Josh Hamilton Talks to Michael Young, Offers Thoughts on Young Trade Reports

During an interview last year, Michael Young told me that he wanted to finish his career with the Texas Rangers.  Now, according to too many reports to list,Young hopes to finish that career with a team not named the Rangers.

How do his teammates feel about that?

"If we lose him, it's a big loss," outfielder Josh Hamilton said Monday as the Rangers loaded moving vans bound for spring training in Surprise, AZ.

Hamilton visited with Young Monday morning during a workout and talked to 34-year old for the first time since the latest round of trade rumors emerged. 

"Obviously he'd be disappointed," Hamilton said.  "He's been here a long time, this is all he's known for his whole career."

And if Young is moved?

"It's definitely a concern.  You think about his leadership, how long he's been with this organization."

"It's going to be different if something happens and he's not here but we'll have to step up and focus on what got us to where we were last year.  That was having that chemistry encouraging each other, loving each other and backing each other up."

"Anytime you lose a player like Michael it's hard on the team.  Hopefully we can keep chemistry there, hopefully somebody will step up and be a leader."

Those leaders are hard to find (are you listening, Dallas Cowboys????) and perhaps even more difficult to replace.

UPDATE:
The Rangers held 5pm conference call with Jon Daniels and Nolan Ryan.   Daniels confirms Young has a requested a trade and that they will try to accommodate his request.  Young initially agreed to move to DH but had a change of heart.  Daniels said he wishes "it hadn't come to this."

Stay tuned!!!!!

Rangers Beat the Yankees: By the Numbers

There are a million numbers you can look at from any baseball game.  Here are a few quickies I thought were mildly interesting from last night's 13-inning marathon Rangers 6-5 win over the Yankees.

19: Pitchers used by both teams - tied for most ever, setting a new AL record
15: Rangers Magic Number
11: the number of pitches David Murphy had in his first at-bat in the first inning resulting in an single, also the number of pitchers used by the Rangers (a new team record)
9: Number of walkoff wins the Rangers have had this season
7.5: Rangers AL West lead over the A's
5 and 12: hours and minutes of last night's game, longest this season
4: Career-high number of RBI Julio Borbon had last night

3: Innings pitched by CJ Wilson - tied for his shortest outing this season, also the number of consecutive wins by Texas and the number of freaky members of the Blue Man Group that will haunt me forever
2: The number of total AND walkoff wins the Ranger have over the Yankees this season
1.5: Yankees AL East lead over the Rays
1: The number of runs the Rangers bullpen allowed in 10 innings
0: Doses of caffeine, cups of coffee or green tea I had last night.  That might change today.

Rangers & MLB Opening Day Lagniappe and the Presidential Connection

During Rangers Manager Ron Washington's meeting with the media throng on Thursday, he made a statement that just about anyone who has any sort of passing interest in baseball can agree with.

"Opening day is one of the best days in baseball," he said following the statement with a patented, mile-wide Wash grin.

I've joked all week long that it should be a national holiday.  So many people play hookie from work to attend or just watch games.  A couple of my friends' companies shut down their offices and take their staff to the ballpark to take in the game.  I know two such companies that will be in Arlington, tailgating well before the Rangers 3:05 scheduled first pitch against the Red Sox on Friday.

New Rangers video board

The Rangers record on opening day is 22-28, dating back to 1961 when they were originally the Washington Senators.  President John F. Kennedy threw out the first pitch as the Senators lost to the White Sox in the franchise's first game.  Texas has won their last two opening day games, doing so in dramatic come-from-behind fashion in 2010 against the Blue Jays.

Sure, opening day is fun.  It celebrates all the pomp and circumstance of America's pastime.  In reality, it's more for the fringe fans.  I liken it to New Year's Eve, which I call "amateur night".  It seems like THE game that people who rarely (or never) attend any baseball games make the effort to get to opening day.  I'm not hatin' on it, I'm just sayin'....

I was looking up some information for a story and stumbled across an article in the Atlanic about presidential connections with opening day.  It's an interesting read.  Who knew that William Howard Taft was the first president to throw out the first pitch at a game in Washington in 1910?

And did you know that every president since Taft  has thrown out at least one ceremonial first pitch while in office, except for one?  Can you guess who it is?  That would be....Jimmy Carter.

For the record, President Obama did not throw out a first pitch prior to Thursday's Nationals/Braves game.  A group of three generals and two admirals, each representing a branch of the U.S. military, threw out the first pitch instead.

What Athletes Should Say About Their Former Teams

Former Ranger Ian Kinsler got in Josh Hamilton-like trouble with Texas Rangers fans when he said in an ESPN the Magazine interview that he hopes Texas goes "0-162" in 2014 and called Rangers GM Jon Daniels a "sleazeball".

New Tiger @IKinsler3 sits down for an interview with MLB Productions. pic.twitter.com/Uy96p6Wjan

— Tigers PR (@DetroitTigersPR) February 19, 2014

Image via Twitter.com/Tigers 

Kinsler also complained about having to take on additional leadership responsibilities in the absence of Michael Young in 2013.  Funny, because Kinsler told me in a 2012 Spring Training interview for TXA21 that he welcomed the opportunity to be more of a leader on the team.  Things change.

