Tag Archives: Rangers

Aug 16

The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Kind of Good, Perfect Day

This morning, I woke up late.

With a rare day off, I was supposed to get up at 10am, check for cheap tickets to the Mariners afternoon game, and make a day of it in Seattle. It didn’t bother me too much that my carefully calculated plan went amiss; at 11am, it was just late enough that I’d have a hard time getting ready, sitting through an hour-long commute to the park, and arriving in time for the first pitch at 12:40.

There will be plenty of Felix days, I thought.

Several minutes later, I shuffled over to the computer to catch up with Twitter. No matter how early I make myself get up (7:30-8am on any given day), I always seem to miss the first stream of baseball news from the East Coast. Today, however, the news of the day waited until I was awake to break the Internet.

“MLB suspends Giants left fielder Melky Cabrera 50-games for testing positive for testosterone,” Twitter told me. I blinked. I read it again. Surely that was a typo. Perhaps they meant Miguel Cabrera, or Asdrubal Cabrera, or Orlando Cabrera.

I couldn’t read Twitter fast enough. Melky is stupid. Melky is brave for confessing. Melky is contemptible for confessing after covering this up. The Giants’ season is over. Long live the Dodgers.

In big moments—World Series wins, perfect games, devastating injuries, and heartbreaking trades—I usually try to take a step back and evaluate my own opinions and emotions before exposing them online. This morning, I sat back and watched the flood of tweets pull my heart in different directions. It was too much to handle in that moment. It still is.

Before Melky could break too many hearts, it was time for afternoon baseball. As per usual, MLB had scheduled the Giants and Mariners games mere minutes apart, but today I couldn’t bring myself to watch Tim Lincecum try to salvage a series against the Nationals. Instead, I turned on my TV, where Felix Hernandez had just breezed through the first inning on seven pitches.

Cool, I thought. A routine start for the King. I regretted not being in my usual spot at the Safe, but figured that as brilliant as Felix was, this would be an easy win, a strong start, nothing extraordinary.

By the 3rd inning, the tweets lauding his pitch count and prowess caught my attention. 24 pitches through 9 batters. An RBI single by Jesus Montero. Okay, this was getting cooler, and with Melky still on my mind, I was growing more upset with myself for passing up a chance to catch the game live.

Two innings later, it was apparent that Felix had something special. He’s made incredible starts this year: a two-hitter in Yankee Stadium, a 12-strikeout complete game against Texas, a flawless 8 innings spoiled by Brandon League’s blown save. This was different.

Continue reading »

Aug 13

How to Root for a Last-Place Team

I love the Mariners. I really do. And given that this is the first season I’ve followed them closely, I shouldn’t be heartbroken because they’re out of the running for the division lead, wild card, second wild card, second place, and third place in the AL West.

Still, maintaining patience with a team sunk 15.5 games out of first is not easy. Should you find yourself equally frustrated with your last-place team, here are a few tips:

1. Blog about it.
2. Convince your family and friends that you watch baseball for its aesthetic qualities. It doesn’t matter who wins that second wild card, you just love the simple beauty of the game.
3. Find things to dislike about every other team in your division. E.g. the Rangers hit too many home runs (7th in MLB), Mike Trout will hit his ceiling by September, OakLOLand, etc.
4. Parrot your GM’s rebuilding plan until you start to believe it.
5. Blame Babe Ruth, the Black Sox, or a goat.
6. Overreact to every marginally promising trade rumor. Cry when a more deserving team takes “your” player every time. [See: Prince Fielder.]
7. Adopt the phrase “it’ll happen next year.” Use it liberally.
8. Cheer vehemently for between-inning entertainment, be it racing hydros, dots, or sausages. Return to playing Buster Bash on your iPhone when the game resumes.
9. Acquire a taste for ballpark beer. Better yet, stay home and drown your sorrows with affordable beer.
10. Keep hope alive any way you can.

Speak up, baseball fans—okay, Mariners, Blue Jays, Twins, Marlins, Astros, and Rockies fans. What keeps you going when your team is sunk mid-season?

Jan 31

Sportswriters Needed!

