My Feelings On The Texas Rangers Thus Far This Year:

Good, Bad, and "Meh"

     So people in Dallas are pretty proud of their Rangers now, as they should be.  A lead in the AL West, a respectable 14-6 home record…plus it takes the minds of Dallas sports fans off the Cowboys and Mavericks for a second, which, given Jerry Jones’ and Mark Cuban’s further descent into Al Davis-Hood and the Cowboys and Mavs further descent into irrelevance, is a welcome respite. I’d say the Rangers represent the Dallas area’s best chance for a championship in the next five years (not counting hockey  because not enough people care and not counting soccer because I’m only including real sports). 

So they probably won’t win it this year. But here are my likes, dislikes, and possible minor league solutions to some glaring problems with the Rangers.

Continue reading "Texas Rangers-Quarter Season Likes and Dislikes"

What Ifs, What Fors, and What The #@^&s?

     Twenty-eight NBA teams are looking at how to fix what went wrong about now, soon to be Thirty. Some wonder about squandered potential, some about how to fix injury issues, some at how to dump salaries to save cash (shame on you, wretched greedheads. More on that later), some looking at incredible young potential and how to keep them, etc.  And that’s all well and good, but I need a moment to hang my head and ask “What if” about a few aspects of the Hornets I found troubling, who…well, they just…nevermind. Here we go.

What if?

1)They hadn’t released Chris Anderson?

     I realize that sounds like a great deal of hindsight, but I complained about this move since they released him last summer. Sure, he was coming off a substance abuse suspension, and New Orleans may not be the best city for a recovering alcoholic, but they had him by the cojones. Pay him the minimum, make him the 10th or 11th man or even send him to the D-League; anything for someone who’s that much of an athletic freak and going for bargain basement prices. If he messes up again, you cut him and still come out ahead. Where were the Hornets shallow this year? THE BENCH, especially the frontcourt bench. The Birdman is a solid 6’10”, 228 who can play center or power forward and probably start on most teams. So just to rub it in, here’s what he did in Denver this season coming off the bench and averaging a measly 21 minutes per game (note: these stats are only regular season, not including his crazy postseason  performances): 54.8% FG, 6.2 RPG, 6.4 PPG, and 2.46 BPG. Yes, you read that last part correctly: he averaged 2 and a half blocks a game averaging only 21 minutes. I believe that a gentleman named Dwight Howard is the only one who has a better block per minute played ratio

Continue reading "New Orleans Hornets-Hindsight is 20/20"

The Higher The Hope, The Harder It Falls (Thus Far)

     Being a Saints fan has to be one of the most frustrating things in all of pro sports.  You are from Louisiana; they are the Saints…you have no choice.  Dammit, you have no choice.  You watched them trade draft picks to Dallas for Steve Walsh, you watched them grow great defensive players and then promptly trade them once their salaries got too expensive, you watched them trade seeming nobodies who quickly became somebodies on other teams (Bobby Hebert, I’m looking mostly at you), and you’ve watched them somehow manage to beat some pretty good teams during the regular season only to turn around and get facialed by the 2-10 Browns the next week.  The uncertainty killed you, but it’s also what made the Saints the Saints.  I can’t think of another fan base in any pro sport that has gotten so much morose pleasure out of being shitty.  Remember the paper bags over the heads with “Aint’s” written across?  The fans were pleased with their own creativity, which at least tried to offset the INCREDIBLE lack of creativity in Jim Mora’s offense.  But that was I different era.  I’ll move on.

Continue reading "New Orleans Saints-Draft Picks and Free Agent Signings"

     Round Rock Express hitters were surely looking forward to this past weekend’s series against the Salt Lake City Bees.  Coming into the series the Pacific Coast League pitching rankings of the Bees were: last in ERA, first in home runs allowed, second most runs allowed, third most hits, and issued the fewest strikeouts and fourth most walks.  The Express definitely needed some soft pitching; they went into the first game of the series without having scored a run in 16 innings.  That  gutworm gnawing extended to 19 innings before Round Rock scored two in the third inning of the first game.  From there it was fine sailing for The Express, except for a game three hiccup that was more the fault of the pitchers.  The offense still managed five runs on eleven hits in that game. 

Continue reading "Houston Astros Triple-A Affiliate Round Rock Express Figure Things Out Against The Salt Lake City Bees"