Here's the thing: I have had this very conversation with professional athletes regarding the right way to approach an interview about former teams.  Unless an athlete is ready to deal with the backlash, questions and scrutiny that come with making bold, harsh statements, don't say anything incendiary.

"I appreciated the opportunities I had with {INSERT NAME OF FORMER TEAM HERE} and am excited about my future with {INSERT NAME OF CURRENT TEAM HERE}."

That's a great answer when asked about a former team.

A reporter will continue to probe, undoubtedly.  A solid follow up would be:

"I learned so much with {INSERT NAME OF FORMER TEAM HERE} and am looking forward to applying what I learned and maximizing my potential with {INSERT NAME OF CURRENT TEAM HERE}.

When pressed about how things ended:

"That's all in the past.  I'm focused on being the best player I can be for the {INSERT NAME OF CURRENT TEAM HERE}."

If an athlete wants to rankle feathers, which is fine, fire away.  Be prepared, though, to readdress what was said, don't backtrack or claim something was taken "out of context".

Here's a tip: in TV interviews, the camera is an ally (or worst enemy).  TV reporters and editors can't wholly manipulate sound and take things "out of context" unless some Oscar-worthy editing is done.  As it relates to the Josh Hamilton interview, you saw the whole exchange.  When I asked him about his time with the Rangers we did not cover it with video or edit the sound.  Everything you saw was as it happened.

I do like the fact that Hamilton has a sense of humor about it.  He was nice when we talked about it on Opening Day last season and had some fun with Kinsler on Tuesday via Twitter:

Not any fun being in the Texas doghouse, is it @IKinsler3?

— Josh Hamilton (@thejoshhamilton) March 4, 2014

Well, played, Josh.  Well played.

The Takeaway
I think former Rangers minority owner Chuck Greenberg made the most appropriate statement about delivering on-the-record comments about "sticky situations".

You never get tired of the view from the high road.

— Chuck Greenberg (@chuckgreenberg) March 4, 2014

This is outstanding advice, whether discussing a former team, old flame or previous employer.

The Victoria's Secret Major League Baseball Collection

The Victoria's Secret Pink Texas Rangers Collection is a fashion home run. I LOVE the striped tank top with the sequined "T".  This is absolutely Sunday-brunch-in-Uptown gear for the stylish sports fan...who might be a bit hungover. I can see some of my girls drinking mimosas and Ubering to the Ballpark wearing these. Not that I have ever done any of that.

Cute Texas Rangers Women's Apparel

Blue Kendra Scott Earrings | Alex & Ani Texas Rangers Bangle | Barrington Gifts Blue & Red Crossbody (Design Your Own HERE) | Old Navy Texas Rangers T-Shirt | Boyfriend Jeans | Sunglasses | Hat | MLB OPI Collection | Dooney & Burke Texas Rangers Wristlet

I'm sorry. There's a lot of ugly-ass team merch out there. The good news is that there's a ton of stylish stuff, too, especially for baseball fans.

The Friday Cheat Sheet: Prince Goes Full Monty, NBA Fashion Fail & Beckerman's MUST See Engagement Pics

I hope you had a great week. Here is all the news you need to win your sports weekend:

The #USMNT departs Arena Pernambuco for the Rd. of 16. #1N1T https://t.co/IcT4Cc3e5I
— U.S. Soccer (@ussoccer) June 26, 2014

The US Men's National Soccer Team advanced to the round of 16 in the 2014 World Cup. The US will play Belgium on Tuesday.

Image via Matt Clayton Photography

You have GOT to see U.S. Men's Soccer team midfielder Kyle Beckerman's engagement photos. They are epic.

Texas Rangers Accessories For Women

Emily Jones emceeing the Rangers Wives Q&A

Women constantly ask me "What Should I Wear to the Game"?  Options used to be limited to men's gear or that damn pink t-shirt (which is great for the kids, I get it).  Thankfully, retailers and professional sports leagues have realized that female sports fans want to look stylish and feminine when supporting their favorite teams.

Texas Rangers Spring Training Musings | 2012

They’re All Here.  Almost.

It was a packed clubhouse this morning with a ton of media in advance of the pitchers and catchers first workout.  Yu Mania was the hot topic and will continue to be throughout camp.  Mike Maddux will discuss Darvish’s first workout at 1pm Dallas time.   Darvish is scheduled to hold a press conference 3pm Dallas time.  

Most of the players are in Surprise, including Josh Hamilton.   He was in the Rangers clubhouse this morning but did not do any media interviews.  Hamilton will have a press conference on Friday.

Cowboys Smack

Not only is reliever Joe Nathan a four-time all-star,  is a passionate New York Giants fan.   He attended Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis and offered this on Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo:  “I just hope his golf game stays good.”