If you’re a sports blogger, chances are you know about the myriad of blogging sites available for baseball, football, basketball, and hockey fans alike. There’s SB Nation, filled with insight, snark, and a lot of stats that go over my head. There’s Bleacher Report, which has perfected the art of 10-picture slideshows. There’s FanSided, which has just about every bit of breaking news you could ask for. And then there’s Aerys Sports—the only female-run sports network on the web.

As a writer, I know that personally, the biggest two needs I have to fill are 1) finding topics to write about, and 2) getting people to read those thoughts. However, when it comes to applying for blogging networks, I’m finding that the really successful sites also have tight-knit communities where you can bounce ideas off each other, help promote great work, and improve the quality of your own writing.

Back to the point… this great site I write for called Aerys Sports is gearing up for Spring Training, and it’s their goal to cover all these MLB teams by Opening Day. Check out the openings below and see if your favorite team needs a writer!

National League Teams 

American League Teams

Contributing Writer Openings

You can apply if: You love baseball!

Teams: All MLB teams

Who to contact: Click on the website you’re interested in, and contact the Lead Writers through Aerys.

Lead Writers

You can apply if: You’re a girl who loves baseball! (Sorry, guys…)

Teams: Colorado Rockies (hurry, this one might be filled soon!), Pittsburgh Pirates, Minnesota Twins, Cleveland Indians, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (this might also be filled soon!)

Who to contact: Reply to us at @AerysSports, @Aerys_MLB, or through Tumblr.

Questions? Leave them in the comments!

Nov 23

Moving West

Last Thursday, Houston entrepreneur Jim Crane became the new owner of the Houston Astros. Normally, this kind of event would be a blip on my radar, except this particular sale includes a major stipulation: a move from the National League to the American League. To be exact, the AL West division.

The move isn’t scheduled until the 2013 season, but it signals a pretty significant shift for the two leagues.

First, it affects the Astros. As a newly-minted American League team, they have to adjust to playing with a designated hitter. No doubt some pitchers—such as Wandy Rodriguez, who batted .180/.180/.230 in 2011—will be pleased to hear this.

Gone will be the days of struggling to top a six-team division, which includes the World Champion St. Louis Cardinals. Instead, Houston will join the Rangers, Athletics, Angels, and Mariners, who make up one of the less intimidating divisions in the AL.

Justin Smoak lifts a two-run homer against Houston's Brian Moehler. Credit: Pat Sullivan/AP

Second, it affects MLB itself. At long last, the two leagues will even out with 15 teams and 3 divisions of 5 teams apiece. However, what they make up in symmetry, they will pay for with extra interleague games. According to an article by Al Yellon, the 15-18 interleague games teams already play could skyrocket to 30 in 2013.

Personally, I have no beef with the increase in interleague play, though like Al, I worry about the spread of the DH. More interleague games means more chances to see the Giants in Seattle, which makes me feel very excited and very guilty at the same time.

Third, it affects the Mariners. The AL West has been coasting along with four teams since its inception in 1969, so it will take some time to get acquainted with a new team, not to mention traveling to Texas twice as much.

In the past 10 years, the M’s and Astros have only met 9 times, with a 3-6 record between them. Two of three series were played in Houston, the most recent in June 2007. Still, the confidence appears to be high in Seattle. Last week, Greg Johns quoted first baseman Justin Smoak:

“I like the idea of playing in Houston a little more often,” Smoak said with a chuckle when reached at his home in South Carolina on Thursday. “The ball flies everywhere there, that’s all I remember. It’s the total opposite of Safeco Field.”

Finally, it affects the fans. How do you feel about the Astros’ move? Will the additional interleague games positively or negatively alter the season schedules? And if your favorite team resides in the AL West, how do you think they’ll fare in a five-team division?

Oct 19

Jumping Off the Bandwagon

It’s been a fun ride, but I’m done.

In a few hours, Game 1 of the Rangers-Cardinals World Series will begin, and I will do my best to watch without a hint of bias toward either team. It’s not just that I’m torn between the pros and cons of rooting for the Rangers: they’ve never won a World Series title; they effectively beat the Mariners in the NL West; they made it to the WS one more time than the Giants; they play flashy, offense-driven baseball (I’m looking at you, Nelson Cruz). It’s not because these teams have more or less flown under my radar until the past month.

