after a pitcher before the deadline (Seattle’s Cliff Lee and Houston’s Roy Oswalt are the big targets this year).  Rookie Tommy Hunter won his first major-league start, but left three innings into his next outing with an ailing hip.  Rich Harden is also on the disabled list again with a strained glute, and he’ll be out for at least three weeks, but he was struggling before he got hurt anyway, so the Rangers will probably let him work on some things in the minors before he comes back.  Neftali Feliz was 2-for-2 in save opportunities last week, and it appears as though the Rangers’ pitching is as good as it’s ever been.  Still, Nolan Ryan would love to get another starter in there, so we would lay a sports bet on Texas making contact with either Lee or Oswalt at some point.

Dallas Round-Up – Rangers Have Company At The Top; Could Dirk Rejoin Nash?

With World Cup betting taking up a lot of attention in the sports world, it’s easy to forget about baseball since the season is so long, but Texas is off to a decent start despite a rough last week.  Meanwhile in the NBA, there are whispers of Dallas losing their star.

Texas Rangers

The Rangers are tied with Oakland atop the American League West, but they split a pair in Kansas City last week, and then were swept in Minnesota last week.  The Rangers managed just seven runs against the Twins all weekend and allowed 16 as they were completely outclassed by the Twins, and they’re now 9-15 away from home.  The Rangers managed just one homer last week by Justin Smoak, and Nelson Cruz is on the 15-day disabled list with a hamstring problem, which was not what Texas needed to see right now.  Vladdy Guerrero missed Wednesday’s game in Chicago against the White Sox as he took a ball in the eye in batting practice, so betting players are going to have to pay attention to that as Guerrero was just getting into a groove in the Texas lineup.  The Rangers will finish their series in Chicago, in which they won the opener by a score of 9-6 on Tuesday with Rich Harden getting the win, and they had to score five runs in the sixth inning to take control of the game.  Finally, it’s back to the confines of the Ballpark, where the Rangers will host Tampa Bay in what should be an entertaining series, followed by a visit from division rival Seattle.

Dallas Mavericks

Since Dirk Nowitzki opted out of his final year with the Mavericks, there have been stories kicking around the web about possible scenarios for the former MVP.  Although it’s very likely that he’ll re-sign in Dallas, where he’s spent his entire 12-year career, Nowitzki could be intrigued by other destinations as it’s shaping up to be a busy offseason with the likes of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and others on the market.  Another player on the market is Amare Stoudemire, who is likely going to leave Phoenix, which leaves the Suns in the market for a power forward that scores a lot, and plays occasional defense.   Remember, Steve Nash and Nowitzki played in Dallas together for six years before Nash was traded to Phoenix, and they’re still very good friends.  Nash probably wouldn’t come back to Dallas as they have Jason Kidd (although they’d make that trade in a heartbeat), but there are a lot of factors in the way of Nowitzki going to Phoenix, the biggest one, Mark Cuban, who has proven to be very loyal to the German.  If you see Nash and Nowitzki catching a World Cup contest in South Africa, don’t be surprised.

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