Pictures and Links From The Newberg Book Party in December

A word of advice to everyone: don't ever start a new job before the Christmas holidays (and the NMLR Book Party) - it really, really, really messes up you entire life and plans. Yes, that's my excuse for putting up these pictures and links so very late - and I'm sticking to it.

Links for the pictures:

Scott Lucas's great pictures.

Fan Photos and my pictures.


Other links for the event:

Our good friend (who has really grown-up!) Grant Schiller's blog entry on the party.

Fellow fan Katie's thoughts.

The inimitable TR Sullivan's preview and recap of the night.

Tim Cowlishaw even stopped by.

Happy 2010 Everyone - counting the days till pitchers and catchers - Marla Hooch

P.S. Yes that's Baseball Mom with her very favorite - Mr. Chris Davis
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I Told You So.....

Here are links to columns by Randy Galloway about potential Rangers owner Dennis Gilbert here and here.

Please note Gilbert's desire to be a "hands on" owner with everyone reporting directly to him. As I said on Sunday: if Gilbert is chosen by Mr. Hicks and is approved by MLB - this is going to be a nightmare. Remember how bad things were with Mr. Hicks circa 2000 - 2003 - it's about to happen again. Gilbert is a former agent, he's not going to use his money to keep building the team - he's going to on spending spree with the likes of "veteran" players (just look at the broken down "veteran" players that littered the Texas rosters from 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003) - all JD's hard work to build up a good farm system to feed to the major league team will go straight down the drain.

The only hope left is that Randy is right in his assertion that Gilbert's financing isn't in place, and the fact that the NHL has to approve the new owner might work against a fomer athlete's agent. Thinking out loud - it could favor Mr. Greenberg who has had some dealings with the NHL in the past - although I haven't read how the NHL felt about Mr. Greenberg.

You know Tom Schieffer - one of the architects of the Rangers playoff teams in the 90's - is out of a job (no longer running for governor). Is it too late for him to put together a group - or maybe even the same group that owned the team back in the glory days? They knew a little something about letting the baseball operations do their job, and making the Ballpark a great place to visit for all fans (not just the corporate pals of the owner).

Meanwhile...do you hear the sounds of crickets chirping when it comes to making moves that will actually help the team on the field?

Tom Schieffer for owner! -- Marla Hooch

What Can I Say?

Not much.

I can't get excited about additions to the 40 man roster - so what other baseball content is there write about lately?

The truth is that we are now fans of the Montreal Expos. Our current owner built his financial empire on a foundation of shifiting sands, and we the fans are paying for Tom Hicks wrong headed faith in bubble economics.

As every local pundit has written: the Rangers have no money to spend this off season, so we are likely to see pretty much the same team that we watched last season (which is not necessarily a bad thing). The problem is that Mr. Hicks, but mostly the primary owner (Mr. Selig) have unrealistic expectations of what the Rangers are worth - and the bidders haven't been willing to pay. But, when has Bud Selig been realistic about anything? (Just one example - performance enhancing supplements: Bud is still combing grains out his hair from leaving his head in the sand for so long about this situation).

Unfortunately, the financial solution to the Rangers problems doesn't appear to be any better that the current problem. National reports seem to indicate that the former sports agent and Selig crony Dennis Gilbert has a leg up on on the competition. The key phrase here is "former sports agent" and the fact that he is an "advisor" to the White Sox owner -- one more phrase comes to mind: managing and general managing from the ownners suite. If you thought Tom Hicks meddled too much - just wait and see what happens if Dennis Gilbert buys the team.

Enough - wake me up when spring training starts.

Tis the season to be jolly, and I have to thank my brother in law Ken for sending this video (see below). If you don't love the Muppets and their version of this Queen classic - then what planet of dour people do you come from?

I see a little silhouetto of a clam -- Marla

By Request For Baseball Mom

Who said she checked my blog today to see if I'd put up the pictures from my trip - click on the following link to to see photos from:

Marla and New Mexico Bean's Excellent Adventure in New Orleans

More travelogue, ignoring the World Series, and whatever else I can manage to write will appear sometime soon - probably this weekend.

I know it's a cliche - be it ever so humble - there's no place like home -- Marla Hooch

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I'm Walkin' To N'awlins

“I’m walkin’ to New Orleans
I’m going to need two pair of shoes
When I get through walkin’ to you
When I get back to New Orleans”
--- Fats Domino


I’m taking Fats advice, packing my bags and heading for a few a few days of who knows what in the Big Easy.

Before I go, a few baseball and non-baseball thoughts:

Regarding the departure of hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo: I’ve always questioned, based on what I’ve read in the media, his philosophy of “aggressive in the strike zone”. However, since I’m not in the clubhouse or taken a batting lesson from him I can’t say for certain that his philosophy was the whole problem with the Rangers offense in 2009. Although I can say this with some certainty: young players in their first major league AB’s struggle – take a look at some early career stats: Michael Young (966 AB - .246 Avg) Mark Teixeira (529 AB - .259 Avg) and Torii Hunter (720 AB - .266 Avg). It seems that a majority of hitters have to learn how to hit pitching at the major league level – no matter how successful they were in the minor leagues. This past season’s lineup was full of hitters who’ve not yet had even two full season’s of AB’s: (Chris Davis, Elvis Andrus, David Murphy, Taylor Teagarden, and Josh Hamilton technically falls into this category too) – statistical and empirical evidence suggests they were going have their ups and downs – which they most certainly did. What that says to me is that whoever is hired as hitting coach next season might receive undue praise for improvements. Younger players are bound to improve as they get more experience – no matter who is the hitting coach. So during the 2010 season when I read the bloggers and media wags who will point to offensive improvements because of the coaching change – I’ll be pouring a large grain of salt on their pronouncements. By the way – the same could be probably be said about the pitching coach change this season.