Mostly, it’s because I picked the Rays, Tigers, Phillies, and Brewers to go far in this year’s postseason. Sure, the Tigers battled in the Division Series and hit for the cycle in one inning against the Rangers. The Rays didn’t do much of anything, and the unbeatable Phillies fell by one run in Game 5 of the NLDS. My hopes were pinned to the Brewers, with their tacky but catchy “Beast Mode,” until the Cardinals had a 12-6 slugfest at their expense.

I played the part–donning the rally caps, cheering for players I still can’t name, even acting sad when each of those teams lost. Which brings me to my point: each of those teams lost. Superstitious as it may be, I’m afraid that by picking a favorite team to win the championship title, I will somehow jinx their chances of succeeding.

So in the spirit of fairness: Good luck, Texas. Good luck, St. Louis. I’m looking forward to seven exciting games, and promise to give you equal amounts of grief for flashing the “claw” sign and chanting “Happy flight!”. And I can already tell that the best moment of the 2011 World Series will be the moment Jeremy Affeldt receives the Roberto Clemente Award in Game 2. Because you all remembered to vote for him, right? Right?

Oct 7

A Guide to Bandwagon Jumping

So your team didn’t make it to the postseason either, huh? Join the club. No, really. There are about six clubs you can join to relieve that offseason ache when you start thinking about the long, cold months until spring training begins.

I’m fairly new to the whole idea of bandwagon jumping, and while I’ve settled on the Tigers and Brewers as my seasonal favorites, you may want to test the waters a bit before rooting for just any home team.

American League Contenders

Last World Series Win: Never. Can we still call the Rangers a “Cinderella” team after they made it to the postseason twice in a row? Perhaps not, and though I am happy to see Texas get another chance to prove themselves in the Championship Series, I wish the Rays (the “Cinderella-est” of AL teams) could’ve stuck it out a little longer.

Last World Series Win: 1984. Any team that beats the Yankees is a team to root for, in my book. Plus, they have former Mariners pitcher and Giants draft pick Doug Fister, who held New York to one run and a handful of hits during the final game of the Division Series. Now that the flashy team is out of the race, however, it comes down to two underdogs in the ALCS. Who gets your vote?

National League Contenders (a bit more skewed since there are two Game Fives left to play today)

Last World Series Win: 2008. Let’s face it, these are the top dogs of the NL. The only reason to root for their success tonight is to see the Brewers take them down in the next round. Though I have to admit, I’m a sucker for good pitching backed by a solid offense. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to see a Tigers-Phillies World Series after all…

Last World Series Win: 2006. The favored underdog in this match-up, St. Louis has been battling hard to even out this series. I really don’t know much about the Cardinals, but I’ve caught rumors that upon winning, fans chant “Happy birds!” (or “Happy flight!” depending on who you ask). Nothing would entertain me more than watching the fans start yelling, “Angry birds!” following a loss tonight.

Last World Series Win: Never. I have yet to wrap my mind around “Beast Mode” or air hugs or whatever meaning is behind the ridiculous gestures the players keep making, but I like a team that can play seriously without taking themselves too seriously. Need more reasons to cheer them on? Not only have they never won a World Series, but they also used to be the Seattle Pilots (okay, it was one season in 1969, but it counts!).

Last World Series Win: 2001. While I am more than willing to give credit where credit is due, I am nowhere near generous enough to support the team that took first place in the NL West this year. Still, Arizona has earned their place in the playoffs and fought their way to Game 5 after the Brewers began with a 2-0 lead. I won’t make the mistake of underestimating this team again, and I have the feeling they’re not quite done yet.

And there you have it–six teams vying for your cheers, tears, and half-hearted devotion in the weeks to come. Have a happy (and pain-free) postseason!

