Rangers Overhaul

I follow Minor League Baseball. I'm not afraid to admit it . Sure, baseball may be a dying sport in much of the country, but baseball is still King in the Northeast which I found out during my trip up to Boston this past weekend. While many people don't care about the Rangers, I will continue to root for them and today the Rangers front office gave this Rangers fan hope.

Adam Morris of Lone Star Ball recaps the prospects coming to Arlington.

Below is Fort Worth Star Telegram's recap on the return for Teixeira

The Rangers announced Tuesday afternoon that have completed the most talked-about deal of this year’s deadline trades, sending first baseman Mark Teixeira and left-handed reliever Ron Mahay to the Braves for catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia and four prospects.

That deal was completed after medical records were reviewed. In addition to Braves shortstop Elvis Andrus and pitchers Matt Harrison and Neftali Feliz, the Rangers also got left-handed reliever Beau Jones, who is 5-0 with a 2.96 ERA and 46 strikeouts in 48 2/3 innings for the Class-A Rome Braves.

Saltalamacchia, 22, was ranked as the Braves’ top prospect by Baseball America before the season. Andrus, a 19-year-old Class-A shortstop was ranked Atlanta’s No. 2 prospect and Harrison, a 22-year-old Double-A lefty, was No. 3. Feliz, a 19-year-old right-hander from the Dominican Republic, is still in rookie ball.

Saltalamacchia is expected to join the Rangers in Cleveland for their three-game series starting tonight. A switch hitter, Saltalamacchia made his major-league debut on May 2 and hit .284 with four home runs and 12 RBI for the Braves this season. He caught in 25 games, played first in 14 games and was the designated hitter in two games.

Teixeira, 27, was selected fifth overall in the 2001 draft by Texas and reached the majors two years later. He quickly became one of the Rangers’ most consistent and productive players, hitting .283 with 153 home runs and 499 RBI and playing in a club-record 507 consecutive games. Teixeira also won two Gold Gloves with the Rangers.

Not shockingly, news came out that Teixeira and his devil agent Scott Boras didn't even sniff at the 8 year and 140 million dollar extension that Tom Hicks offered.

Teixeira's wife is from Atlanta and Teixeira played college baseball at Georgia Tech. He had no intentions of resigning after the 2008 season with the Rangers, and it was nice to see the Rangers get such a nice return for a guy I am glad to see get out of town.


John Sickels lists the top 20 Braves prospects entering this season

The Rangers picked up #2, #3, #4, and #13 along with a reliever from a list of prospects in what is perennially one of the best farm systems in baseball Jon Daniels hit a home run on this deal.

The return was not as sweet for Eric Gagne and they gave up the closer who would yield two additional draft picks at the end of the season if a he signed elsewhere for 3 Boston prospects one of which seems like a good pickup if he stays healthy.

Kason Gabbard, a lefty starter who was pushing Jon Lester for the 5th spot in Boston's rotation once Curt Schilling returned from injury. David Murphy was #14 on Sickels preseason list and should at least be a solid centerfielder platton option down the road. Big upside potential in Engel Beltre who has a upside as a top Dominican prospect in the much hyped Sox minor league system.

Overall, a hell of a day to be a Rangers fan in what all of sudden looks like a team with some direction and potential.

Kevin Garnett escapes Minnesota and is headed to Boston



David Beckham is still injured and will have to wait to see the wonderful DFW wonderland of Frisco which should blow his English mind. There's always next time Becks.


A Young Beckham with a miracle for Manchester United.

Skip Prosser

Wake Forest coach Skip Prosser died suddenly this week of a heart attack at Age 56. While the Wake Forest basketball team has had a rough couple of seasons of late, Skip was a solid coach and an even better guy from the people who knew him.

Tragic story...

Simpsons and College Football

Because the Simpsons movie happens to be coming out today and I came across this link a few days ago, it seems appropriate that I pass it along.

This link compares a number of different college football teams with Simpsons characters. I haven't really watched the Simpsons regularly in 5 years or so, but the show is still greatness and I'm sure the movie will be hilarious. Anyways, check out the link below.