The playoffs: so the Dodgers and the Angels aren’t as invincible as they appeared during the season? I have to chuckle just a bit, I haven’t seen a team look as bad against the Yankees since, well, 1996, 1998, and 1999. I take small comfort in the fact that the Rangers are not the only ones who wither under the playoff spotlight against New York. It’s apparent (barring a couple of serious baseball miracles) that the World Series will be the Phillies vs. the Yankees. I can’t tell you how disinterested I am in that match-up – except that I think Philadelphia has a reasonable chance of defeating New York (provided the Phillies bullpen doesn’t implode). Do you realize that if the World Series winds up going the full 7 games, the last 3 games will be played Nov 1st, 2nd and 3rd - on the East Coast, at night? If the temperature is above 50 degrees – that will be another baseball miracle. Ridiculous! What’s even more ridiculous is that because of the World Series there won’t be any new episodes of “House” and “Glee” (yes I’ve been suckered in by that show) until mid-November. I know that Bud Selig doesn’t read my blog – but he should. He needs be aware that he is alienating this dependable, die hard baseball fan because of this prolonged playoff schedule. Of course, all Bud cares about is the TV ratings, since New York will be in the series those ratings probably won’t suffer – but I won’t be watching.

Planning my nights by the TV Guide: Speaking of television – the best new series in my always humble opinion is “The Good Wife” on CBS. The cast is terrific, especially Josh Charles (late of “SportsNight” - sigh) and Christine Baranski (who was great in “Mama Mia”). I already mentioned “Glee” on Fox – a guilty pleasure – and I hope an early sign that musicals might be coming back into style. I’ve also been watching “Eastwick” on ABC – I’m not sure it’s really that good – but I’m a charter member of the Paul Gross fan club (“Slings & Arrows”, “Due South”) and I’m kind of surprised how good Rebbeca Romijn is (all those X men movies – really?).

CD’s aren’t obsolete yet (are they?): I head about Rosanne Cash’s new CD “The List” bought it, can’t stop listening to it. The summer after she graduated from high school Rosanne went on tour with her dad – the man in black – Johnny Cash. They were discussing music, when he asked her about more traditional songs – she told him she’d never heard of most of them. Johnny sat down and wrote up a list of 100 “essential” songs he thought she need to know. Rosanne kept the list, and recorded 12 of those songs on her latest CD – it is excellent. Most notable: “500 Miles (accompanied by her daughter Chelsea Crowell), “Heartache By The Numbers (with Elvis Costello) and one of my favorite folk songs “Bury Me Beneath The Weeping Willow”.

On the bookshelf: Just finished Dan Brown’s “ The Lost Symbol” (thank you Mrs. Schmenge for loaning the book). I’m not a big Dan Brown fan – “The Da Vinci Code” was a fast read – but I didn’t think it was anything special – just good storytelling. The same thing with his new book – fast read, nice details, but not particularly impressive. On the other hand, I am impressed with mystery writer Cara Black’s Amiee LeDuc series. Each of the books is set one of the neighborhoods ("arrondissement") of Paris – the mystery usually reflects the character/history of the neighborhood.

Finally: It’s that time of year – less baseball more random odds and ends – 166 days until the home opener on April 5th. Meanwhile:

“I’ve got my suitcase in my hand
Now ain’t that a shame
I’m leavin’today…
Walkin’ to New Orleans”

Laisser les bons temps rouler! -- Marla Hooch

Thus Endeth Another Season....

I'd written a long and rambling entry (what a surprise!) on season's end. Unfortunately, I accidentally deleted it, and I don't have the energy right now to re-construct it -- I'll try to do that next week.

But I do want to say thanks to all my baseball friends who, as always, make the great game even greater - if only because of their presence in my life (and the fact that they put up with me): The Schillers, The Newbergs, The Hindmans, Ms. Berstein, The Lucases, The Massetts, The Botts Clan, Dennis the world's greatest usher, my hero Henry Chadwick and with great affection for Baseball Mom, Neil, Mrs. Schmenge and brother Rob.

I wish Hank Blalock the best wherever he may go (why I do keep thinking he'll be the starting first baseman in Seattle next year?) - I really, really, really hope that we haven't seen the last of Marlon Byrd and Pudge.

I think I've posted pictures of roller coasters several times with my blog entries this year emphasizing the nature of the Rangers 2009 season - it was an unexpected ride of highs and lows. I hope that I can safely say that there is no more "wait till next year" - that 2010 is the year for the Rangers.

The offseason is always too long -- Marla Hooch

P.S. Is there anyone else who thinks MLB needs to re-think their schedule? Do you realize that if the World Series goes a full 7 games the last 3 will be played in November, at night, possibly in Philadelphia, or New York, or maybe even Denver - ridiculous! I wish there were a grass roots movement to persuade (or if you are talking about the owners - bully them) into shortening the season to 154 games - starting a few days later in April and ending a week earlier in September. Dragging the post season out only makes MLB more of a laughing stock and certainly hasn't helped with TV ratings (which haven't been good for post season for quite a while) - or the popularity of the game overall which continues to slowly wan.