May 7

Celebrating MLB Mothers

I love how creative MLB gets for Mother’s Day. Although going to a baseball game is probably last on my mom’s wish list this weekend, it’s great to see all the ballparks making their Sunday afternoon games extra special for the baseball-loving moms. Well, most of the parks, that is.

I decided to take a quick poll of all the teams hosting Mother’s Day games to see who is offering the coolest promos this year. For the American League, we have rhinestone visors from the Rangers, earrings from the Mariners, and pink-lined tote bags from the Royals. The Orioles aren’t giving away anything (or if they are it must be a see-it-when-you-get-there kind of thing), while the Blue Jays are upping their game with pink rally towels and roses.

As for the National League, neither the Padres nor the Mets will be giving away anything super special for moms, and the Giants just want to give everyone World Champions tote bags (I can’t really complain about that, I guess!). The Phillies have pink keychains, the Cardinals are offering pink mini bats, and the Pirates follow suit with the Mariners in the jewelry department. Looking at the giveaways for the Marlins, I was a bit perplexed–it only says “Mother’s Day at the Ballpark.” I hope this goes beyond stating the obvious and is just a hint of the spectacular surprises in store at Sun Life Stadium!

The point of this post, of course, is not only to pit the AL against the NL or make fun of the teams not celebrating their mothers this weekend. As great as all the giveaways look, there’s something even better you can get your mom for Mother’s Day: the Baseball Rose. It’s just what it sounds like–a rose made from an actual baseball. You can even order them in bouquets and special floral arrangements from the website. Sure, it’s a little corny, but definitely a cute way to show your appreciation for Mom and baseball at the same time!

Mar 9

Spring Training: Mariners Match-ups

One of the best aspects of spring training is the match-ups between teams that only have the chance to meet each other in the postseason. For instance, the Giants met the Rangers last night with a 4-1 victory, then fell to the Mariners this afternoon 1-0. On one hand, it’s great to see my two favorite teams duking it out, especially in spring training when winning matters a little less than in regular season. On the other hand, it’s also a confusing place to be as a fan, and I’m left both rejoicing and disappointed regardless of the outcome.

The Mariners seem to have adopted the Giants’ philosophy of showing up with a strong pitching rotation and getting just enough runs on the board to keep their opponents at bay. Today, starter Jason Vargas shone in his spring training debut, with three shutout innings and only 2 walks out of 45 pitches. Closer Fabio Castro was also impressive, throwing 10 strikes over 13 pitches in the ninth.
Although there were still no home runs for the M’s after a solid week of games, a nice bit of teamwork between Ryan Langerhans and Justin Smoak gave the Mariners their needed run in the fourth. If Seattle develops the kind of tight control on their pitching that we saw from the Giants last year, stacking up home runs won’t be too much of an issue.
Tomorrow the Mariners face the Dodgers, who currently hold a 5-7 record and just defeated the Rockies and the Brewers 7-1 this week. Thankfully, it won’t be hard to pick sides in this game! It’s the first game of three between L.A. and Seattle this year, and one that I hope will result in another sharp win by the Mariners.
23 days until baseball begins, and one month until Opening Night at Safeco Field!!
Mar 7

Spring Training: Catching Up with the Giants

For baseball fans, this is the best season of the year. Spring is right around the corner, teams are warming up in spring training, and Opening Day is less than a month away. I’m sitting at my computer watching the Giants and Rangers’ first game since the Series, and remembering how fun these teams are to watch. Do the Giants have a chance of repeating this year? It’s the question on everyone’s mind and still way too early to tell, but they’re definitely looking good.