Corpus Christi native Mike Adams is a huge Cowboys fan.  He says that Nathan has given him a fair amount of flak but is optimistic the Cowboys will improve “Hopefully they make some changes this offseason,” the pitcher said. 

Adams is recovering from a sports hernia.  He had surgery January 3^rd but says he’s 100% but is a little behind other pitchers.  He’s confident he’ll be ready by April 1^st.  He’s thrown off the mound once while other guys have thrown off of it a couple times.

Baby News

Congratulations to first baseman Mitch Moreland.  He and his wife are expecting their first child due in August.  He’s so excited and can’t keep a smile off his face when talking about their new addition.   (I know what he’s having but will let Moreland share the news in due time).

Moreland is recovering from offseason wrist surgery.  He says the wrist is good, it’s coming along great and he hopes to be ready to go by spring training games.

Why Rangers Pitcher Colby Lewis is Texas Version of Cool Hand Luke

Pitcher Colby Lewis (12-13, 3.71 ERA) has the chance to help the Rangers get another huge monkey off their collective backs.  He will make his first career postseason for Texas in Game 3 of the ALDS against the Rays on Saturday. The Rangers are looking for their first ever win in a postseason series but Lewis claims he's not phased.

Chuck Greenberg's Resignation - Texas Rangers Reaction

Report: Former Texas Rangers CEO Chuck Greenberg to buy NHL team for $500M: https://t.co/dXdKAr3TwS @DallasBizNews #DFW #NHL #Texas pic.twitter.com/sv7EbMIIO6

— Candace Carlisle (@DBJCandace) July 13, 2017

Think about it: it wouldn't be Rangers spring training if there wasn't some drama.  While the news of Chuck Greenberg's abrupt resignation is surprising, the fact that there was a rift between Greenberg and other members of the organization, quite frankly, isn't.

Greenberg officially resigned as CEO Friday and has sold back his interest in the team saying he has "somewhat different styles" from team president Nolan Ryan and Rangers co-chairmen of the board Ray Davis and Bob Simpson.

Michael Young Reports to Spring Training 2011, Nolan & JD's Reaction

Michael Young reported to Rangers spring training on Saturday, delivering a big hug to Ron Washington the moment he walked into the clubhouse. It's clear he has no issues with the Rangers manager. What's also crystal clear is that the issues lies with general manager Jon Daniels.

Josh Hamilton vs Texas Rangers: The 2-Year Deal Development

Hamilton, Darren Oliver & Champ unfurl the "It's Time" (for spring training) banner

The Rangers are getting creative in their attempts to avoid arbitration with outfielder Josh Hamilton.  Texas has offered Hamilton a two-year contract in effort to avoid a Valentine's Day date at an arbitration hearing on February 14th.

The Bang For Your Pro Sports Payroll Buck | 2011

You haven’t asked yourself this?

Neither have I but the fine folks at ESPN’s Page 2 did and the series has been a fun little read.  Basically it examines teams similarly to the way the financial types would assess corporations and businesses.  Which franchise is getting a solid return on simply its payroll investment?

So without further ado, here's a synopsis.

A Crazy DFW Sports Weekend

The Sports Tornado that is hitting DFW this weekend is what I dreamed about as a kid.  Seriously.

As a 14-year old sports-obsessed Dallas native, watching George Riba do his thing from Valley Ranch, there was no doubt I wanted to go into this crazy/painful/exhilarating business and do it in my own backyard.  Somehow I finagled my way here and and many years later, it's a reality.  The even better reality is the chaoticly awesome, nonstop sports weekend that many more of us dream about is actually happening.  Here.  Now.

Consider the early Christmas/Hanukkah present that is this weekend in DFW:

Saturday
Rangers/Rays Game 3 (which is a present enough for long-suffering fans)
Baylor/Texas Tech at the Cotton Bowl
Arkansas/Texas A&M at JerryWorld
SMU/Tulsa on the Hilltop
TCU/Wyoming in Fort Worth

I can't remember a weekend this like this.  Ever.  From my days in Houston to Guam to Knoxville when SEC Football and basketball overlapped, I've never experienced one this jampacked in one metropolitan area.

But wait there's more!  Play the Ginsu Knife ad.

Cowboys vs Rangers Ratings War

It's so funny.  People say one thing and then do another.   Shocking.

I get email after email from fans telling me to shutup about the Cowboys preseason.   The games don't matter.  Give the division-leading Rangers the respect and coverage they deserve.   Those are the tame suggestions.

Texas Rangers 2010 Spring Training Report: Down Goes Hamilton

Fans waiting for autographs at Texas Rangers Spring Training in Surprise, AZ

Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton left the team's first full practice earlier Wednesday after taking a tumble chasing a popup.  It was on a simple, routine catch in which he kind of dove for the ball.

He went into the training room and had examined.  The team is calling it a left shoulder contusion and muscle spasm .  He's listed as day to day but, to me, that's not the end of the story.  You always have to look a little closer with a player like Hamilton who appeared in only 89 games last year.  Has the injury happened before? Could it be a recurring issue?  There are always questions that need to be answered.