Newsflash...Your Texas Rangers will NOT finish 0-162

SHUT UP IAN!

This guy.  Haha.  It's okay, he just misses us.  And no, this whole post is not going to be about Ian Kinsler, big mouth baseball players, stupid interviews, or any combination therein.  I just like laughing at Kins at this point.  

So, what is this post about you ask?  It's about our (still on the team) 2-1 start and everything that encompasses:  Tanner Scheppers (what was that start?), Martin Perez, and obviously, Shin-Soo Choo's walk-up music (Lil Jon...who knew?)

So...Schepp had a HORRIBLE outing.  He really did.  4 innings, 7 earned runs, 8 hits, and 3 walks were not what he planned to do I wouldn't think.  The question is, do we chalk this up to nerves or his stuff?  I'm sure nerves played a huge role.  He was just SO EXCITED.

And who knows how many caffeine pills he popped?  Kidding.

What we do know is that Scheppers had a good spring.  So good that he catapulted himself into the rotation before anyone else could (anyone that wasn't a regular that is).  I'm sure he'll be fine moving forward if he just attacks the plate and doesn't try to be too fine with his location like he was on Opening Day.  Of course, the other thing to consider is that, with Yu Darvish's return on Sunday (Thank you Baseball Jesus!), and Matt Harrison expected to return at month's end (the earliest would be April 23rd), how long will Wash give Schepp and Robbie Ross to establish themselves before pulling the plug?  Do they even have a shot at staying in the rotation when those guys are back?

Robbie had an okay, if not long, start last night.  3 runs (only 2 were earned) in 5 innings isn't bad at all.  But it's also not even as good as it sounds because Ross gave up 7 hits and 2 walks in there as well.  And that's an awful lot of base runners for only 5 innings.  Granted, he worked out of most of the jams he got himself into.  But, 96 pitches definitely needs to buy you more than 5 innings; if it doesn't, we're gonna have one tired bullpen come July.

But Ross did well enough, especially compared to Scheppers' start.  The funny thing is, Opening Day looked like the 1996 Texas Rangers all over again.

What?  What'd we do?

10 runs scored...and a loss.  BOO.  And then Tuesday's and Wednesday's game looked like last year's offense.

Yeah, I'm talking to y'all.  

Couldn't buy a hit.  But, it's important to note that both AJ Burnett and Kyle Kendrick were throwing good games for the Phillies.  I think Opening Day was a better indication of what's in store for us offensively. Not that we'll score 10 runs most games, but 5 or 6 is definitely doable with the additions we've made.  And 5 or 6 runs were really hard to come by last season.

I'd also like to add that the pitching we've seen early in the season is also probably indicative of what we'll get:  a crap shoot.  At least until we get some guys healthy.  Guys named Yu, Matty, and jackass...er, Holland, of course.

What is great is that Martin Perez seems to have picked up where he left off in his development, and maybe even took a step forward.  He looked really good on Tuesday, holding his own against Burnett with 5.2 innings pitched, 2 earned runs, and NO WALKS (that's my favorite part).

So where does that leave us?  It leaves us with Joe Saunders pitching tomorrow and the youngin' Nick Martinez pitching Saturday; both against the Devil Rays.

But don't freak out just yet.  The bullpen might be able to get us out of one of those.  And we only really need one there to win the series, because Yu is back on the hill on Sunday as we discussed.  And NO, that was not a jinx.

And before you correct me on the "Devil Rays" thing, know that I don't believe in name changes. Just ask Mike Stanton.

So...about Choo's walk-up music. Have you noticed it yet?  If not, it's this:

YEAH!!!  *Lil Jon voice*

And I gotta tell ya, I really thought maybe there was a musical interlude before his at-bat when I was at the game on Tuesday.  I didn't expect that to be Choo's music AT ALL.  But maybe I should have known that he likes to let his hair down occasionally.  

Or should I say "Let his hair OUT"

I'm convinced he let Elvis picked it for him.  He's the one that gave Yu the Soulja Boy to warm up to.  And now, apparently, Choo is Lil Jon.  I'm okay with this.  Just wanted you to be aware.  Haha

Well that's all I got folks.  

Today is an off-day.  ALREADY.  Don't they know we've been waiting for these games for six dang months?

Tomorrow's game is in Tampa Bay; game time is 6:05 PM.

3 down, 159 to go.  

27 Days in March

27 days.  That's what we have left until Opening Day!  That's exciting isn't it? Exciting...and...well...terrifying.

We (yup, still on the team) have some questions to answer if your Texas Rangers are going to be ready to win come March 31st.

Questions like:  Who is our 5th starter?  Who is our closer?  Do we need another bat?  Does Mitch Moreland even know what DH stands for?

