8/21 Post Game Therapy

Now just a 6 game lead ahead of the A's who are in Arlington next weekend.

"Does anyone here know how to play this game?" -- Marla Hooch (quoting the great Casey Stengel)
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8/20 Post Game Therapy

Okay, okay, since I whined most of the week, I have to acknowledge a good performance.

The picture on the left was taken in August 2002 (I think, it might have been July) - it's CJ Wilson making his first start in AA.  I drove up to Tulsa to watch it, and snapped this very small picture - it's an ancient "photograph" not digital. 

That's why I love minor league baseball:  you watch the guys as they grow, get smarter, get better and get to the Major Leagues.

Nice game CJ and thanks for being "the stopper" -- Marla Hooch

Thought For The Day

From Richard Durrett of ESPN Dallas:

"In the meantime, playoff contending teams figure out a way to win despite key losses during stretches of the season. The Rangers must do that now. They need reserve players to step up and make smart decisions. They've gotten a break in that the Angels and A's haven't gone on any long winning streak in the last week or two. But those teams could close the gap quickly if the Rangers don't start hitting."

As always with the Rangers - easier said than done.

Oh, and by the way - if you look at the ESPN "Hunt for October" standings this morning, the Rangers playoff opponent has now changed to the inevitable: The Yankees.  All because Oakland figured out a way to do something last night that Texas cannot do - beat the Rays.

I've earned my Ranger Pessimissim the hard way, after 30 years of watching this team implode more often than not (including that miserable 1-9 record in the playoffs) I just can't be convinced that the Rangers are real contenders.  This team has broken my baseball heart too often and are doing it again. 

Can't do it, won't go there, I should know better -- Marla Hooch
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8/19 Post Game Therapy

I'm wondering if Colby is wishing he'd stayed in Japan right about now -- Marla Hooch

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8/18 Post Game Therapy

Listen closely, do you hear that sound? 

Whoosh....Swoon

Deep Sigh -- Marla Hooch

8/17 Post Game Therapy

It's not time.

Nope, it isn't.

I don't want to hear that tired old cliche "we've got to tip our hat to the other guy, he pitched well."  That excuse doesn't work. 

The Rays are the most likely opponent if there is a post-season for the Rangers.  You don't tip your hat to a better pitcher in a five game series - you just go home with you tail between your legs the same way Texas did in 1996, 1998 and 1999.

The Rangers could still win the AL West, but this series was a test for both teams,  you know which one failed miserably.

Glad there's a day game tomorrow while I'm at work so I don't have to watch any more embarassing baseball  -- Marla Hooch
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8/16 Post Game Therapy

I need to talk it out. Since the healthplan at work doesn’t cover trips to the psychologist/psychiatrist, I’m going to use the public plan – which means this blog.

For the first time since I can remember, I didn’t stick through to the bitter end of a Rangers game, I just couldn’t last night. So, I fired up the DVR - “time-shifted” (the newly created euphemism I learned this morning) and watched Sunday’s episode of “Mad Men”.

Here are my reader’s digest comments about that episode:

Pete’s finally growing a pair.
Peggy’s about to get her consciousness raised.
It’s the dawn of psychedelia and that swirling sinkhole Don is in is getting bigger.
There’s never enough Roger.
I still can't get over the fact that Lane is played by Richard Harris's son.

Best moment of the evening: Peggy standing on her desk peeking over the partition/wall at an unnerved Don Draper. As satisfying a moment for her as there has been during the four season run of this show.

About the game: after I read Ron Washington’s comments this morning it’s nice to know that he’s finally figured out what most of us have known for a while: post-injury Joaquin Arias is a waste of roster space. Let’s hope Brandon Boggs (who I really like) takes some extra pre-game fly balls with Gary Pettis today.

Get Well Soon: Michael, Ian and Nelson.

Finally:  let me tell you about what happened to me thirty-three years ago yesterday. There were severe thunderstorms all over Lucas County Ohio. My mother was driving my Grandmother Czajka to a oncologist appointment on the other side of town when the tornado sirens went off. There was a funnel cloud sighted not that far from where we lived. Me, my sisters and our neighbors from across the street hurried down to the basement (the neighbors didn’t have a basement or storm shelter). We’re sitting there nervously, listening to best local storm source: WSPD radio. Remember this was the age way before cell phones – we had no idea where my Mom and Grandma were at. All of the sudden, in the middle of the storm information the newsman breaks in with a news bulletin – I’m thinking nuclear war – and instead announces the death of Elvis Presley. I about threw the radio across the basement. There’s a possibly devastating storm, and we’re worried about my Mom and Grandma – and he’s talking about Elvis. That might have been where celebrity news started its ascendancy and real news its decline. All’s well that ended well: the storm was not too bad, Mom and Grandma made it home safely (with my Grandmother telling my Mom “you drive, I’ll pray”) and last time I checked Elvis is still dead.

I feel better now, hope I feel even better after tonight’s game -- Marla Hooch
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A Really Big Show

Sunday Night 8:00 p.m. – everyone watched. For many years one episode from February 1964 had the highest ratings of any television show ever (yeah, yeah, yeah). The musical “Forever Plaid” (which literally ran forever at the now closed Casa Manana Downtown) contained a hilarious 2 minute parody. Of course, I’m talking about the Ed Sullivan Show.

Why bring that up? Good question – because I couldn’t think of anything else to start out with this morning.

But seriously, last week was a big series for the Rangers – facing the Yankees and the Red Sox always is and will be. However, in my mind the “really big show” is the next 3 days. If the season ended today – the Rangers October opponent would be the Tampa Bay Rays. How these games play out the next three days might be a bigger test for this Ranger team than anything that happened on the last homestand. It’s going to be a “really big show”.

Remembering Topo Gigio, Senor Wences and the guy with the spinning plates  -- Marla Hooch

P.S. The best thing about yesterday’s win – seeing Chuck Greenberg sitting out in the bleachers with the fans. By the way: when are Tom and Josh going to do another one of their broadcast's from the bleachers?
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