Simpsons meets College Football

Rangers Tradeable Commodities

Ron Washington's first year in Texas has not exactly been a smashing success. But Washington slowly has let his philosophy to sink in with the players. Despite injuries to Hank Blalock and Ian Kinsler for much of the season, the team has done nothing but improve after an abysmal April and May. Since early June, the Rangers have had much better pitching and the offense has come around thanks to Michael Young coming around a little bit and contributions from guys like Marlon Byrd and Kenny Lofton.

Still more than 10 games under .500, the Rangers need to think towards the future and their first priority should be figuring out what they have 2008. And that includes calling up Jason Botts to DH and letting Sammy Sosa go. Mark Teixeira is going to be a Free Agent at the end of the 2008 season, and there is a 0% chance he resigns with the Rangers. With that being said, here are the top 5 players that the Rangers need to try and deal before the trade deadline and will get something of value in return.

1) Mark Teixeria 1B -- Teixeira is the best play being talked about in trade talks and many teams have been mentioned as possible trade partners. The Braves and Dodgers appear to be the best fit both from a need standpoint and prospects that both organizations have to offer in their farm system. The Braves have mentioned Jared Salamtacchia and a minor league pitcher, and the dodgers have mentioned sweet swinging James Loney (hitting over .340 this year since being called up) and possibly another minor leaguer. GM Jon Daniels must do something, becuase the longer Teixeira stays with the team, the less value he command in a trade.

2) Kenny Lofton CF -- Not many of the contenders need a reliable center fielder but the Indians could some offense and the Red Sox are not completely locked down in Center Field. If the Ranges could deal Teixeira and Lofton to the Red Sox for Jon Lester, Jacoby Ellsbury, and possibly another minor leaguer (No way they could get Clay Buchholz?), you would have to do that deal from a Rangers standpoint.

3) Eric Gagne RP -- From everything I hear, the Rangers are going to try and lock Gagne up for a few more years which would be a very wise move. Gagne is still one of the most dominant closers in baseball and will be as long as he is healthy. But if you are the Rangers, you have to at least listen to offers from contenders.

4) Joquin Benoit / Ron Mahay (Middle Relievers) -- Benoit could get you possibly a legitimater starter prospect in return and Mahay probably a little less. Still worth talking about with teams.

5) Sammy Sosa -- Maybe an American League team could use a guy who can crush lefties. Proably not, but you can dream. Because right now, Sosa is doing nothing but pad his own career numbers and keep Botts from getting meaningful At bats.

Inspiration

I'm getting married September 22nd, and I plan on putting a little more effort into this blog in the next couple months and even moreso after September 22nd. Thanks to Bob Sturm at the Ticket and his generous link, my blog has become relevant again. And since many people viewing this site for the first time may be wondering what the hell is this site is all about. Well, it's a blog that is DFW Sports focused with college football and golf coverage. But you will also read plenty of other stuff, and hopefully decide to come back to the site. With that out of the way, onto stuff happening in this little sports world of ours...

Sergio Craps the Bed

I'm a big golf fan. This is no secret to people who know me. Well, this week's British Open featured the highest of high drams thanks to a European duel between Padraig (Paddy) Harrington and Sergio Garcia all the way to a playoff. But Carnoustie ended up winning once again. Thanks to a double bogey by Harrington on 18 which almost had a Van De Velve esque feel to it and Sergio missing about an 8 footer that would have won it for him. Sergio crtics are only going to get louder but at least Europe has its first major since 1999 (Paul Lawrie at Carnoustie was the last to do it). Olazabal is the last European major winner not held at Carnoustie and that happened at the Masters in 1999. The Europeans can still whip the Americans at the Ryder Cup though.


This is what 45,000 high school fans look like in a flashback to last year's epic battle between Euless Trinity and Southlake Carroll..

Texas Longhorns Locker Room After Rose Bowl win over USC

This is good stuff

Mack's Speech


Thanks to Cuyler for the heads up