Don't give me the side eye, Mitch.  It's a legitimate question.

First things first:  The rotation.
If you asked me in December if this was a concern of ours, I would have scoffed in your face. Yeah, that's right.  SCOFFED.  I mean, Yu Darvish, Derek Holland, Matt Harrison, Martin Perez, and Alexi Ogando sounds pretty damn solid to me.  Am I right?  I don't have the utmost faith in Ogando, but as a #5?  Sure, throw him out there.  So what has changed in the last three months you ask?  Here are the Cliff's Notes:

1.  Derek Holland "tripped over his dog".  (And for whatever reason, his dog was playing hockey at the time)

2.  Matt Harrison is more fragile than this guy:

I mean...he needed an MRI after sleeping on a really soft mattress.  Think about that.

So now we have two empty spots in that rotation.  Although, Harrison is really only expected to miss the first series of the season, something tells me we should make a plan B anyway.  (see photo above)

I already mentioned that Harrison might only be out for one series to start the year.  That's the expectation. Now let's go with that and pretend he won't get hurt during the year; so we only need a very temporary stop gap.  And actually, if we go with a four-man rotation to start the year, which is pretty common with all of the off days in the first month of the season, we may not even have to worry about it all.  

Secondly, Holland is due back by the All-Star break.  He recently said in an interview that he is shooting for a June 1st return.  But after micro-fracture knee surgery, that sounds a little to optimistic to me.  But for all I know he was joking and wearing this outfit while he said it:

I think we all know who DumbER is.

I don't think it's a bad idea to go out and get Ervin Santana who is STILL a free agent; at least if he's available at a reasonable price.  The worst case scenario here is that we'd sign him and move someone who is under-performing in the rotation, upon Holland's return, to the bullpen.

If we don't go after Santana, what are the options?  Wash is auditioning the newly-acquired Tommy Hanson, Robbie Ross, Michael Kirkman (who is out of options), and young Nick Tepesch for a starting role.  And while I'm not sure any of them should start, at least he has several guys competing.  

Who is our closer?

A guy named Neftali Feliz came into Rangers camp this spring saying he wants to be the closer. You remember Neftali Feliz, don't you?  He looks like this:

Sit down, A-Rod.

Unfortunately, he also looks like this:

sigh...I need a beer...

Coming off of Tommy John and into the closer role seems a little ambitious.  In fact, once Scary Joe Nathan left the team (PRAISE JESUS!), I think I just kind of assumed that Joakim Soria would walk into that role.  So maybe this isn't an issue?  Or maybe it is?  

Let's keep in mind that we still have Tanner Scheppers and Robbie Ross in the pen that might also be able to fill the role; Scheppers more than Ross, I think.  Well...as long as he doesn't get beat up by a bunch of street toughs again.  

Just kidding...that never happened.  Scheppers made it up.  Dummy.  

I am hereby deeming this a non-issue. 

Is Mitch Moreland really going to DH?

Somewhere out there, Mitch Moreland is giving me the stink eye.  

I doubt she gave you the stink eye.  That's just how her face looks.

Let's talk about 28-year old Mitchell Austin Moreland for a moment, shall we?  This will be Moreland's fifth MLB season and every year I think "man I like Mitch, this will be his year".  And every year...I am incorrect. The truth is, I like Moreland, he's been a semi-solid player and he has really learned to play a nice first base. BUT(!), do these look like DH numbers to you?:

His highest BA and HR totals in a year are .275 and 23.  DH?  Meh.

I actually kind of like the 23 home runs.  He has some pop.  Not exactly DH pop, but pop nonetheless.  And we do have some home run power in Prince Fielder, who in our park could hit 40-45+ home runs, Adrian Beltre who will most likely hit over 30 home runs again this year (as he's done in all of his Rangers years), and Alex Rios who should also get us 20 or so.  And lest we forget that Shin Soo Choo could hit in the neighborhood of 20 home runs as well.  So the Rangers aren't exactly powerless.  But surely you understand the concern after the abysmal offensive showing of 2013.

So that begs the question:  Do we need another bat?

At this point I think it would be nice, but more of a reassurance than a necessity.  Who knows? Mitchell may surprise us.  And by us, I mean me.  It will also be nice to have Mitch around to spell Prince at first in the dog days of July and August.  And a Fresh Prince...

His license plate said 'Fresh' and he had dice in the mirror...

Fielder can surely wreak havoc.

So what do you think Rangers fans?  Are we ready for Opening Day 2014?

27 days left!  We can do this right?  We'll make it...it's been so long already...what's another 27 days.

Happy Spring Training everybody!