Here’s what’s been going on in the first week or so of spring training games in Scottsdale, Arizona. This is San Francisco’s 12th game of the year, and they’re hoping to come out of it with a 9-3 record.
The good… With eight wins, five of them at home in Scottsdale Stadium, the Giants are definitely making their opponents work hard. Of course, pitching is always a key strength for San Francisco, but it’s nice to see the bats warming up, too. Seven of their eight wins were high scoring, with the Giants collecting five or more runs per game. Posey is leading the team with 6 runs and 7 RBIs in his 6 games, and Torres is close behind with 5 runs in 4 games, likely to pull out a few more tonight.
Shortstop Miguel Tejada is also proving his worth in the Giants camp, especially after he popped out a nice triple on Sunday afternoon, giving San Francisco a 3-run padding against the M’s.
The bad… Of the three losses the Giants have faced last week, only one was exceptionally painful, a 6-0 shutout by Oakland. As far as the A’s are concerned, it seems like what goes around comes around–the Giants beat the Mariners yesterday, 6-1, and the M’s did the same thing to Oakland this afternoon, with a 6-3 win. Like any loss in spring training, it’s a good chance to spot some possible inconsistencies in the team (4 errors in 7 innings) or simply dismiss it as a fluke.
Aside from the W-L record, injuries are also plaguing the team. Torres has a pulled muscle in his left side and is still unable to bat right-handed. Freddy Sanchez is working hard to get back to playing form after shoulder surgery. Brian Wilson’s stiff back kept him off the mound until Sunday. Still, Bochy is making sure everyone gets out there and shows their stuff, and even with a little stiffness and strained muscles, Torres and Sanchez and Wilson are all pulling their weight so far.
The ugly… Have you seen Brian Wilson’s beard? If you thought “Fear the Beard” was an anthem of days gone by, think again. The beard has had no relief in this offseason, and looks shaggier than ever. I’m just wondering if the furry menace that is Brian Wilson will be quite as imposing if he allows his locks to grow much longer.
Tomorrow we’ll check in with the M’s as they prepare to face the Giants for the last time this pre-season. Only 24 days left until Opening Day!
Jan 4

A Day in the Bleachers

Cover Image.jpegIn 1954, when the New York Giants reached their last pinnacle of success in the World Series, a man named Arnold Hano sat in the bleachers at the Polo Grounds. Through the four-game sweep, Hano captures the poetry of postseason baseball and the not so poetic feelings of fans in the stands, from the opening pitch to “The Catch.”

As someone who was born well before this series was played, who never knew the New York Giants as a team, and whose knowledge of their history primarily comes from a Wikipedia page, I loved getting a firsthand account of the Series’ opening game. Hano writes with all the composure of a polished sportswriter, but his blind affection for the Giants is obvious throughout the book. Here, readers get the unique chance of viewing players like Bob Feller and Monte Irvin through the eyes of a fan–not a historian or biographer–a fan who called a Dodgers fan an “American League bum,” who didn’t place Mays on his list of best hitters, but called him “the great ball player of our time.”
Perhaps one of the best quotes in the book comes from a long stretch in the third inning of Game 1. You know the kind of stretch I mean: after the thrill of the first inning, when the game is lagging, runs are consistently left on bases, and those final three outs are still hours away. The way Hano puts it, I don’t think I can complain during another game ever again:
“The game was entering that lull period which some people find boring but which I find lengthens the buildup before the crackling climax or climaxes. The longer and more quiescent the lull, the more emphatic seem the climaxes; it is the tightening of the screw, the technique of suspense that is stamped so firmly on all Hitchcock films.

Of course, sometimes the lull extends too far, and the last out has been recorded before any crackling climax can occur. We have then watched what amounts to a dull game. But even within the structure of a dull game, there is so much to be seen–the pitching, the unfolding of defensive patterns, the mobility and unbelievable coordination of a double play–that most lovely of all defensive feats of athletic collaboration. …Routine is surely the wrong word, and so is dull.”


A Day in the Bleachers is finally a book Giants fans can resonate with, whether or not they attended the 2010 World Series. Instead of the bleachers at the Polo Grounds, we had the bay view at AT&T Park. Instead of Sal Maglie and Willie Mays, Tim Lincecum and Edgar Renteria. The sentiment is the same, the pride in one’s team, the superstitious rituals, the failed predictions and whispered “you can do it” comments. And just as we know the early 5-2 win would propel the next three victories in the 1954 World Series, we also know the ending of our own World Series story. Soon, we’ll be seeing A Day at Rangers Ballpark or A Day at AT&T Park on the shelves, and the stories of Cody Ross and Cliff Lee and fans from Texas to San Francisco will join those of Mays, Irvin, and the man who documented that first game in 1954.