There's No Magic Number In Football

I'm sitting here watching the Rangers in the top of the 11th at 12:12am in a tied ballgame versus the Halos and realized the above.  There's really no magic number in other sports, such as those that have owners whose names rhyme with Berry Bones.  If there is it's only with one or maybe two games left.  Whatever. 

Don't get me started about the Rangers' every away game being on the West coast by virtue of the their division mates.  It sucks.  It sucks for TV viewership/ratings.  It sucks for their travel.  It sucks for their DFW fans who actually want to watch their away games.  There needs to be a massive realignment of the AL/NL and the individual divisions to rectify this.  But, as usual, I digress.

I know no one will read this but, going into tonight's game the Rangers' magic number is five.  Wow.  Who would have thunk it?  The other sports team going right now is worried about losing two in row.  Cry me river.  Unlike other sports, baseball's season is really, really, really long.  A guy in another sport misses a game or two?  So what?  Talk to me when a guy like Jedi Josh misses 15 with broken ribs.

See you Rangers faithful in the playoffs (knock on wood).  Looks like this is the year they make their way out the wilderness of baseball futility and frustration.  I'm knocking on wood again because the magic number is still five and you never know.

Remember, there's a magic number in baseball.  Magic.  In other sports, for example, there's a hail Mary.  What?  What does the Virgin Mary have to do with sports?  That's just weird.  And probably sacrilege.  Give me a suicide squeeze any day.

Bottom of 12 coming up against the Halos.  Rangers up 1.  See you in the playoffs (knock on wood again).

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Here Comes Ron...

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David "Charlie" Murphy!!!!!!!!!!!

Glass Half Empty / Afternoon Cloud: 3 errors.  3!

Glass Half Full / Silver Lining: CJ just keeps on keeping on.  Double play against the hit-and-run with Jeter at the plate = greatness.  And, your Texas Rangers won thanks to one David "Charlie" Murphy.

Thoughts / Observations / Sidenotes: Cliff Lee goes tomorrow.  Let's see if Clifford can not give up any first inning runs tomorrow.

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Still First Place Texas Rangers

Who has the biggest lead of any division leader in either league?  That's right, your Texas Rangers.

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"Let's Go Rangers" Chant at Fenway!

According to Josh and Tag some Rangers faithful envoked the above chant at the last Rangers' game at Fenway.  That's right, "let's go Rangers" was chanted at Fenway.  At FENWAY!  For as many times as "let's go Red Sox" has been heard at the Ballpark, can I be the first to say, payback is a bitch.  Oh yeah, and your Texas Rangers took 3 out of 4 at the Red Stockings.  Suck it Boston.

And as I write this the Rangers are in the top of 12 in the first game against the Tigres.

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MANSHIP!!!!!!!!!!!!

YOU GOT NOTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

MANSHIP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

JUST KEEP ON THROWING STRIKES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

MANSHIP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YOU'RE LOOKING GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

MANSHIP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DON'T THINK, JUST THROW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Some explanation may be in order. The above rant is from about a year ago at a Rangers' game when I heckled the opposing pitcher, a Mr. Manship for the Twins, and I was asked to quiet down by a Rangers' usher. No cursing, and they asked me to quiet down, I don't think they do that at Fenway. Rangers rallied for 3 or 4 runs during that inning versus the Twins-at least that's the way I remember it. Anyway, Ceasar bagging on Bengi Molina right before Molina went yard with the bases drunk against the Red Stockings made me think of ole' Jeff Manship for some reason.  And Rollie Molie Molina went for the cycle against the Red Stockings.  Keep up bagging on Rangers Ceasar.

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So I Haven't Been Watching the Rangers This Last Month, Have I Missed Anything?

Glass Half Empty / Afternoon Cloud:
Harden has not panned out.  Scooter Feldman hasn't pitched as well as last year. 

It's before the All-Star game and June was as hot as August usually is in North Texas.  In other words, there's a lot of baseball to play.

Otherwise, I really cannot complain.

Glass Half Full / Silver Lining:
Where should I start?  Vladdy Daddy = great; CJ Wilson's made the transition to starter; Cobra "Mr. Baseball" Lewis is the ace of the staff; Frankie Fran is great as a set up guy; if Frankie pitched the night before just in bring Darren Oliver; oh yeah, and this young closer Neftali "Nolan Jr." Feliz isn't too shabby; Elvis is a wizard at short and great lead-off man; Michael Young is just doing what he always does season after season; and Jedi Josh is batting about .500 for the month of June.  There's more goodness but, that's just the highlights.

In June: 20 wins in 25 played, with a 13 game win streak mixed in there.

Did I mention that as of today your Texas Rangers are tied with the biggest lead in their division? (The Padres also lead their division by 4.5 games.)

Thoughts / Observations / Sidenotes:
3 at the Halos coming up.  Biggest series of the season?  Probably, and the series are only going to get bigger the longer they stay in first.  Then they play 3 at home against the White Stockings who are only 2 back in their division.  Let's see how the Rangers are doing after the next 6 games.

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First Place Texas Rangers...For Now...

Glass Half Empty / Afternoon Cloud:
Against the AL Central Division leading Twins the Rangers lost the first game of a 3 game series.  Now your Texas Rangers lead the AL West by .5 games.

Glass Half Full / Silver Lining:
At least it looks like they're going to be sold to Nolan Ryan's group.

Thoughts / Observations / Sidenotes:
It's getting warmer outside in Texas.  Let's see if this incarnation of the Texas Rangers can stand the brunt of full on, effort-draining summer heat that past Rangers clubs have not.

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When Last We Left Our Texas Rangers About a Week Ago...

Rangers Win on Walk-Off Sacrifice Fly Tonight in the Bottom of Nine

Glass Half Empty / Afternoon Cloud:
Last weekend your Texas Rangers were swept by the Toronto Blue Birds, losing three straight on the road in Canada.  Lousy Canada.

Tonight Jedi Josh was robbed of a second home run tonight because of umpire errror.  It was a homer, no doubt.  And the umps didn't go to the video reply for some reason.

Glass Half Full / Silver Lining:
The Rangers won the next 2 against the swingin' A's after losing a heart breaking extra inning affair to start the 3 game series last week(before getting swept by the Canadians, what was that all aboot anyway?).  Your Rangers started this week with a quick 2 game sweep against the hated Halos at home. 

Frankie Fran gets his 5th win of the season?!?!?

Thoughts / Observations / Sidenotes:
It's just fun watching Vlady Daddy bat and Elvis field at short no matter the outcome of an individual game.  But, it's a bit more fun when the Rangers win.

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Can You Say Roller Coaster?

Rangers lose in 13. 

Glass Half Empty / Afternoon Cloud:
Rangers gave up the lead in the 9th and the A's took the lead in the top of the 11th and again in the 13th - and the Rangers couldn't rally again in the bottom of 13.  An error by Elvis in the top of 9 helped the A's out.

The game winning run was thrown out at the plate in the bottom of 12 (questionable to send Blanco, pinch running for Vlad, on a Kinsler single).

To write that your Texas Rangers bullpen was used quite a bit would be an understatement.


Glass Half Full / Silver Lining:
And the Rangers came back to tie the ballgame in he bottom of the 9th and 11th.  Mr. Baseball Lewis looked good through 7 IP.


Thoughts / Observations / Sidenotes: Roller coaster game, roller coaster season.  Rangers are now tied with A's now atop the AL West.

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