Baseball 601 (Or whatever I said I'd call this)

So almost two months ago, the good folks here at 162+ put together a baseball glossary of sorts.  You know...the stuff we reference all the time and assume you know, but you might actually not know.  Like 5-4-3 double plays, 5-tool players, and Leo's personal favorite Ducks on the Pond.

In case you forgot...

Well...that wasn't even half of it.  So...here we are again.  Baseball 601 - I think that's what I called the "advanced" version of the glossary when I ended the last one.  Here we go...get your spikes on:

Save Situation - There are a couple of rules here.  To qualify as a save situation, the pitcher in the save situation must enter the game later, in other words, he cannot be the starter or the winning pitcher.  It doesn't have to be the 9th inning, it can be the 8th, or even the 7th, etc.  BUT, he MUST obviously record at least one out.  Also one of the following must apply:

1.  His team cannot have a lead of more than three runs when he enters the game.
2.  He enters the game with the tying run either on base, at bat, or on deck.  Regardless of the count when he enters the game.
3.  He pitches for at least three innings.

That was a long explanation wasn't it.  I told you this was the advanced class.  Now, before you start name-calling, nobody here is a Yankees fan.  I swear.  But, you can't define save without this dude's picture:

Oh that cutter.

The dude does have SIX HUNDRED THIRTY ONE saves after all.  And he's STILL pitching...going on his 51st season.

Hold.  So what about the guy that comes in before the closer?  To get a 'hold', almost everything is the same as with a save situation, except, the reliever only qualifies for a hold if he leaves before the game ends and doesn't give up the lead.  Thereby "holding" the lead for the closer.

WHIP.  We covered ERA last go round, which is the number of earned runs a pitcher gives up in an average nine innings.  Well, WHIP is another pitching sabermetric that basically gives you a measure of a pitcher's ability to keep hitters off the bases.  It is walks + hits per inning pitched.  How many baserunners, of any kind, does this guy allow per inning on average?  

Alright...enough with the pitchers.  Let's talk hitting.

On Deck.  This is just the guy next in line to come up to bat.  There's an "on deck circle" that is this guy's place to stand until he's up...but they rarely stand IN the circle.  They mill around, take swings, etc.   My favorite on deck story involved Pudge Rodriguez.  As most of my favorite stories of any kind do.  He was once in the on deck circle for like 7 extra minutes because he was attempting to take the donut off the fat part of the bat.  The broadcasters were dying laughing.  I didn't say he was smart.  I said he was a GREAT ballplayer.  Sadly, I can't find a picture of this.  But, at least I'll show the on deck circle:

Kitten Face on deck and outside the circle.
And, as you can see, there's NO WAY to get that donut off the fat end of that bat.

In the hole.  Do NOT say "That's what she said".  Just don't. This is the guy that's hitting after the guy who's on deck.  He usually parks himself on the top step of the dug out until it's his turn to move into the on deck circle.   

Slugging Percentage.  (SP) We know that Batting Average tells us how often a guy gets a hit; hits divided by at bats.  Well, Slugging Percentage is a measurement of power.  Total bases divided by at bats, with each multi-base hit getting multiplied by the number of bases the hitter got at that time; a single is one base, a double is two bases, and so on...then you divide the sum of all of that by the number of at bats:

SLG = (1B) +  (2 X 2B) + (3 X 3B) + (4 X HR)/AB          

Let's up the ante now.

On Base Average.  (OBA) Exactly what it sounds like.  A measurement of how often a hitter is on base by almost any means; hits, walks, and even hit by pitch.  (almost because it doesn't include when a runner is on because of errors, or fluke stuff like catcher's interference).  Take the sum of all of those and divide them by the sum of hits, walks, hit by pitch, and sacrifice flies.  Sac bunts don't count because they are considered strategic.  That'll give you a pretty good idea of how often a guy is on base.

I'll see your OBA and raise you a:

OPS.  On Base Plus Slugging.  Also exactly what it sounds like, the combo of Slugging Percentage and On Base Average.  This just gives you a great idea of how well a guy gets on base AND hits for power.  

The OPS king*.  (Yes, he also get asterisks from 162+)

Hit & Run.  This is a risky offensive strategy involving the guy on base and the guy at bat.  The thought process is that if the guy on base attempts to steal a base, it'll open a hole between the bases for the hitter to put the ball through.  The reward if you succeed?  A two base advancement or even a run scored, depending on which base the base stealer was originally on.  The risk if you fail?  The strike 'em out, throw 'em out double play.  

Fielder's Choice.  For the 3rd time, I will say...exactly what it sounds like.  If a guy is on base and the batter hits a ground ball to an infielder, the infielder can choose to throw to first to get the hitter.  OR, he can choose to try to get the lead runner (the guy that was already on base) out instead.  The at bat for the hitter is scored as a Fielder's Choice and even if the hitter's now on first base (because the infielder chose to get the lead runner out), he is not credited with a hit.  

And now for the RULES.  

The game of baseball is over 160 years old.  I think we covered that.  Part of being that old is having about 35248412318454 rules.  I'm going to venture to say that baseball has the most complex rules of any professional American sport.  I mean...this blog post could go on for days just on rules.  But don't worry, it's not nap time yet.  We're just gonna hit three.  But, just in case you thought I was kidding...click here (and that's not even all of it).

Defensive Indifference.  Super simple.  If a guy steals a base and no gives a crap on the other team...BAM...defensive indifference.  It's usually really easy to pick this one out because the catcher will barely even look at the runner and will definitely make no attempt to throw him out.  In this case, the runner is NOT credited with a stolen base.  And this usually happens in blowout games because the stolen base and the run it could help produce, doesn't really matter in the outcome of the game.

Catcher's Interference.  After about 20 years of this never happening, it's been called...like...5 times  in the last couple of years.  Ask Leo.  I'm not making that up.  Basically, the catcher is not allowed to make any contact with the batter, not him nor his equipment.  Interference is usually called when the catcher's mitt makes contact with the hitter's bat.  It  normally happens when the catcher gets overzealous about throwing a guy out attempting to steal a base and he gets up too soon, but that's not always the case.  The result is that the hitter is awarded first base (with no official at bat) and the catcher is charged with an error.  The caveat is if the hitter still manages to get a hit after his bat hits the catcher's mitt, the umpire can wave off the interference call.  

And now...I present to you...the granddaddy of all rules:

The Infield Fly Rule.  I'm deeming this one the granddaddy because Leo and I have decided that only roughly 3-5% of a sold out Rangers Ballpark in Arlington can explain this one to you.  And I still think we're being generous.  I mean that's about 2400 people...I don't buy that.

Anywho...here it goes.  The point of the rule is to prevent an infielder from intentionally dropping a routine pop up so that he can easily double up or even triple up (!) runners already on base.  This is multiple runners.  If there's only a guy on first, the infield fly rule will not be invoked because it's not really advantageous for the infielder if he chose to intentionally drop the pop up.

When the rule is invoked by the umpire, he'll do this:

I got it!  I got it!

And that signal means the rule is in affect and no matter what the fielder does, the hitter is out and no one on the bases can be forced out.  The runners can attempt to tag up like they would with a fly ball, but that's at their own risk just like a regular tag.  And they almost never do that because...well..because the guy with the ball is RIGHT THERE.  

So what's the big deal?  That's easy to understand.  Well...the difficulty comes in when discussing when the rule can be invoked.  This is totally at the umpire's discretion.  There's no point on the field where it cannot be called.  The only guidelines are that the ball must be "catchable" with "ordinary effort" by an infielder, which is totally subjective.  

Last year during the Cardinals/Braves Wild Card playoff game, umpire Sam Holbrook made a really late infield fly call on a ball that was hit into the outfield, practically, by the Braves' Andrelton Simmons.  And at the time, the Braves had men on first and second with one out in the 8th.  They were also down by three runs. Well, the infield fly call meant that Simmons was automatically out and the runners couldn't advance, EVEN THOUGH no Cardinals player caught the ball.  Short story long, the Braves lost that game and their playoffs and Chipper Jones' career were over.  You make the call:

That ain't "ordinary effort".

Ok class...time for summer break, that was a lot to take in.  Stay tuned for more on other fun topics like the Rule 5 Draft, Minor League Contracts, and more in your graduate course coming later this summer.

38 Wins, 27 losses.  1 game back of Oakland.  

On the bright side, it's Yuesday and Kins is rehabbing in Frisco tonight.  

Throw it back? Do the wave? What are the "rules" here?

So a couple of weeks ago, the Rangers were playing the ChiSox at home.  It was the top of the 7th inning and the Rangers had a commanding 10-4 lead, when Adam Dunn hit a home run into the left field seats.  BOOOOOOOO!  (We at 162+ strongly disapprove of opposing homers)

Well, a guy caught it and gave the HR ball to his kid...who happens to be a really cute kid in all Rangers gear -  the blue jersey, the blue hat, everything.  The kid even had a glove!  So why am I giving you the Eric Nadel description of this kid's outfit?  To illustrate how into this game the little guy was, obviously!  And how heartbreaking it must have been when his big "sister" yanks the ball from him to throw it back onto the field!  (I'd like to mention that 162+ is using the term "sister"  loosely, because this chick was about 20 years older than the kid, so we're not completely sold)

Sister?  COME ON!

Here's the live action in case you're interested:

http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=26745955

Needless to say, when the Fox Sports Southwest cameras pan back to the kid after the throw back, he is utterly dejected.  I mean...the look on his face would have made Cruella Deville want to hug him.  Of course everyone's favorite in-stands reporter, Jim Knox saved the day and got the kid a ball!

And by "favorite", we mean "unnecessary"

Anyway, this incident raised some questions about whether we should be "throwing it back" and some other unwritten rules of the game.  So here we are.  (I know, I know, you were wondering when I was going to get to the point).

Throw back home run balls?  Two answers:  1.  I'm totally okay with anyone throwing a ball back if they want to.  (that also means, if you don't want to, keep the damn thing)  2.  Adult rules don't apply to kids!  And kids should never be pressured into playing by the adult rules (that we made up - so back off "sister"!)  

I read somewhere, after this whole "sister" incident, that "throwing it back" was a Cubs tradition and "we" shouldn't be subscribing to it.  Terrible argument.  I mean, if you don't want to throw it back, don't.  But don't NOT throw it back because it's "Cubs tradition".  That's crap.  Yes, throwing back opposing home run balls started at Wrigley Field in the 70s-80s.  But, singing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" started as New York Polo Grounds 7th-inning stretch entertainment in the 30s.  It's sung in every park now.  Everything starts somewhere.  And I'm perfectly happy to throw a ball back myself on an opposing home run.  But I really couldn't care less if you don't.

What about The Wave?  Can we do the wave?  One answer:  NO.  (also see:  NEVER)  

Be the guy in red.  ALWAYS.

Why do people do the wave?  Why?  I don't actually have an answer for you here.  That was more rhetorical than anything.  I think people may just be trying to entertain themselves.  But, I have a newsflash for you Walter Cronkite:  THERE'S A LIVE MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL GAME GOING ON!  That should be entertainment enough.

You think you're too cool for school?  Well...you aren't.

So, back to the original point:  The Wave.  Just DON'T do it.  Ever.

And just one more thing I'll touch on here regarding the ballpark rules:  

Can we BOO former players when they visit our ballpark?  This is a more complicated answer.  Technically you can boo whoever you want.  But, when does it makes sense?

I think there was some confusion when the Reverend Josh Hamilton returned at the beginning of the season.  Some people were saying we can't boo Hamilton because he played lights out for us for five seasons.  That's true.  The guy is really good at baseball.  And I don't think anyone can argue what he accomplished in Texas.  He won an MVP for goodness sake.  On the opposite end of that spectrum was the "Silence for Josh" movement; basically this was the sect of fans so disgusted with Hamilton that they wanted to pretend he didn't exist during his first at bat back at RBiA.  

They read newspapers while Josh hit.
And that was the last time the Dallas Morning News sold so many print copies in one day.

So, what's the official 162+ ruling?  Well, first let's clarify that nobody wanted to boo Hamilton because of his five year performance in Texas.  Although, I will bring up the fact that things began to sour during September/October of the 2012 season when Hamilton basically gave up and played like he didn't care.  Who can forget this:

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=4626749677018&l=8568004820164098620

Obviously, the Great Meltdown of 2012 wasn't all his fault, but his performance during that period really didn't help.  Fast forward to the off-season when he said:

"Texas, especially Dallas, has always been a football town.  The good with the bad is they're supportive, but they also got a little spoiled at the same time, pretty quickly.  You can understand a really true, true baseball town.  There's true baseball fans in Texas but it's not a true baseball town".

Now, I realize that some were highly offended by this remark.  But, I tend to agree.  Not in the sense that there are no true baseball fans here, because there are tons and even Hamilton acknowledged that.  But, definitely in the sense that football is the Metroplex's sports priority.  It always will be.  Texas=Football.  And I love the Dallas Cowboys, so that's okay by me.  I have, though, always been more of a seam head than anything.  So I tend to notice when I walk into a sports bar and the Rangers are NOT on...during the season.  And football insider shows are on.  And that's happened many, many times.  Over many different years.  At many different bars.   

The part about Hamilton's statement that irked me though...was that he signed with the LA Angels of Anaheim (or wherever the hell it is they play).  LA?  You want to play in  a "baseball town" and you go to LA?  LA wouldn't give a shit about baseball if Tom Hanks was the commissioner, Kim Kardashian threw out every first pitch., Justin Bieber sang every national anthem....and Tom Cruise blessed the game through his magical Church of Scientology powers.  (I think you see what I'm getting at here).

...use your witchcraft to get the fire off me!!

Anyway, all of this on top of his repeated bad mouthing of the organization got the crowd primed to boo.  And I was ready too.

But, generally, I have nothing against former players that come back.  They have to try really hard to make me want to boo.  Mission accomplished, Hamilton.

We won't even get into the opening day post-game press conference when he compared himself to Jesus right now.  Mostly because the Angels won't be back in town until the end of July and that's a long time to wait to boo.  But, in case you forgot what he said, it went something like this:  "Where was Jesus got-after the most?  His hometown.  Baseball-wise, this is my hometown."  

Well, that's all for now.  

Late West Coast start again tonight.  Holland on the hill.  24-14.  

38 down, 124 to go.

5-4-3? What Does That Mean?

As a teenager (I was about 14-ish, I think), I sat on the edge of my bed and watched Ken Burns’ baseball every night for nine innings.  That’s how he broke up the documentary, into nine episodes that he called innings, keeping on topic.  And even then I thought to myself, “I’m the only person I know doing this right now, aren’t I?” and I was; definitely the only person my age and gender.  But I hardly cared…I found the history of the game fascinating…

My boy band consisted of Cy Young, Honus Wagner, Shoeless Joe,
Joltin' Joe (he was the heartthrob), and Roberto Clemente. 

NOT TO FEAR!  I am not gonna go Ken Burns on you.  I just brought it up to say that some baseball terminology is over 100 years old, literally.  And so, some of it makes no sense.  It may have in 1890, not so much in 2013.  

Before I forget, here's a link to the Ken Burns' Baseball DVDs if you’re interested, I swear it’s worth your time. 

What I AM gonna do though, is get you up-to-speed on what the hell we’re talking about here at 162+, because we sometimes have a tendency to assume you know what a 5-4-3 DP is…and other fun terms. 

And without further ado...

Here are some basic terms and abbreviations based on baseball’s scoring system, meaning how the “official scorer” records different happenings throughout the course of the game:

K – Strike out

Backwards K – Strike out looking

It's actually a backward K though; not the words "backward K" Haha.

IP - Innings Pitched

ERA – Earned Run Average – The average number of runs a pitcher gives up in 9 innings

BB – Walk

IBB – Intentional Walk

HBP - Hit By Pitch

Did Greinke really think he was going to win that fight?

LOB - Left On Base - As in runners left on base without scoring. *Unfortunately Arlington, TX is becoming LOB City*

WP - Wild Pitch – A pitch that travels past the catcher, due to the pitcher throwing it too high, wide, or in the dirt, allowing base runner(s) to advance to the next base.

PB -  Passed Ball – Also a pitch that gets away from a catcher allowing base runner(s) to move up, only this time, it’s the catcher’s fault and the official scorer deems that the ball “should” have been handled by the catcher

If you're wondering if it's a WP or PB, ask yourself, "Did Tim Wakefield throw it?"

DP – Double Play – A double play occurs when two outs are recorded on one play

GIDP – Ground Into Double Play *We need to create a tune for this...then it can become a ballpark chant for opposing teams!*

5-4-3 Double Play – Each baseball position is numbered for scoring purposes, like so:

So, 5-4-3 means the ball went from the 3^rd baseman (5) to the 2^nd baseman (4) to the 1^st baseman (3) for the two outs.  And a 6-4-3 double playis translated the same way, with the shortstop (6) replacing the 3^rd baseman (5)

Here's different group of terms which consists of popular terms that fans/broadcasters use, which are not necessarily related to official game scoring, but are usually universally recognized among other fans and may be more useful when watching the game:

RISP – Runners In Scoring Position – Base runners on 2^nd and/or 3^rd base 

Ducks On The Pond - Ditto to the RISP *And the Barry Bonds version (on steroids) of "ducks on the pond" is when the bases are loaded*

Elvis letting the bench know that there are now Ducks On The Pond (circa Summer '11)

This one even got so popular in the Metroplex that they made t-shirts!  You have one, don't you?

Hat Trick – 3 strike outs in one game by a single player

Golden Sombrero – 4 strike outs in one game by a single player

Getaway Game – Last game before a team leaves town; generally a day game

Double-Header – 2 back-to-back games played in one day

Day/Night Double – Header – 2 games in one day, but with more time in between the games than a traditional double-header; usually a 1PM and 7PM start or similar

Can of Corn – An easy to catch fly ball *Here's one of the 100-year old terms I was telling you about*

Hot Corner – 3^rd base…because the balls come hard and fast at 3^rd base *That’s what she said*

Keystone Combo – The 2^nd baseman and shortstop makeup your keystone combo.  The bag at second base is the “keystone” or pinnacle of the field in terms of scoring position or defensive plays and the 2^nd baseman and SS both record outs there or work together to turn DPs there. 

My favorite Keystone Combo.  (And by the looks of it, they're each other's favorite too)

Battery – The pitcher and the catcher make up the battery

And here is my favorite "battery" in action.  And, YES, the pun is intended.   Assault and battery?  NO?

Rubber Game/Match – The final and deciding game of a series.  *EX:  If Team A wins game 1 and Team B wins game 2, game 3 of the series is the rubber game*

Texas Leaguer –  This is your classic bloop single; a weekly hit fly ball that falls in between the infielders and outfielders

Baltimore Chop – A ball batted straight into the ground in front of home plate so that it pops up, either above the head of the infielder or so high that the runner has time to run it out for a single.

DFA/DFA’d – Designated For Assignment – This means you’re off the big league roster and the team has to decide what to do with you:  put you back on the roster, trade you, or release you.

  There's a reason he's pictured between "DFA'd" and "Mendoza Line"

Mendoza Line – Anyone with a batting average under .200 is said to be hitting below the “Mendoza Line”. *You’ll be happy to know that this measurement of mediocrity is named for Mario Mendoza, a one-time Texas Ranger*

12-6/Uncle Charlie – There are about 1289795 names for a big breaking curve ball, these are two of them.  12-6 as in you’re looking at a clock and the ball drops (breaks) sharply from 12 to 6.
*Don’task me where Uncle Charlie came from…but, it’s the same thing*

Backdoor Breaking Ball – A breaking pitch of any kind (but usually slider or cutter) that looks like it’s going to miss the strike zone initially, but breaks late laterally to catch the outer edge and back-side (or back door) of the strike zone. *Who can forget this gem from the Rangers broadcast team:  "How do you know when you’ve been back-doored?”*

The Stretch/7^th Inning Stretch – This is an old baseball tradition in which fans stand up and “stretch” between the top and the bottom of the 7^th inning.  It’s also when the whole ballpark sings “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” *AND the Cotton-Eyed Joe for Rangers fans*
             
                                     

Shut Down Inning  - When a team scores in their half of an inning and allows no runs in the opponent's half of the inning, shutting them down. * Great way to build or maintain momentum in a game*

Cycle – When a player hits a single, double, triple, and home run in one game.  *It's called a "Natural Cycle" when they hit them in that exact order*
                                     

Of course you remember Kins' 6-for-6 cycle night, right?

5-Tool Player – One that has all of the tools necessary for baseball dominance.  

                     
So what are the “5 Tools”? 

1. Hit for average
2. Hit for power
3. Base running skills
4. Good defender
5. Good throwing arm

If you're bored, Google it...and this will come up:

WHATEVER.

That's all I got for now.  If you found Baseball 101 easy, be sure and sign up for Baseball 601 for more advanced terms like "the infield fly rule" and "catcher's interference"...coming Summer 2013!

13 down, 149.  Bring it, Cubbies!

Signs that your friend who’s a Rangers’ “fan” is not actually a Rangers fan

Opening day/week and all its start-of-the-season  excitement brings Rangers fans out of the woodwork!  So do playoffs and/or the possibility for playoffs.  All of a sudden, a guy at work tells you he's tailgating for Opening Day (Are you going to the game?).  And your new girlfriend shows you her new Rangers t-shirt (it's bedazzled!).  And the cashier at the grocery store sees your ball cap and 12-pack and asks if you're going home to watch the game (They're good this year!)...and...okay, you get it.  So how do we know if they are Rangers fans or Rangers "fans"?  

Fortunately, 162+ is here to help.  Here are your signs that the Rangers "fan" you know, is not actually a Rangers fan:  

1.  They ask “Do the Rangers play today?” – EVERYDAY.

It's a 162-game season...chances are YES, they do play today.

2.  They also ask “What channel are the Rangers on?” – EVERYDAY.

- There are only, maybe five (at most!) options here.  And for most games, it's just two options.  ALSO, don't you have a guide function on your cable box?-

3.  They think Nolan Ryan has always “owned” the team.

 Dubya, anyone?

4.  They wonder “Arlington Stadium?  Are they building a new park?”

It was kind of a hole, wasn't it?  You could get loud on those metal bleachers though.

5.  They think Mike Napoli is the best catcher in Rangers history.  

Mike Napoli...yeah, ok...

6.  They think Nelly Cruz was nicknamed after that hot dog.

The man was NOT named for a hot dog.  He just wasn't.

7.  You mention Kenny Roger’s perfect game and they ask you, “The country singer?”

No, not him.

Him.

8.  So then you mention “The Red Baron” and they start talking about WWI…or worse…Snoopy.

Rusty freaking Greer; The Red Baron.

9. When calling/texting you during a game, they ask you how many “points” the Rangers have.

-There's almost nothing to say here.  Your best bet is to just tell them the score and walkaway.    FOR-EV-ER.-

And the topper of all toppers:

10.  They ask you when halftime is!  

- See #9.-

Honorable Mention: 

• They ask you why there's no game clock, OR
• They ask, "When will the game be over?" - before it starts
• They think the Washington Senators are a team in another sports league

It's all fun and games until it happens to you.  And I promise you, all of the above things have happened.  TO ME.  Save yourselves and get out at the first sign of trouble. 

OR...send 'em over to 162+...we'll guide 'em to the light.

7:05 is game time.  The youngster Tepesch is on the hill.

155 to go!  Let's go get 'em!

(So, yes, there is a game tonight...and it's on FSSW).

Six months plus one day in the making...

The last time I was in Rangers Ballpark in Arlington was October 5, 2012.  It looked like this:

Wild card playoff game vs. the Baltimore Orioles

Yu Darvish was on the mound and the crowd was energized.  I had my Ranger red shirt on, the Rangers baseball cap, hell...I was even wearing Texas Rangers eye-black sticker things.  Unfortunately, things did not go as planned and by 11 o'clock that night I was counting down the days until Opening Day.

Six months and one day later I was back baby!  April 6th, yesterday, my first game at the ballpark of the newly minted 2013 season.  There is just something very exciting about a young baseball season; so many possibilities and if your team is even remotely good, chances are that your expectations are through the roof.  Not to mention that I was going through massive withdrawal.  I was seriously watching the World Baseball Classic with the same fervor as the 2010 World Series.  Kidding.  Obviously, I was not.  But, I was into it.  I've never cared about David Wright so much in my life.

Back to the subject at hand:  the absolute awesomeness of opening weekend at RBiA.  Even driving up was awesome:

Not my truck.  In fact, I think my Civic could fit in this guy's truck.

If you can get around the chaos of trying to remember which lanes are turn lanes (so you can get into the parking lot to the left easier) and the dumb drivers (obviously everyone but us), then you can really get hyped up in this spot:

Move Mini Cooper, you're killing the vibe.

Even getting to our seats was fun; the Rangers "Legends" banners, a new club-type area, and new food offerings (Homeplate Butcher Block is home of the Beltre Buster, RBiA's latest heart attack on a plate) are always good to see.

Why isn't that table in my house?

Now normally, I live in the 320 sections.  There are only a few bad seats in this park, like right in that triangle area near the right field fair pole (you can't see crap) or the seats just above the green scoreboard in left field (it's hotter than hell right there...NO shade whatsoever).  The 320 sections are a great value; about $25 a seat and a nice view.  325 is right behind home plate.  But, on this day, we chose to sit a better seat.  Section 40 was awesome:

We caught the tail end of BP.

The only down side to this seat was that if a ball was hit down the line near the wall, we couldn't see if it was fair or foul, same for anything hit in the air in that corner.  We couldn't see if the outfielder made the catch or not.  But overall, very nice.  I also had a nice view of one of the best parts of the opening weekend experience:

BUNTING!!  

Although the actual game left much to be desired (what the hell is wrong with Harrison right now?), the overall ballpark experience was glorious, as always.  We got to participate in the usual ballpark traditions that go something like this:

4th Inning:  "The Stars at night, are big and bright, clap, clap, clap, clap, DEEP IN THE HEART OF TEXAS" - you're singing now, aren't you?

6th Inning:  DOT RACE!  (Although, the dots never race anymore...)

No wagering, please.

And of course the 7th inning stretch:

"Take me out to the ballgame, take me out with the crowd...

...root, root, root for the RANGERS..."

And the Cotton-Eyed Joe (!) a RBiA favorite.

Did I mention that there are additional ways to enhance the overall experience:

Now THAT is a beer cup.  Nice "1972" too.

I can sum up the overall feeling of yesterday's crowd with this guy's shirt:

That's dedication; I mean, the dude had a shirt MADE!

I'm looking forward to my next visit to our park, which, by the way, is a top 10 ballpark in the country.  Check it out, I didn't even make that up.  Hopefully, we get a better result next time.

And if you would like my own personal best list (of the parks I've visited), here it is:

1.  Camden Yards - have some Boog's BBQ

2.  Rangers Ballpark in Arlington

3.  Old Busch Stadium*

4.  Old Yankee Stadium - saw a Sox game there, Mussina vs. Beckett, and it kicked ass

5.  Wrigley Field**

* The atmosphere in the park and even in the neighborhood around the park was incredible.  EVERYONE had their Cardinals red on and EVERYONE was going to the game.  

** Here's your takeaway:  If you want to be a bleacher bum, remember that is all you will be that night.  If you have bleacher tix, you literally have no access to any other part of the ballpark.

And that's all she wrote.  Literally.  I'm out.  

Okay, not yet.  

Last note:  Get excited for Weaver and YUUUUU at the ballpark tonight!  7:05PM on ESPN (our 3rd nationally televised game of the young season)!

3W, 2L; 157 to go.